Idiots Afoot

The following video is a montage of pedestrians.  These idiots seem to think that the mere act of walking renders them impervious to all harm.  Cyclists may not win confrontations with vehicles, but pedestrians don’t win confrontations with ANYTHING.  Why take the chance?

Idiots 1, 2, & 3 all crossed against a green light.  Idiots 1 & 2 were walking north on the east sidewalk of Main at Market around 7:30AM on September 1, 2011.  

Idiot 3 really ground my beans because I saw him waiting at the stop as I rode for half a block only to watch in dumbfounded amazement as he chose the moment I approached the intersection to jaywalk in front of me.  You can see all the other pedestrians patiently waiting their turn on the northwest corner of William and Sherbrook about 5:39PM on September 6, 2011.  

Idiots 4 & 5 both thought that Allen north of Talbot was a great place to walk about 5:50PM on Tuesday, September 6, 2011, despite the clear presence of a sidewalk not three metres away from them.  I often hear cyclists justify riding on the sidewalk by breathlessly complaining: “It’s just not safe to be on the road with motorists!”  By the same token, I hear pedestrians complain: “It’s not safe to be on the sidewalk with cyclists!”  The solution cannot be, however, to get more pedestrians on the roads with cars . . . that’s beyond idiocy.

Any Idiot Can Ride A Bike

The following video is a montage of idiots I saw riding bikes over the course of three days.  These seven idiots must have thought they were pedestrians – THEY WERE ON THE SIDEWALK.  I hesitate to call them “cyclists,” because I think true cyclists will only use a sidewalk if there’s no other option.  It also comes as no surprise to me that the majority of the idiots I filmed over these three days were bicycles riders.  After all, you need to be able to pass a test to get a driver’s license.

Idiots 1, 2, & 3 were all on the sidewalk within twenty seconds of each other at the corner of Sherbrook and William on Wednesday, August 31, 2011, around 5PM.  They were all heading south, but 2 is on the east sidewalk of Sherbrook, while Idiots 1 and 3 were both heading south on the west sidewalk of Sherbrook.

Idiot 4 was proceeding west on the south sidewalk of Higgins about ten minutes later on the same day.

There were two more cyclists on the sidewalk that day, and one of them was me, but the greater idiocy would have been to remain on the road: there simply is not enough room on the Louise Bridge for rush hour traffic and cyclists.  Another cyclist approached on the bridge, and very courteously dismounted to let me pass, so I can hardly fault him for committing the same error as me.

This issue of safe passage on this particular bridge has come to the attention of Winnipeg’s finest before, and their answer was . . . to ride on the sidewalk!  Check out this link:

http://wpgcyclinghallofshame.blogspot.com/2010/06/geez-louise.html

I can hardly wait for the dedicated bike lanes on the Disraeli to be finished, so I can stay off the sidewalk and out of the way of motorists.

Idiot 5 turned north on at the northeast corner of Sherbrook and William, about 7:40AM on Friday, September 1, 2011.

Idiot 6 zoomed north on the east sidewalk of Isabel about 4:30PM at the corner of McDermot on Friday, September 2, 2011.

Idiot 7 was waiting to cross on the east sidewalk of Aulneau at Provencher on her bike around 4:40PM the same day as Idiot 6.  I guess women can be idiots, too.