Do you feel paranoid walking in front of cars whose drivers are preparing to back out of a parking spot?

You bet I do. Except that I don’t consider it paranoid. It’s just plain sensible caution.

I’m not in that big a rush going through life that I can’t pause an extra minute or two for safety.

I’m not sure ‘paranoid’ would be the term I would use. I would probably have chosen ‘extra-cautious’ or ‘very aware’ instead.

But your point is well taken. I would guess that half the time I’m in the supermarket parking lot, people are pulling out without looking – or they look to one side or not the other. In any event, me – the walker – has to be super-aware of what nutty thing the driver is doing.

Only if it’s a woman driver ~

I just never really thought of it until I had my kids. As a new mom I became so aware of so many things that I hadn’t considered before.

@ucme You are grounded. Go to your room.

Yep, not everyone pays attention when backing unfortunately, so I am cautious.

slopes off, sucking thumb & looking sheepish.

Quit sucking your thumb! It’s gonna screw up your teeth.

I don’t ever see any one else taking that kind of precautions.

I pay attention, yes.
Funny because JUST yesterday I was waiting for several people to cross in the grocery store parking lot and only ONE woman actually made eye contact with me as she was about to cross in front of me. The other people were either on their cell phones staring at the ground or oblivliviously meandering along in the duh zone. Jesus…wake the frack up people! lol

I ended up parking next to her car and commented that I was impressed she was actually aware. She laughed and thanked me for the compliment. :-p

coulda bin worse, giving the thumbs up whilst sucking a sheep :D

a SHEEP???

When my son was learning to drive he almost ran over an off duty police officer as the guy wandered into the parking lot. Chris could see he wasn’t paying attention and he was saying, “Make eye contact with me, dude!” as he was braking. We know it was an off-duty police officer because we know all the police officers in town.
I said, “Good job son. Running over a cop when you only have your learners permit is really bad.”
Chris said, “I can’t WAIT to get my actual license then!”

a national pastime in New Zealand…Wales too.

Never even thought about it much until now! Thanks a lot. A new thing to stress about. ~

I make a point of being as visible as possible, including getting in front of the driver, and prepared to slap the car if the driver starts to get close. And I like to practice my best Ratso Rizzo voice: “I’m walking here!”

Always, especially in malls and strip centers. And I feel equally paranoid being the one who’s pulling out.

[NSFW] As a rule, @Pachyderm_In_The_Room , pulling out is not as effective a means of protection ..

Especially not in strip centers, @Pachyderm_In_The_Room.

Maybe I just saved your life @Judi! :D

There’s a thread on FB about the wreck. Someone just posted in it ” Taking out store fronts the way you always wanted to! (Personally, I think it’s a ruse. I think they just get bored and figure, “I’m old enough that everyone will blame it on my age!”) I was about to walk into a Walmart once, when an elderly lady accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake. She zoomed right past me and took out an entire flower display next to the front doors. I think she was more shaken than anything.”

@ucme: uh, women are statistically better drivers than men.

Oh yeah?

You are in sooooo much trouble @ucme!

Ha, at least you know i’m just fooling around @Dutchess_III…or am I¿ ;-}

A number of years back the wife of a prominent pro golfer died whilst walking between two cars as she was crushed, since then I never walk near a car starting to move out of a parked situation.

Once I got out of my car and the lady next to me started backing out, and cranked the wheel hard and almost crushed me. Came within inches. I started beating on the car and thank God she stopped in time. Then she got that foolish grin on her face that some people get when they’ve just done something incredibly stupid that they don’t know what else to do.

Today was insane in my zone haha
I was circling the parking lot at the grocery store, and first, just as I was about to turn into a space these two young fucks zinged into the space from the other side and pulled all the way forward facing out and nearly nailed me.
THEN…as I went around AGAIN, like time #4 someone backing out almost hit someone else and they both had a moment of flared tempers. Jeez….chaos to the 10th power. o-0

But driving is about freedom, right?!

Ran to WM today. Back in the parking lot, getting ready to back out of my space, I put it in reverse and a lady walked between my car and the car parked in front of me. There was maybe a 3 foot gap. My engine was running, she saw me….and did it anyway. I waited, with my foot on the brake, until she got clear. Sheesh.