Commentary

Pedestrian anger

By KAVELLE ANGLIN-CHRISTIE, Staff Reporter

"I HAVE A right to my anger, and I don't want anybody telling me I shouldn't be, that it's not nice to be, and that something's wrong with me because I get angry."

Maxine Waters, in Brian Lanker,

I Dream a World, 1989.

I HAVE NOTICED that I have started to curse people even more now when I walk, than drive. Frankly, I think the problem lies in the fact that there are no indicators attached to their butts.

Yes, humble reader, you may look on in amazement, but it is an issue that we have side-stepped for too long. Here's an example: the other day I was walking downtown, Kingston and of course a woman chatting on her cellphone was walking one breast-stiffness in front. She apparently saw someone whom she knew and suddenly stopped. Needless to say, if I wasn't fresh in the legs, I would have punctured the woman's spinal cord. Sheesh!

The woman, oblivious to her 'almost paralysis' continued to animatedly chat with her friend.

"Whaapen," she said, still on the phone but chatting with her friend.

I don't know what happened after; all I know is I went blind with rage and a man with a cart zoomed ahead and pulled over in front of me. At first I thought a car was coming, so hey, I stopped too. It wasn't until I saw other people go around the cart man who had left his cart that I realised what was happening: I had been undertaken, and this reckless wheeler had pulled over without any indication!

You may read this, and think I am a bit unravelled in the nerves, but it is a serious issue. Anyone who has ever tackled the streets of downtown, or any other busy town knows what I am talking about.

Wouldn't it be something if pedestrians had to walk as proper drivers drive? Right hand out to go right, and left hand out to go left and so on. That would be just fabulous.

Firstly, it would reduce the stress for pedestrians, especially people such as myself who already hate to walk. Secondly, I would curse less and have one less sin to put in the Book of Life.

So it's just something to consider - this whole thing of butt indicators...

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