Pedestrians and Motorists Who Bears The Responsibility?

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Lately in the news, I'm sure you've all heard about a surge in accidents involving pedestrians.  Also, I'm sure at one time or another, we've been on both sides.  It seems to me that more often than not, when these stories are reported, it's made to sound like ALL the responsibility falls on the motorist.  THIS IS NOT SO!  The responsibility should be....HAS to be shared equally.  Let me break it down this way:

Pedestrians:

1. STOP crossing in the middle of the street and or in between cars!  (aka jaywalking)  Especially when you have a child.  Even more especially at night.  This is most important for those foolish enough to wear dark clothing at night.
2. Pay attention to your surroundings.  Take the earphones out of your ears.  Put the cell phone away.  Keep your eyes on your surroundings.  
3. Don't always assume that a motorists can see you and be able to stop in time

Motorists:

1. STOP at STOP signs.  They're there for a reason.
2. Use your turn signal!  It's the lever on the side of your steering wheel.  I know it's heavy and really complicated to use, but give it a try.  
3. STOP at a stop light.  This is what the color red means.  In case you don't know what the word stop means; it means DON'T MOVE/WAIT!  We all have things to do and places to be but safety should always come first!
4. Put the cell phone away!  Just as pedestrians need to pay attention to surroundings so do motorists.  The text message or phone call can wait.  If you must talk on your phone then at least have brains enough to use a blue tooth/hands free device.

So there you have it.  I'll end on this note.  It's always a tragedy when there's an accident of any kind, but when it comes to motorists versus pedestrians, the responsibility has to work both ways.  We live in a fast paced, high tech, instant gratification society.  There is a time and place for everything.  Let's be courteous of each other and help to keep each other safe.

My Journey

Well here I am another day of job hunting.  I keep asking myself:  How is it that the job hunting process has become so impersonal??  It's so difficult to get your foot in the door on your own (that is unless you know someone).  I was never too big on turning to employment agencies, but feel I had no choice.  However, it seems even that's changed.  Seem as though if they don't think you're worth the time, they don't bother and leave you to fend for yourself.  Don't misunderstand me...I have no problem with being self-sufficient but every once in a while a person needs some help.  That being said,  I've come to realize that I really cannot depend on anyone except for myself.  I have to take responsibility for certain things.  I have to set goals.  Not just set goals but do what it takes to achieve those goals.  I have to be more self-sufficient, self-reliant and disciplined.  I know it probably shouldn't but it amazes me how cold and unfeeling people can be.  Seems like the world is falling apart around me sometimes.

I've reached a cross-roads of sorts.  What's in store for me I have no idea.  Only God knows.  In the meantime, I'll just keep trudging along doing the best I can.

Lukewarm Christians

I just don't understand.  I have tried but I just can't.  Christianity is under attack.  It's criticized, put down, and knocked down.  It's pushed out of our schools.  You can't say "Merry CHRISTmas" for fear of someone heaven forbid being offended.  Some call Christmas trees "Holiday" trees.  What's this world coming to?  

Part of me thinks this is our own fault.  You heard me right.  Let me explain why I feel this way.  There are people claiming to be Christians that cut people off in traffic,  pick a fight with someone at the drop of a hat and back-stab a coworker for their own gain to name a few.  This my friends is the tip of the ice burg.  I'm talking about something more.  We as Christians seem to be happy with being mediocre.  We don't seem to care enough about our faith anymore.  We show up at mass just as it's beginning (or worse yet..late!).  During mass, we stand with our arms crossed like we're bored to tears with our eyes everywhere but on the priest and what's taking place instead of having our hands folded in prayer and eyes on the cross.  Society today is so fast-paced and we have such a need for instant gratification that we can't even shut our cell phones off for even an hour!  Fewer and fewer people participate in the parts of the mass (the alleluia for example.).  We tune out homilies instead of at least trying to listen and attempting to get something out of it.  

