Pedestrians at light sometimes working at cross-purposes
People don’t walk much in L.A., which may be why some of them aren’t very good at it.
Dodger Thoughts blogger Jon Weisman, turning his attention from base paths to sidewalks for a moment, wrote about one of his pet peeves: “You know when you get to the crosswalk of an intersection when a pedestrian is already there ahead of you, and you’re tempted to press the button, but you don’t do it, because you feel it would be insulting to the person who got there ahead of you? Or you press the button, but you feel a little guilty or stupid about it?”
Well, don’t feel guilty or stupid, and do hit that button, Weisman advised.
“The last two times I’ve gotten to the crosswalk with other people there, they haven’t pushed the button,” he explained. “They’ve just been standing there, waiting to cross -- thus forcing all of us to scramble through the intersection against a red ‘Don’t Walk’ sign. Talk to the hand, indeed.”
Weisman’s recommendation sparked accounts of other pedestrian adventures from readers, including this one: “I was once with my dad when he got a jaywalking ticket. He asked the officer if he could go to Walking School. The officer didn’t seem to find it as amusing as I did.” Still another reader recalled: “My brother got pulled over in L.A. for crossing against the red ‘Don’t Walk’ by a policeman on horseback!”
At least he didn’t get lassoed.
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As for the pedestrian button ... : One respondent disagreed with Weisman, recommending a hands-off attitude because “the button has a lot of germs on it.”
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Walkers beware: In Mar Vista, Brian Monahan of Venice found a light pole that’s a lot lighter than it used to be (see photo).
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You can’t call it Ray: On a visit to Atlanta, Doug Thomson of Mar Vista spotted a plaque that mangled the spelling of a couple of place names (see photo). I can see how the Marina miscue would be overlooked. But “Califronia”? What ever happened to Southern hospitality?
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Your history lesson is killing me, Larry: Anne Olmstead heard a certain mattress dealer touting an offer on television as “the best trade since the Pilgrims bought Manhattan Island for $24.” Olmstead pointed out that it was Dutch settlers who bought the Big Apple.
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Unclear on the concept: In Simi Valley, Howard Roth of Northridge noticed an unusual item for lease (see photo). “I wonder how long the leases are for and what you have to do with your loved one when the lease is up,” he said. “Perhaps there is an option to buy.”
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miscelLAny: San Diego Magazine warned subscribers about a scam in which a company claiming to represent the publication solicits renewals by mail: “To make sure you’re dealing directly with San Diego Magazine, when you received a renewal notice, look for our official logo or the signature of a magazine employee. Additionally, you should look for an Illinois postmark; that’s where our subscriptions are handled.”
Let me get this straight. If the San Diego Magazine solicitation has a California postmark, you know it’s a fake. The world gets more complicated each day.
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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012, and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.
