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You know...
Jan. 28th, 2004 06:44 pm... I really don't think Philadelphia loves me back. I mean, I was dubious from the start; the state allows discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. And the closest real hot-tubbing place is 42.3 miles away, in Princeton, NJ.
But now I'm sure. Philadelphia's not merely neutral on the subject of pedestrians. Oh no. Philadelphia hates pedestrians on a deep and personal level. I had my suspicions before, of course. But they were confirmed yesterday.
Yesterday I walked 4.5 miles to cover the same distance as a 2-mile drive.
Why? Well, because Philadelphia, in its infinite wisdom, has decided to stick a damn big road in the middle of the route that a pedestrian cannot a) walk along or b) cross without getting killed. Philadelphia could put a pedestrian tunnel in. Maybe an overpass. Possibly it could have gone so far as to put in a real, honest to god, pedestrian crosswalk, with one of those little blinking lights that turns from a little man to a hand. (I realize that's asking a lot, since there's only one other crosswalk in the whole damn city with an actual pedestrian light where you can take your turn and be reasonably certain of not getting killed.) But did it? No.
So instead I got to the corner of Wissahickon and Lincoln, after walking a mile down Wissahickon with no sidewalks, because rich people are allowed to not have sidewalks, thus absolving them of having the shovel anything to make allowances for pedestrians. I'd already gone out of my way a bit, since the straight-line route would have been Lincoln Drive, which doesn't really make space for pedestrians, unless by "space for pedestrians" you mean "the right lane, if you're willing to share it with large and fast-moving vehicles." And I had to cross that intersection to keep going. I noticed a little "no pedestrian crossing sign,' but that wouldn't have stopped me. If they're not going to give me a crosswalk anywhere along Lincoln Drive, they can bite me and I'll cross wherever I damn well please. What did stop me was watching traffic for a few light cycles and realizing that there really was no way to cross without getting killed.
And I really do mean that. I've done some incredibly stupid things as a pedestrian. I've crossed Highway 1 at its widest during rush hour while carrying surveying equipment. I've crossed Market Street in San Francisco during a blackout -- no light, no traffic dude. I've climbed fences. I've taken short-cuts. I accidentally crossed Mission Street against the light during rush hour when I was sick. I've walked the overpass between the Pinole and Hilltop shopping centers. Which is technically legal, but no less stupid for all that -- two freeway on-ramps spin off that overpass, and neither has a light, and as a pedestrian you've got to attempt to cross them. And I'm sure I've done stupider things that I just can't remember right now. This would have been stupider than all of those things put together.
So I turned around, and walked back up the hill to Walnut Street so I could take the Walnut Street overpass over Lincoln Drive. Only way to get on this overpass for a pedestrian on that side of Lincoln is two blocks from the Evil Intersection of Doom, so that wasn't far out of my way. Only then it takes you about a mile in the wrong direction and dumps you down on another street going in a wrong direction and eventually you make a giant two-mile loop in order to get around one. damn. street.
See? Philadelphia can claim it all it wants, but it clearly doesn't love me for who I am.
But now I'm sure. Philadelphia's not merely neutral on the subject of pedestrians. Oh no. Philadelphia hates pedestrians on a deep and personal level. I had my suspicions before, of course. But they were confirmed yesterday.
Yesterday I walked 4.5 miles to cover the same distance as a 2-mile drive.
Why? Well, because Philadelphia, in its infinite wisdom, has decided to stick a damn big road in the middle of the route that a pedestrian cannot a) walk along or b) cross without getting killed. Philadelphia could put a pedestrian tunnel in. Maybe an overpass. Possibly it could have gone so far as to put in a real, honest to god, pedestrian crosswalk, with one of those little blinking lights that turns from a little man to a hand. (I realize that's asking a lot, since there's only one other crosswalk in the whole damn city with an actual pedestrian light where you can take your turn and be reasonably certain of not getting killed.) But did it? No.
So instead I got to the corner of Wissahickon and Lincoln, after walking a mile down Wissahickon with no sidewalks, because rich people are allowed to not have sidewalks, thus absolving them of having the shovel anything to make allowances for pedestrians. I'd already gone out of my way a bit, since the straight-line route would have been Lincoln Drive, which doesn't really make space for pedestrians, unless by "space for pedestrians" you mean "the right lane, if you're willing to share it with large and fast-moving vehicles." And I had to cross that intersection to keep going. I noticed a little "no pedestrian crossing sign,' but that wouldn't have stopped me. If they're not going to give me a crosswalk anywhere along Lincoln Drive, they can bite me and I'll cross wherever I damn well please. What did stop me was watching traffic for a few light cycles and realizing that there really was no way to cross without getting killed.
And I really do mean that. I've done some incredibly stupid things as a pedestrian. I've crossed Highway 1 at its widest during rush hour while carrying surveying equipment. I've crossed Market Street in San Francisco during a blackout -- no light, no traffic dude. I've climbed fences. I've taken short-cuts. I accidentally crossed Mission Street against the light during rush hour when I was sick. I've walked the overpass between the Pinole and Hilltop shopping centers. Which is technically legal, but no less stupid for all that -- two freeway on-ramps spin off that overpass, and neither has a light, and as a pedestrian you've got to attempt to cross them. And I'm sure I've done stupider things that I just can't remember right now. This would have been stupider than all of those things put together.
So I turned around, and walked back up the hill to Walnut Street so I could take the Walnut Street overpass over Lincoln Drive. Only way to get on this overpass for a pedestrian on that side of Lincoln is two blocks from the Evil Intersection of Doom, so that wasn't far out of my way. Only then it takes you about a mile in the wrong direction and dumps you down on another street going in a wrong direction and eventually you make a giant two-mile loop in order to get around one. damn. street.
See? Philadelphia can claim it all it wants, but it clearly doesn't love me for who I am.
