Right of way, oncoming traffic, block

Question

You're out taking a walk in the neighborhood where you live with your spouse, you have your baby in the stroller. You decide to cross the street, at the crosswalk, middle of the block, oncoming traffic , wherever. You don't stop to look for oncoming traffic before crossing. Because pedestrians have the right of way, you just walk right out there.

Now you know there is no way you are going to do that. It's just simply too dangerous, and quite frankly, stupid. So why in the world do so many people do exactly that at Wal-Mart, grocery stores or the lumber yards? Are they all late for something? We've all ...

Could you please explain to me the emboldened parts?

Source : http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-11664162.html

Though I know "traffic" is "amount of vehicles along the road".

Mr Wordy · Accepted Answer

"block" = group of adjacent buildings in a town or city

"oncoming traffic" = traffic that is coming towards you

"right of way" = precedence over other road users (i.e. they have to stop for you)

"right" = suggests that you walk boldly and unhesitatingly (nothing to do with "right" versus "left")

User_gary · Answer

Thanks a lot Mr. Wordy

So I think here "right of way" actually means "pedestrians have the right to use that way to cross and the vehicles must stop for them".

Mr Wordy · Answer

User_garySo I think here "right of way" actually means "pedestrians have the right to use that way to cross and the vehicles must stop for them".

Right.

BarbaraPA · Answer

But note that this is not really true - you cannot walk across the middle of the street, midway between the corners, and expect traffic to stop for you. Pedestrians have the right of way when you are at the corner. If you are stopped and the car is stopped, you get to go first. You cannot expect all traffic to come to a halt simply because you are a pedestrian and you are on the street.

Right of way, oncoming traffic, block

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions