don't violate my right of way...

that's three words.

Ever been to Italy, or anywhere in Africa for that matter? You end up feeling grateful drivers choose to slow down so you can sprint across the street to the safety of the other side. That little green man high on his sign does nothing to ensure you a safe passage.

We Canadians belong to a privileged pedestrian-driven society. Not that there's anything wrong with it, it's just... privileged.

That doesn't excuse the senselessness of the driver of the H2 but it isn't necessarily indicative of the H2's mentality; drivers in a Fiat, Peugeot or Maserati - or even a Nessan, SmartCar or Volkswagon could - and do! - exhibit the same street machoism. So could a cyclist. So could another pedestrian.

I took a look at the FUH2 site, and after reading several pages of comments, I'm beginning to think that the anger towards the H2 stems from a sense of personal inadequacy:if you truly were content with your sense of well-being (be it your emotional, social or economical) why would you get all worked-up over what someone else drives? You can't change that so why bother being angry?

Also, I wonder how many of the people who posted to that site recycle? Reuse water, buy organic fair-trade, or turn of lights? Or do they just get angry at the choices of others and demonstrate this impotency with a raised middle finger?

Just a thought.


Safe travels!
From a fellow pedestrian

I've been to Italy and experienced the craziness of traffic. In fact one of my sisters was run over by a moped in Rome when we were crossing the street. Luckily she was fine, except for the tire tread bruise on her thigh.

I have to admit that I have not looked closely at the FUH2 site, I linked to it solely because it expressed what I wanted to do to the driver of that vehicle and not to the vehicle itself. But I chose not to give the driver the royal salute, because he was long gone and it wouldn't have soothed my frustration. I'm sure that many people who commented on the FUH2 site are opposed to the H2 based solely on, as you put it, a sense of personal inadequacy. I don't care for the vehicle myself, but I will freely admit that it's because I find it rather ugly in addition to being grossly expensive and I just can't make sense of why anyone would need such a vehicle for commuting around the city. I am sure that is not what the original hummer was designed for. It seems such a gross misuse of wealth, but I have no control over how other people spend their money.

I have no control over the stupidity of people's actions either. Stupidity... that's what it boils down to... not that cars or technology makes us do stupid things, but that we make stupid choices and then we blame the thing and not the person.

thanks for your comment, I like to be reassured that there are still many sane people out there.

i disagree with the contention that "Canadians belong to a privileged pedestrian-driven society". Pshaw. Maybe pedestrians get a bit more respect in these parts than elsewhere, but Canada is a far cry from pedestrian paradise. Unless "pedestrian" is being used metaphorically.

Hi, my name is Pedro, and I'm from Mumbai, and I would like to state unequivocally that Canada is paradisical for pedestrians only relative to India, though certainly not relative to a defensible and justifiable ideally determined standard of paradisicality.