The Walmart Complex

I was reading the paper a couple weeks ago when I stumbled upon a story about a couple driving along and as they started to drive through an underpass they encountered a jaywalker,who was merely just strolling along like she owned the road and had every business being out in the middle of harms way. The couple,perhaps frighten by the sudden sight of a woman lolly gagging through the street, blared their car horn at her as to alert her of the danger of oncoming traffic. Well the jaywalker actually took offense at this and proceeded to cuss out the couple driving. As the woman in the car drove by the jaywalker bitching a mile a minute,she found it curious that the jaywalker wasn't concerned for her life. Or even making a solid attempt to move out harms way. The jaywalker's biggest complaint was....as she yelled out to the couple driving by....
 "Can't you see I'm on the phone!!"
Apparently the loud horn being echoed in an underpass makes it even harder to yak to friends on a cell phone as you conflict traffic patterns.


 I was driving home from Vinton one evening this past week and a couple attempted to step out in the middle of the road to cross the street. Now to their defense there was no crosswalk for them to use seeing how I was using local roads or "back roads" as I refer to them (Besides...all roads leading out of Vinton are "back roads" right!?!?)
This couple had to second guess their timing once they saw me quickly approaching and the took a quick step back onto the curb. As I passed by them and looked their way. The shot me a death glare like I had some nerve driving on the road they wanted to cross.


Ladies and Gentlemen, The behaviors and attitudes I just described above is due to a phenomenon I refer to as... The Walmart Complex. 


Anyone who has ever driven through a main entrance of a Walmart,Target,or Kroger can tell you that pedestrians have the right of way. I,myself have darted out of these stores and without even looking for oncoming traffic just stroll through the parking lot knowing I have the right of way. The trouble is, this carefree crossing the street has carried over into the real world of jaywalking. Attitudes intact! 
I see this all the time when driving downtown. People stepping out in front of you knowing that they do not have the right of way. Staring and daring  you to do something about it.   Jaywalkers are suffering through the Walmart Complex and someone's going to end up in the hospital as a result. Hopefully not the driver when he/she is just merely in the right place at the right time. I like to put scares into jaywalkers..I hit the gas! Give them something to think about. If they give me the attitude and my car window is down...."This is not Walmart pal! You don't have the right of way...."
I'm under no obligation to stop. Guess the only reason I would is I'm not interested in serving time for involuntary manslaughter. But, in worse case scenario; As I'm serving my time...I wonder: Will I be losing any sleep over taking someone out whose suffering from the Walmart Complex?