This morning, as I was waiting for my bus, I observed a woman cross the road.

The fact that she was crossing the road already irked me.
It was a major road with at least three lanes, large buses and construction vehicles trundling down -- and with an underpass via an MRT station right alongside.

And there she was, slowly strolling across the road, as if it belonged to her. She sashayed past Lane Three, then Lane Two, even as a bus advanced on her. Finally, when she was walking into Lane One, she started to make a run for it, as if she suddenly realised there was a big bus gaining in speed and making a beeline for her.

Oh, so maybe she realises that there are other road users, huh...

No! She was beginning to run because ... she realised that her bus had arrived at the bus-stop opposite!

And dash, she did. Regardless of the other oncoming traffic on the other side.

That was blatantly thoughtless, dangerous and sheer idiocy. I wanted to scream at her. As a driver, and more often, a pedestrian, I cannot stand it when people break traffic rules. Not only do they put themselves in danger, they put others on the road in danger too. As a driver, not only do you have to watch out for other vehicles around you, you also have to watch out for such pesky pedestrians who suddenly dash out.

Because, the moment you hit them, you're in the wrong and oh, so, screwed.

The place I was at today was a sleepy heartland, so people may take the risk there. But in crowded spots like Little India and Geylang, where traffic is extremely heavy and roads extremely wide, I don't understand why people want to brave their necks against the metallic grate of a huge truck.