The Three P's...
I love Halifax. I love Halifax but three things I hate about Halifax (that I've discovered since moving here) are as follows:
1. Pigeons
2. Panhandlers
3. Pedestrians
All three are numerous to the city and catch me by surprise!
Pigeons: filthy, "rats with wings", I'd never seen so many in so many different places since moving here. The seagulls I'd anticipated (but some of them are as big as cats!). And yes... I have a phobia of birds and no... I don't think it's irrational.
Panhandlers: people asking, begging, demanding money all around the city at major intersections with signs as well as outside of coffee shops, grocery stores, restaurants etc.
Pedestrians: You always hear how in the Maritimes you can extend your foot onto the road and traffic stops--- "it's wonderful!" people exclaim. Well, being a driver from Ontario I'm not used to the incessant yielding to pedestrians that is required. Start. Stop. Start. Stop.
I have to report though that so far in 2006 I have not had any run ins with either pigeons or panhandlers but tonight I came the closest to killing (okay maiming) a pedestrian since moving here:
I was at Bayers Lake driving from Wal-Mart (don't tell Cliff or Tyler) to Chapters/Starbucks and suddenly some fifteen year old boy was in front of my car and I slammed on the brakes... maybe I was changing CD's (Johnny Cash to I AM SAM), maybe it was a cross walk... but it definitely was dark, he was all in black and I breathed a huge sigh of relief as he was caught in the headlights. We shared a smile, I mouthed the so obligatory but somehow silly
"s o r r y". It hasn 't always ended this pleasantly. I wish I still had Ontario plates.
9 Comments:
I couldn't agree with you more on the pedestrians... I am not used to the pedestrians rule the road mentality. However, I did give up the "I want to teach these guys a lesson so I'll go as close the them as I can" mentality which my wife always gets on my case when I do try to teach them a lesson. My favourite is still the time when I had to slam on my breaks when the car in front of me coaxed a pedestrian to cross when we had the green light and the pedestrian had the do not walk sign on a red. (sigh)
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you reckless Ontario drivers.. oh wait, that's me. however, i'd rather yield to a hundred pedestrians than get shot by a gun slinging TO driver.
Panhandlers: the money's just a front Kelley.. all they really want is some TLC.. >> [VITAL SOCIAL ISSUES N' STUFF....]
Ah, Kelley...you & your bird obsession...hehehe....you're crazy!
Now, I disagree with you Ontario peeps..I like the way that pedestrians can walk onto the road. Yes, as a driver, it can be annoying, but as someone who has walked much in this city...it's great when you're walking!
Hope you're having a good week..see you Thursday!
I'm with Sarah on this one...it is nice to know you (probably) won't get run over when walking downtown, and really, when I'm driving I don't mind stopping for pedestrians. A Pet Peeve,though, is a walker who just steps off the curb without seeing you see them first. Grr.
Hey Kelley!
Just wanted to leave the polite "Hey I checked out your blog" so I'm no longer a blog stalker (even though I only found out about your blog tonight!).
Yay for not being a blog stalker.
Boo to pedestrians.
Boo to icky pigeons - they give me the creeps. Especially the maimed, disfigured and smelly ones. *shudder*
And boo to...I forget the last one.
Oh yes. Panhandlers. Even though I'm indifferent. Sorta.
The End.
Hey Kelley, your comment about the pigeons reminded me of Hope Taylor and her obsessions (heeheehee). It's okay Kelley, they won't bite :) Regarding the pedestrians...I concluded today that only people in Halifax stops for pedestrians cuz I almost got ran over by a car today when I was crossing a street in Yarmouth...sheesh...and I expected them to stop for me (hahaha).
i found your blog! i'll reply to your email soon...but ok, i spent a few days in halifax this summer, you know, between swaziland and the miramichi...and as an ontario pedestrian, i was TOTALLY freaked out about just walking out into the middle of the street, i kept doing the 'soccer mom' stop to my friends and they thought i was nuts! as if! look both ways!
Pigeons - Bad, yes, but not nearly as many here as in Venice. And Venice is amazing therefore Pigeons are ok with me.
Panhandlers - Bad, yes, but not nearly as many here as in Vancouver. And Vancouver is amazing therefore panhandlers are ok with me.
Pedestrians - Bad, yes. That's all I've got. Halifax is the worst city especially downtown.
My $.02.
Bryan
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