Street crossing 101

I went along with @wakeuplincs as she walked to a nearby ATM machine. You can check her adventure yourself.

But I'm not going to talk about short walks, or going out without a centavo in my pocket like she did. What I picked up from her article is about crossing streets.

When in the metropolis as busy as Metro Manila, crossing the street is not as simple as it seems. First, there are areas without pedestrian crossings, especially in minor roads which can be just as busy as major streets.

The most common means of safe crossing (aside from pedestrian lanes) is an overpass but usually they're at least 500 meters apart, and the walkways are populated by vendors making it inconvenient for pedestrians to use.

Second, Filipino drivers are often crazy and don't respect pedestrians' rights. Instead of slowing down when someone has started to cross the road, they will speed up.

Therefore, it is a must for people to know how to cross the street while keeping safe. Their life will actually depend on this know-how.

Unfortunately, there are many people who don't know how to do this properly to save themselves. In particular, children are clueless when it comes to going to the other side of the street. Mostly, these are kids who are used to riding cars and will often be brought to the doorstep of wherever it is they're going.

Source

The problem arises when they become adults and are out in the real world and have to navigate the streets on foot because of situations where riding a vehicle is impractical.

Believe it or not, when in the Philippines knowing how to cross the street is a life skill that should be taught, especially in private schools where students are mostly car-riding citizens.

Those who have no experience crossing streets are often fearful even before they step onto the road. Or just the thought of having to get from one side of the street to the other makes them break into sweat or shake in terror.

I remember walking with a friend once and we were at a busy street and needed to cross to the other side. While I do drive, I'm also a commuter and learned early on how important it was to be confident when crossing streets.

Even before we stepped off the pavement, she had already gripped my arm and I felt her squeeze tight that made me yelp a little in pain. It turns out she's scared of crossing streets and rarely does, or can't do so alone.

There have also been instances when I had to drag someone crossing the street with me because they're holding back for fear of getting hit. That could actually be more dangerous for the both of us.

Walk quickly

Having crossed streets since I was young, the one thing ingrained in me is to walk fast. Given that not all drivers respect pedestrians, you can't assume they will slow down for you. In fact, it's not uncommon for them to speed up, especially approaching street corners or intersections, even with the PED Xing.

So, my goal is getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible. In short, crossing the street should never be a walk in the park. I repeat: do not promenade.

There is an additional challenge when the road you have to navigate has bumper-to-bumper traffic (like those in busy Manila), where at any moment cars can move forward suddenly, or are cruising.

The trick in these situations is to weave in and between vehicles, moving fast, and never hesitating. Believe me, the more you hesitate, the higher the chance of you getting hit. Just keep walking.

You can always extend an arm to signal drivers to slow down, (they usually do) but unless absolutely necessary don't stop then go.

The basics

Of course, in areas where traffic is light, the rule is to look to your left then right before starting to cross. Sometimes, it's hard to estimate the actual speed of approaching vehicles but when they're still at a distance move quickly.

Stop at the middle of a two-way street, if warranted, to check for oncoming cars then proceed as quickly as possible. Do not vacillate, unsure whether to cross or not. You will get hit that way because drivers can't tell what you want to do and may not brake in time.

Pay attention to where you're going and what's around you. This way you can gauge your speed and pace in relation to vehicles on the road.

A really good tip when crossing streets without pedestrian lanes is to look and feel confident doing so. Projecting fear sometimes triggers foolish drivers to test you, and it could end up badly.

Like most anything in life, practice makes perfect. And it will build your confidence so that in no time, you're going to be crossing streets like a pro.

Lead Image: Unsplash