aggressively defensive - for more than just driving!

if it makes me laugh out loud, i put it up here for your reading pleasure. as always, from Overheard in New York:

Tourist woman to crowd of pedestrians: No, don't cross! Here comes the big red hand!

--51st & 5th

Overheard by: Micaela

can't you practically hear the very mild, yet undeniably present, hysteria in her voice?

here's my thing: i'm all for obeying traffic laws. really. but there is a certain...flexibility with rules that one needs to have while in the city in order to a) get anywhere and b) survive. and honestly, it's more about awareness than anything else. i was shaking my head just this morning at a girl, during rush hour, wandering along the sidewalk and arriving at the corner totally oblivious to the onslaught of pedestrians (myself included) coming at her from the perpendicular crosswalk. i almost ran into her, because she made no attempt at adjusting her strides to the oncoming foot traffic - she was in her own little walking world. and i'm sorry, when you're in the midst of thousands of people both in cars and on foot who are trying to get somewhere, that is a really bad state in which to be.

phew. didn't realize that had annoyed me as much as it apparently did. moral of the story is, ignore the big red hand all you like, but just have a fucking clue what's around you while you do!