What This Opinionated and Creative Writer, Walker and Photographer Wears in Houston in 2018 #1

As 2017 headed down the final stretch I decided that 2018 was going to be a year of creativity and exploration of as much of Houston, Harris County and their neighbors as I could find time to explore on foot and by bike and bus.

That was part of the reason I joined a local and a national walking club.

I also wanted to do new things to express my creativity and bring attention to my blogging and photography.

The first step was changing my wardrobe a bit.

I am a pedestrian, someone who uses the sidewalks, sidewalk-less streets and walking/biking trails of his community to get around with, or without the assistance of a bike, or mass transit.

I am the person you see in the crosswalk, crossing the street at intersections where there are no crosswalks...and jaywalking.

Yes, jaywalking...in Houston, while many folks do it because they are in a hurry to get somewhere, catch a bus, or are too lazy to use a crosswalk, I have found myself in situations where I find crossing at an intersection, with or without a crosswalk, too dangerous and therefore wait for a clear space to cross a street safely in the middle of a block.

I purchased a couple of shirts that expressed both my interest in safely sharing the road (something long a part of my bike blogging) and my sense of humor.

I am not just a writer and photographer, but a pedestrian, on the loose in Houston.

As such I want motorists to get their heads out of their cell phones, make-up kits, coffee and snacks, or anything else, long enough to notice me as I cross their paths....

I want them to STOP! I'm a Pedestrian!

I bought THAT shirt specifically to remind left turning, as well as right turning, motorists that someone has the right-of-way in a crosswalk at an intersection where we share the green light.

I have 15-30 seconds, before my walk becomes a flashing don't walk, to cross the street and I have no intention of stopping, mid-cross, and waiting for the next light because you are in too much of a hurry, and/or just not paying attention to your driving.

The intersection behind me in that particular photo is near my apartment and, in the past year I have taken to stopping in the crosswalk to force drivers to notice me and wait for me to finish crossing...

It annoys the hell out of many, to the point of angry honking.

Since I bought the shirt, a few months ago, angry shouts have sometimes joined the honking and sometimes just walking down the street, or crossing where I have no conflicts gets me a few less than kind words from waiting or passing motorists.

I have found that wearing those shirts has made me more willing to no longer jaywalk and instead use the problem intersection.

Houston is notoriously unfriendly to cyclists and pedestrians, but in recent years efforts have been made to change that....more in the way of bike/hike trails and bike lanes than sidewalks where none have ever been, or wider sidewalks, and safer intersections, , or promenades with a focus on foot traffic, but that could be changing as well.

I want to do my part to encourage and support those changes.

NEXT UP: Part 2

Comments

[Ellen Pilch]

I think it is great you are doing your part to change things. :)