Crossing the Line

The rainy season is beginning here in California's central valley. That means our months of cloudless blue skies, blazing sun, and scorched earth are finally at an end, and the plants and people breathe a sigh of relief. But it has also had an unexpected side effect for me in my new occupation, so I thought I would take this moment to elaborate on the negative aspects of my job that I hinted at before. There are only three, which means that on the whole I still enjoy what I do, but they are seriously annoying. So here goes.

The first one, as I indicated, relates to the weather. Being a crossing guard involves standing outside on the sidewalk for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon. I'm a rather outdoorsy kinda guy, so this really doesn't bother me. In fact, I quite like it. And unlike most people here, who seem to think that God ordained that their lives be filled with only sunny and beautiful days and who feel betrayed and horribly put out when this imagined promise isn't kept, I enjoy a little variety in my weather. I love a sunny day, but I also like a little rain and the occasional bluster. Heck, even a spot of cold and snow would be welcome to me. Besides, I'm only outside for an hour. If I get hot, I always know that I'll be back indoors before it gets intolerable. And if I get wet and cold, I know I will shortly be able to go home and change clothes. It really, really isn't a big deal. But any time there is a speck of dark cloud in the sky, every parent crossing my intersection feels the need to threaten me with being soaked to the skin. For some of them, it is a casual observation, but for some, there is a slight note of belligerence in their prognostications that I cannot for the life of me understand. Perhaps they are so used to ordering people, ie their children, around that they cannot comprehend that I do not instantly obey their directions and donn a rain coat in fear and trepidation of the terrible outpouring from the heavens; therefore, they feel the need to repeat their dire warnings at every possible instance. Or perhaps they are just trying to make conversation with me. But either way, I think I'm aware enough to notice that it is raining, and I further think I am old enough to decide for myself whether or not this rain warrants any extra measures on my part. I don't need to be told, let alone harrassed, about this. And in all honesty, I swear to you that this happens when the "rain" is no more than a slight mist that I find pleasant instead of alarming. I sometimes wish that people would just cross the street and be done with it.

The second issue is a less personal one, and it relates to my city's standing as the number one bike friendly city in the US. I, myself, am a cyclist. I prefer to walk or ride my bike rather than drive if at all possible. I would love to claim I do this for the environment, but the truth is that I just think it's easier. I don't like all of the hassle that comes with a car. Being able to just go out the door and get to my destination without the extra thought about gas, directions, parking, etc. is one of the best reasons for living in a major city; it is just so much more freeing. And though my town is a small one, it has this in common with a much larger metropolis. You can get anywhere in town quickly and efficiently on a bike. Every street has bike lanes; there are additional bike roads in many areas; and bike racks abound. The university even has entire bike parking lots. However, many cyclists seem to forget that a bike is, in fact, a vehicle. That means that one cannot, or should not, ride a bike on sidewalks or crosswalks. The word "WALK" in these compounds is there to indicate that these areas are for pedestrians. If one wishes to move within them, he or she must push the bike while. . . WALKING. And when one is in an area designated for vehicles, such as the public street, one must obey the rules of the road, even if one's vehicle is pedal powered rather than mechanically powered. That means that cyclists are required, just like cars and trucks, to stop at all traffic lights and stop signs, including the one held in the hand of a crossing guard. And one must remained stopped until the crossing guard lowers his or her stop sign and steps onto the curb. Most cyclists think they are exempt from traffic laws. They speed right through the intersection, sometimes even weaving in and out of tiny children toddling across the street. This is not only dangerous; it's illegal. And even when it appears that the kids have gotten safely into the opposite lane, that doesn't mean the cyclists (or motorists for that matter) can decide for themselves that it's time to go. Little kids are not to be trusted when it comes to crossing the street. That is why there is the need for crossing guards. They can turn around and run back across the lane at any moment, or a child that you didn't even see on the curb behind a line of cars may see a friend on the other side and decide to make a dash for it. And though a bike might not directly hurt a child much if it struck one, it can knock the child onto the pavement, leading to potentially serious or life-threatening injuries. Cyclists really need to learn that the decision is not theirs. They must stop as long as the crossing guard is in the crosswalk with his or her stop sign held aloft. Period.

And the last thing is a regular pet peeve of mine: cell phones, Blackberries, iPhones, iPods, etc. I cannot tell you how many times someone has blown through the crosswalk without even seeing me or the four small children traversing the intersection because they were talking on the phone or fiddling with a Blackberry. And often parents begin to cross the street with their precious loved ones following obediently behind them without making certain that I have stopped traffic or motioned them to proceed because they were preoccupied typing in a text message. And even if I blow my whistle or shout, most cyclists do not hear me because of the iPod permanently implanted in their ears. I don't care what anyone says, the primary convenience of these devices is that they allow people to do one thing while they are actively engaged in another, and this is dangerous! The human brain is not capable of doing two things at once. It's just not. You may think you are multitasking, but you are not really doing either task well. Diverting attention to an electronic device removes you from your surroundings so that you are not completely aware of what is going on. As long as everything goes smoothly, you can handle this. But what about when a car pulls out in front of you or a child darts across the street or a crossing guard waves a big red "STOP" sign before you. You will likely not notice it. And once you do see it, your brain will take a moment to refocus and realize what is happening. Then you will have to consider how to respond, drop the device you are holding, and move you hands/feet into position to halt your movement or alter your course. The delay it takes to perform these steps is longer than you think, and a child or children could be killed. Is having a meaningless conversation with you BFF or maintaining constant background music to your life really worth that? This isn't hypothetical. It almost happens every single day, multiple times a day, at my one crosswalk alone. Just wake up to reality and turn the damn machines off. Not down. Not on vibrate. OFF!