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Comment by ChrisLTD | Hacker News Reader

Over the past couple of years I've noticed that when I pass someone driving erratically or abnormally slow, they are more often than not futzing with their phone (texting or talking). This is the kind of driving that ten years ago I would have attributed to drunkenness.

It's a serious factor in my desire to move somewhere where I don't need a car to get around.

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But when you live in the city like I do, just crossing the street can be made dangerous by these same people.

[EDIT] Plus people walking and texting in the city can be just as bad when driving in Chicago when they walk out into an intersection without looking.

People who walk and text very rarely injure or kill other people, though. I don't really mind people being a menace to themselves, but I very much mind people being a menace to me and people I care about.

I don't know about you, but I try to swerve and avoid pedestrians if they walk out into the street. That can lead to me hitting other vehicles, losing control of the car, and all sorts of other badness.

Maybe I should just plough through them, and then sue for damage to my car.

I'd suggest braking rather than swerving. Don't know how much better that would be.

In any case, you're right, it's possible for them to pose a danger, but it's still much less than that posed by drivers.

That might make sense if cars were not designed like armour. Kill the pedestrian or scratch your car?

There was more than a hint of sarcasm in there. The point is that walking out on the road DOES pose a danger.

I have to think that your odds of getting hit by a car crossing the street would be lower than driving an hour each day. Anybody have any statistics?

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