STOP BEING LUKEWARM CHRISTIANS!  We must be people of integrity.  People of excellence.  We need to start learning more about our faith not just for ourselves but so our lives can be a testimony for others.  This includes the children.  We make ourselves easy targets for Christian haters/critics (whatever adjective you care to use) because of the fact we don't care enough.  If we don't educate ourselves then we render ourselves incapable of defending our faith when people and groups bash our Christian faith.  Don't misunderstand.  There is nothing wrong with having questions.  My point is, we need to ask!  But we need to be sure we seek answers from reliable and trustworthy sources.  Sadly, most Christians don't seem to care enough to do this.

Perhaps if we took the time to learn what being a Christian really means and what it's about, then perhaps we'd be more equipped to defend our faith when people come against it.  Even better, perhaps Christians would be more WILLING to defend the faith.  It's imperative that for us to do this so that we can be not just able to pass the Christian faith on, but PROUD to pass our Christian faith on to future generations.

I want to be a better person for God.  What about you?

THE BROKEN ROAD

 

I lay awake at night and wonder

how can this have happened?

Everything now asunder!

Rubble on the ground

No help to be found

What's next?

To start over seems impossible

Where do we begin?

With all our might we try

Two steps forward

One step back

I just want to cry!

A voice inside, mearly a whisper

says stay calm

Breathe in....breathe out

Reach out.  Take my hand

For I am with you!

Right then I knew

God is helping me carry my heavy load

He is with me going down this broken road!

Bang, Bang You're Dead

Can someone please explain to me what's going on these days?  I don't understand the amount of shootings going on recently.  First there was Adam Lanza shooting and killing innocent children at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Connecticut.   Aurora, CO theater last July a gunman opened fire in a darkened movie theater.  Then there's Sonny Archuleta who lost his brother to gun violence a year ago, held police in a six-hour standoff during which he shot and killed three of his own relatives!  As if Aurora, CO hadn't been through enough.  This happening just a mere five miles from where the movie theatre shooting took place.  Hillside Avenue, in Queens, a bar brawl resulted in a man being shot to death.  All these events have happened within just the last several  months.  We won't even get into the Columbine, or the assassination attempt on Gabrielle Giffords a couple of years ago

Why is it so easy for someone to get a gun or worse yet, multiple guns?  I think we can all agree that there needs to be tighter gun control laws.  More than that though, I think we need to have more people speaking up.  People selling guns should notify authorities, if anyone suspicious is looking to buy a gun.  Everyday citizens need to also speak up if they suspect someone carrying a concealed weapon.  Some people cry out that we have the right to bear arms.  What these people fail to realize that this pertains to military and law enforcement personnel.  Don't get me wrong, we do have a right to protect our homes and families, but there has to be a better way!  There has to be a more civil way to protect ourselves without it getting to that extreme level.   One former Pittsburgh school teacher came up with a solution not to eliminate shootings in schools per se, but to keep a lot more people safer should another one occur (to see video, go to:  Teacher's Invention Won't Stop Shootings but Can Keep Students Safer)

 

There seems to be a certain correlation between shootings and the assassin committing suicide by way of forcing the authorities to kill him in the process.  Some say there's a connection between bullying and school shootings.  Can someone out there in the Psychiatric community shed some light?  I mean there has to be a way to see the tell-tale signs right?  Has the system failed that badly?  We have homeless people in the streets that have been evicted from psychiatric facilities who are no longer taking their meds.  People who have been so severely bullied that they've reached their breaking point and want to take revenge.  I think an assassin committing suicide by forcing authorities to kill him in a shoot out is cowardly.  Anyone committing a horrific act like the ones I've mentioned deserve to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law addition to any psychiatric help needed.  Don't misunderstand me, I'm in no way condoning or justifying this violence. I'm just searching for a answeres just like everyone else. 

I may not have the answers, but what I do know is that violence only results in more violence and it has to end somewhere.  Why not right here and right now?  Let's stop this vicious cycle.