crossing the line

It's not exactly in line with the local culture to stop for pedestrians to cross the street. However, on the odd occasion, one does fall into a lapse from the local mindset, and decide to help the poor laptop-lugging pedestrian get to the other side in once piece.

Which leads to some interesting observations in respect of the subjects of this kind gesture...

Regular Joe

Your average nice person would probably offer a smile or wave thank-you as they cross. He would at least be considerate enough not to make your hair turn grey while sauntering across at 0.1 km/h. You drive off feeling you've done a good deed for the day.

Road to Perdition

You stop. They get off the conversation on their handphones momentarily to give you the "Yeah, that's what you ought to do, I have the irrevocable right to cross this road unobstructed" look, and then recommence the tête-à-tête while taking an eternity to cross.

The Jackass Jaywalker

In the mornings, streams of vehicles pour into the bowels of the 30-storey office building where I work, while pedestrians are forced to wait at the sides until the traffic lights turn red. As I was in a kind mood that morning (and wasn't running late for once), I decided to stop for the bloke to cross.

Observation: The Jackass Jaywalker will take a few ages to swagger across all of 5 metres of tarmac. But there's more.. the catwalk act also comes with a wink and a sleazy smile.

The Eternally Grateful

Wouldn't say this is a usual occurrence. I've only encountered an Eternally Grateful once. Many many moons ago, I was in Mom's car cruising along Jalan Pahang when we noticed from a distance that an old lady was trying to cross the dual-carriageway near the hospital. Mom stopped for the old lady to cross.

Ah Poh was so touched with the gesture that she stopped in front of our car and started uttering strings of praise and verses of thanks in Chinese while earnestly patting the bonnet.

This was followed by a castigation of the rest of the younger generation in general - all those lazy good-for-nothings who no longer respect or care for their elders. She wrapped up the emotional address with words of praise yet again for a rare gem amongst young punks who wouldn't give two hoots about old Granny trying to cross the busy road.

I guess it was supposed to be a feel-good moment.

But it was so strange.

The Stunned Strider, a.k.a. The Paranoid Pedestrian

They can't believe a car has stopped for them. In fact, although they seem to be looking straight at you, they don't realize the fact that the automobile that was earlier heading towards their path is now absolutely stationary.

So there you are, waving your hands madly through the windscreen and/or tooting your horn as politely as possible in an effort to say..

"Yo man, I've just stopped. For you. You may cross now. Yeah, seriously. Cross. Please."

.. while your eyelids tremble and you start sneezing all of a sudden - a sign that the other motorists in the line of traffic building up behind you are cursing at you..

*Pic above taken on Hollywood Blvd from somewhere near Grauman's Chinese Theatre, July 2004.