What do you dislike most when you’re walking?

4 Responses to “What do you dislike most when you’re walking?”

---

• Rich

  April 15, 2011 at 7:57 am

  You could add a bunch of things to this list. Closed sidewalks are usually due to construction projects where no though has been given to pedestrian detours. This happens on the east side all the time. Seattle a little less so. Worst case is where you don’t realize the sidewalk is closed until you get to mid-block. Then it’s either back track or jay walk.

  Big mud puddles can be annoying. Cars driving through big puddles and sending a tsunami onto the sidewalk is even more annoying and worthy of a middle finger salute.

  Then there’s the human element. People wanting to sell me something, save my soul, or get my signature on their petition. Not to mention the truly needy. I’m sure female walkers could come up with many other examples of folks wanting something. And of course there’s outright street crime.
• Andy

  April 15, 2011 at 9:34 am

  For me it was a choice between unpleasant weather and loud vehicles. I can prepare for the weather, but there’s nothing that can be done about obnoxious (and noxious) vehicles. If I am walking with a person it rudely interrupts conversation. Some vehicles, motorcycles especially, are so loud it can hurt. Indeed, I’ve found that vehicle noise pollution is one of the biggest affronts to quality of life in the city.
• Christine

  April 15, 2011 at 9:53 am

  My complaints include impatient drivers and vegetation blocking sidewalk.
• kerry

  April 15, 2011 at 11:25 am

  Of all the minor annoyances I encounter while walking, waiting ages to cross is probably the single biggest annoyance. This isn’t just about long lights, though there are definitely some of those, but also about push-to-cross buttons that don’t work reliably, so when the light does finally change it’s of the very-short-don’t-walk variety, meaning I either have to run for it or wait another cycle and hope that next time the button will be acknowledged (15th and Denny, I’m looking at you). I also find that there are entirely too few marked crosswalks on busy streets, and I’m left to wait a very long time for a break in traffic to cross. Sometimes people going one direction will stop, but this is no guarantee that those going the other way will, too, and I feel like I’m risking my life to get across the street. There is too much confusion among pedestrians and drivers alike about who should yield to whom and when.