I met a Darwin Award nominee today

[Thunderknuckles]

So, I'm at McDonald's this morning to get some of that cardboard sustenance they call breakfast. I get my food, pull out of the drive-thru, and pull up to the exit. Standing just to the right of the exit on the sidewalk is a young boy, about 15 or 16. His head is down concentrating on his smartphone and he is wearing ear buds. I think, I am not pulling out of here until that idiot......
I'm not even through with that thought when the kid just starts walking through the exit, head still down, not even noticing me and my 3,000 pound vehicle staring him down.
I lurch my vehicle forward to get his attention. He looks up sharply and is clearly surprised to see me. I stare at him and start shaking my head in order convey my disappointment in his actions.

Now, a person of average intelligence might take that event to realize it is probably not a good idea to go walking down a busy street with two of your most vital senses for survival preoccupied with some other meaningless activity. Not this kid! After regaining his composure, he puts his head back down to stare at his smartphone, ear buds still blaring music, and walks on his way. How this guy has made it this far in life is a mystery to me. He's a Darwin Award waiting to happen.

[jimnyc]

Around here, he would have flipped you the bird, slapped on your head and THEN went back to what he was doing!

[Robert A Whit]

It did not teach that boy a lesson based on what he then did. I tend to think that using a 3,000 pound vehicle to teach a lesson is not wise. Second thought is the kid could get killed if some other lunger does not notice the kid and runs over the kid. On that note, perhaps trying to lunge could trigger the boy to think this over later on.

As to what Jim said, NY City pedestrians struck me as assuming they always had the right to cross. Even against red lights. My deceased brother lived there and when we walked at corners, he says, hey come on. We are not in Ca. We go where we eant to go. Diagonal even. That was in the early 60s. I however drove in NY City a few years ago and some wise pedestrian tried to knock the snot out of the car I was driving and yelled at me. I was following a green light trying to turn left. Clearly that upset him.

[Thunderknuckles]

It did not teach that boy a lesson based on what he then did. I tend to think that using a 3,000 pound vehicle to teach a lesson is not wise. Second thought is the kid could get killed if some other lunger does not notice the kid and runs over the kid. On that note, perhaps trying to lunge could trigger the boy to think this over later on.
To be clear, all I did was let my foot off the brake then slapped it back down a split second later hoping the slight movement of my car would get his attention. It did.
And exactly for the same reason you mentioned, that some other driver will not be as attentive as I am and may end up running that idiot over.

[Robert A Whit]

To be clear, all I did was let my foot off the brake then slapped it back down a split second later hoping the slight movement of my car would get his attention. It did.
And exactly for the same reason you mentioned, that some other driver will not be as attentive as I am and may end up running that idiot over.

A, you showed concern for his safety. I sort of gave kudos for that.
B. What you should have done is back up a few feet so you could get a good run on him.

(kidding of course)

[jimnyc]

It did not teach that boy a lesson based on what he then did. I tend to think that using a 3,000 pound vehicle to teach a lesson is not wise. Second thought is the kid could get killed if some other lunger does not notice the kid and runs over the kid. On that note, perhaps trying to lunge could trigger the boy to think this over later on.

As to what Jim said, NY City pedestrians struck me as assuming they always had the right to cross. Even against red lights. My deceased brother lived there and when we walked at corners, he says, hey come on. We are not in Ca. We go where we eant to go. Diagonal even. That was in the early 60s. I however drove in NY City a few years ago and some wise pedestrian tried to knock the snot out of the car I was driving and yelled at me. I was following a green light trying to turn left. Clearly that upset him.

Yeah, in the City, and even here in Westchester, a lot of New Yorkers just cross the road. They know you're coming, they see you, they just go slow KNOWING you will slow down or stop. I put the truck in neutral and floor it, it's funny watching them pick up some speed! :lol: