[astrobe_]

As for safety, always look left and right when you cross, just like how your were probably taught as a child, really. Because of today's rise of mostly silent electric vehicles, and because of drivers distracted by phones sometimes, you should not cross "by hear", if it ever was a good idea (I used to do that), even if you have the green light. Be extra cautious if a large truck or bus blocks your view. Remove your headset/earphones in high traffic environments.

The author mentions other (hostile) people as a potential problem, one could also mention wild animals or straight dogs in urban environments. I had a couple of encounters with lost dogs myself, thankfully they were not hostile. Advice on how to behave from "pros" would be welcome.

[ketanmaheshwari]

I would add that absolutely do not cross if a car has stopped at a stop sign UNLESS you have an explicit signal from the driver. Most drivers have an almost instinctual stop & go at such stop signs and not in response to seeing a pedestrian. Always wait for the driver to see you and have a nod with them so you are sure they have stopped for you.

[Zircom]

My girlfriend used to smirk and roll her eyes at me when I would stop and stare at drivers and wave to them when we would cross in front of them at crosswalks and stop signs and wait for them to wave back, until someone almost ran us over the one time I didn't. Now she's a waver like me.

[ensignavenger]

And even then, you have to be careful of the cars behind them. Was crossing at a cross walk once- the first car stopped to let me cross- the car behind them swerved around them and blew through the cross walk- at about the time I would have been there, had I not been paying close attention and stopped!

[stjohnswarts]

I always do this anyway. I figure if they're stopped I can be decent and let them go, I'm usually not in any hurry when I'm out walking, no reason to hold up the person in the car and like you said it's much safer.

[stevesearer]

Another benefit of regular walking is that you grow more attentive and courteous to pedestrians when you are driving.

[imoverclocked]

So much this; It's really easy to be upset at others for not conforming to your expectations in a car. Stepping into another mode of transportation (walking/cycling/even a different kind of motor-vehicle) can do a lot to expand your awareness of others constraints.

[swayvil]

Gay dogs, otoh, are generally friendly.

[imoverclocked]

Strike another win for auto-corrupt.

[astrobe_]

It's actually entirely my mistake. Non-native speakers say funny things sometimes ;-)

[imoverclocked]

So do native ones :) FWIW, you speak English better than I speak anything else.

[_Algernon_]

What's corrupt about happy dogs?

[tasuki]

> straight dogs in urban environments. I had a couple of encounters with lost dogs myself, thankfully they were not hostile.

Stray dogs aren't hostile. Dogs defending their owner's territory are hostile.

[chasd00]

watch the freaking turning lane like a hawk too. I got hit by a police car, of all things, once because he was turning and just didn't see me. I had to do the whole ninja roll across the hood and off the other side. I wasn't injured too bad, just a sprung wrist.

[aaaaaaaaaaab]

>As for safety, always look left and right when you cross

* or right and left, if you're in the UK

[hanoz]

Or as we were taught, by Batman, "Look right, look left, look right again".

https://youtu.be/_awciO_uFdc

[ncmncm]

Odd. I thought UK doesn't have citizens, it has subjects. Maybe that changed when they got the vote?

[nicky0]

or Ireland, Australia, NZ, South Africa, Malta, Cyprus, Kenya...