Joan is getting kinda mad on our walks. Not at me, but at the people in cars. They don't stop for us at the crosswalks to cross the street. I usually sit down when we get to a curb but it seems that is not enough for them to STOP. Joan has to walk out in front of them. That's when she glares at them, points at the sign that I guess says that they should stop, and sometimes she might even say a word I've never heard before. She is mad!
She is mad because: (a) she is from California where the pedestrian rules. At least that was the way it was when she lived there. She says if a person even approached the street, the cars screech to a halt and happily let the people (and dogs) cross; (b) the road we cross is only 25 MPH neighborhood street but the car people seem to think it is a highway and drive like 40 MPH especially in the morning and evening - when we do our walks!; (c) 5 months ago she emailed the new city councilman about these crosswalks on W. River Road because the paint is gone and she wanted them to be repainted. He never replied until she resent the email 2 months later and then he said they would do it sometime. Then later he sent another email which seemed to blow her off and just told her to contact someone else. She's still steemed about that and hasn't replied.
However, the other night the news was on (I listen with a half ear as it is usually when I like to go to sleep), and they were talking about the crosswalk problem all over the city. Now, Joan thinks she should forward her snubbed email correspondence to the TV station so they can follow up with that councilman! I should email them as I'm the one who is more likely to get hurt since I'm not as tall as Joan.
I remembered this because today we almost got run over by some man, despite the fact that he had a stop sign. Joan said one of those unfamiliar words at him but, of course, he didn't hear. Joan didn't really say it that loudly only I could hear and anyone else who can read lips! Then when we had to cross back over at a different street (where there are no stop signs), there was a car waiting to turn left. On the right the cars just kept coming and coming without stopping despite me sitting very patiently and obediently at the curb. Then, Joan just walked out because I guess that's what we have to do! The woman stopped and Joan pointed at the sign again - that says they have to stop - and we walked kinda slowly and she was saying something, but the fact is that if we had not been in front of her car, she would not have slowed down to let us cross!!!
It is a bummer because it doesn't make our walk pleasant when we have to wrestle with these car drivers just to cross a street, while we obey the law and the cars don't. I just don't want to get a broken leg or, worse, die.
