a classic street moment

[serinde]

The corner of 78th and York. I'm getting ready to cross York to head down to the river. The light is just about to turn in my favor, but there is a fire engine coming down the avenue all blarin' and flashin', so I maintain position on the curb. The usual few taxis try and dash in front of it, to the usual annoyed ear-splitting horn BLATT. I see, on the curb catty-corner from me, an elderly woman starting across the street. It looks as if she's aware of the fire truck, but is moving up to the edge of traffic in that unique aggressively-nonchalant New York fashion.

Instead, she starts going out into the intersection. Fire truck screeches to a halt, blows its horn. She visibly startles, and steps back.

There is a pause.

AND SHE STARTS ACROSS THE INTERSECTION AGAIN.

I stare agog. The other pedestrians stare agog. The fireman at the wheel stares agog, as his sirens continue to roar.

After she finishes her leisurely stroll, and the truck continues on its way, I start to cross the street, shaking my head. I catch the eye of a fellow crossing in the other direction, who has an identical expression on his face, and we have a Moment of Shared WTF, half-laughing, half-stunned.

Comments

[fivetonsflax.livejournal.com]

The unwritten rules of jaywalking are all different here in Berkeley. Mostly, it's not done. When I went back to NYC recently, I had to recalibrate. It's odd.

[spride.livejournal.com]

Never, never underestimate the power of the feeling of entitlement of the average Upper East Site matron.

[thewinglover.livejournal.com]

We see this every day in Tokyo. Every single day. People think "Well, since I'm out here crossing the street, obviously I'm not the person dying in the back of that ambulance. Therefore I am more important than the person dying in front of the ambulance and I will walk wherever I damn well please".

They actually have the guy in the front passenger seat of ambulances on a megaphone begging and pleading with people to move out of the way...

[briony530.livejournal.com]

LOL! You have a good way with a story!

[kalimar.livejournal.com]

Wow. That's definitely worse than my shared WTF moment a couple of weeks ago.

The intersection is really two T intersections with a light at each T. Light 1A, Light 2A, Light 1B, Light 2B, pedestrian, Light 1A... (it's two lights that share the cycle).

Lady stops at Light 1A which just turned red. Inches forward a bit.
Light 2A turns red. Lady inches forward a bit more. Pause. A bit more. Pause.
Light 1B turns red. Lady inches forward a bit more (now _in the crosswalk_). Pause. A bit more. Pause.
Light 2B turns red. Lady goes through the first intersection, turning left and stopping at the second light.

    2A
2B___|___ ___1B
         |
         1A

All three pedestrians that observe this look at each other and shake our heads.