I apologize for the rant you are about to read, but I think that it clearly needs to be addressed.

Most people have a common knowledge and awareness of how to be a pedestrian. For example, you should always look both ways before crossing the street, you should not walk in the bicycling lane and you definitely shouldn’t walk in the middle of the road— especially when a car is coming.

Well the other day when I was on my way to work, a man was doing just what any other person wouldn’t (and shouldn’t).

This man had the audacity to walk in the middle of the road, so that I could not go around him. I drove up to him and left a considerable amount of space between us and coasted for two miles per hour for a few seconds.

At this point, I was sure that he had to have heard my car coming up behind him. I don’t have a new, quiet car— it’s old (and if I’m being honest, probably going to die soon), and so it runs a little funky and a little loud.

And yet even after this, the man still did not move, or even begin making his way to the side of the road or to the sidewalk. So maybe he hadn’t heard me pull up behind him, right? Right.

My next tactic was to honk at the man— not to scare him or to be rude, but simply to let him know hey dude, you’re in the middle of the road. Scoot over.

Unfortunately, the honk didn’t work either. The man simply half turned and looked at me, then turned back and continued to walk in the middle of the road.

And he did this until I got to the next street to turn so I could get around him, which took around two minutes.

Two minutes doesn’t seem that long until you’re in a car practically idling down a street, so let me tell you, I was not a happy camper.

Who does that? I mean, did he really need to walk in the middle of the road? There are sidewalks for a reason— roads are for vehicles and sidewalks are for people, sir.

I feel like I shouldn’t have to say this, but if that man ever sees this column (and if any of my readers who walk in the middle of streets see this), stop. Use the sidewalk and if there isn’t one, then walk on the side of the road.

Natalee Reynolds is a sophomore English major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or nmreynolds@eiu.edu.