REMEMBER the song lyrics by reggae band Inner Circle ‘Walk, don’t run, the party’s just begun’?
Those words came to mind the other day while I was on the road.
I was at a red robot, preparing to turn left.
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A pedestrian strolled across the road, looking like a combination of Will Smith and Michael Jackson. Or a member of Inner Circle.
He had a trendy, dreadlocked hairstyle, dark glasses, loud shirt and and a swagger of note. In short, one cool cat.
But a law-breaking cool cat, nonetheless.
However, he wasn’t in harm’s way as no vehicles were (fortunately for him) coming through the intersection from the other side.
I’ll admit my thoughts went something like this: “Really man, have you no respect for the rules of the road? Have you no fear for your own life?”
I figured he was in a hurry to get to whatever party might be on the go.
Then a surprising thing happened as the light turned green.
He stopped. And then held up his hand in apology. But still remained stationary.
I burst out laughing at the irony of the situation and my totally incorrect assessment of the pedestrian’s attitude.
Here was a guy who was blissfully unaware he was in the wrong, and apologised immediately when he thought he was, but in fact wasn’t!
I waved him along and he scooted across the road after a startled response.
Later in the day, while on the road again, it was my right of way as I was preparing to ease through an amber light.
I paused to let a vehicle go through, but felt he was pushing the limits.
I was about to proceed when another vehicle shot through the red light.
That was just totally unacceptable and rude, an absolutely blatant disregard for the law and anyone else’s safety.
His attitude, in comparison to that of the first man, could not have been more different.
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