Many places in North America are criticized for their lack of walkability with infrastructure designed to suit cars better than people.
One video on Reddit proves this point as it shows the harsh reality for those who try to walk rather than drive: close calls with oncoming traffic, even at a crosswalk.
In the video uploaded to the r/f***cars subreddit, the original poster films themself attempting to use a designated crosswalk.
After just a few steps, they narrowly avoid being hit by a car that, thankfully, weaves at the last moment to avoid hitting the pedestrian.
"For a while, I have been video recording when crossing the roads. Yesterday, I almost lost my life," the Redditor captioned the post.
Disrespectful drivers, such as the one captured in this footage, discourage walking as a safe, viable alternative to driving a car for daily transportation needs.
By choosing to walk instead of drive, you're actively reducing the amount of pollution in the air by not burning the fossil fuels that cars, buses, and motorcycles run on.
This means you're not contributing to the carbon emissions that are a big part of the greenhouse gasses warming up our planet and the pollutants that negatively impact our health.
Every little bit helps, and by walking, we can all choose to cut down on the demand for oil and reduce our carbon footprint, which leads to an overall cleaner atmosphere and a cooler climate.
Even replacing a one-mile drive with a walk each day can help cut 180 pounds of carbon dioxide in just one year.
Plus, there's an added bonus for your own health. Walking is a simple form of physical activity that can improve your cardiovascular health, aid your fitness journey, and even boost your mood.
Commenters on the post were enraged by the driver's blatant disregard for the pedestrian's safety, calling for justice and emphasizing this as a widespread issue in cities across the map.
"Crosswalks in America are just designated places for you to be hit by a car. Expecting them to stop is foolhardy," one commenter stated.
"I don't understand why that person did not slow down in a traffic circle. No spatial awareness either, no checking for pedestrians, just 'me first,'" another user added.
"Am I the only one who gets super angry seeing it?" another commenter asked.
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