It doesn't take much to be a good street crosser in a metropolitan area. One only needs to follow three simple rules:

1. Look both ways.
2. Cross at the crosswalk.
3. Cross when the signal is green.

I think most urban pedestrians believe they are savvy street crossers, but based on my observations, they aren't. They jaywalk or cross when the signal is red. At some intersections, people charge right out against the light and only look for oncoming cars as an afterthought. What's more, when in crowds, ordinarily good street crossers become bad ones. After one person ignores the signal, herd mentality kicks in and everybody follows since nobody wants to be left standing at the corner as the lone, law-abiding idiot.

I sometimes wonder why people are so awful at crossing the street. I know what follows is mean, unfair and self-righteous, but it's written as someone who has been the lone, law-abiding idiot far too often. I believe it's all due to one of three deficiencies:

1. Visual deficiency: They simply can't discern color or shape. They can neither tell the difference between red and green nor tell the difference between a walking person and a giant hand. (Probability: Low, but possible.)
2. Mental deficiency: They are incapable of understanding the concept or meaning of certain colors and shapes. Either they weren't taught what the symbols mean or they aren't smart enough to comprehend and retain what they learned. (Probability: Highly unlikely.)
3. Moral deficiency: They know what the symbols mean and know what they should do, but they just don't care. They're late or in a hurry and are too important to wait for something as insignificant as a crossing signal. They're also almost certain they won't get caught, punished or flattened into road kill. (Probability: I think we have a winner!)

I say all of this knowing that I'm a mediocre street crosser at best. When I'm in a rush to catch the train, I'll conveniently overlook the rules, but for the most part, I try to stick to them, figuring I'm not losing much time standing there, admiring the scenery or observing the passing people and cars.

Every now and then I see the Worst Street Crosser in San Jose. She won't actually cross the street unless she's walking against the light, causing cars to slow down or screech to a halt. She does it so often that I'm almost certain she does it purposely. I don't know the real motivation for her behavior, but my overactive imagination likes to believe she detests the societal pressures to conform. It's her way of sticking it to the Man (or, in this case, the traffic engineer).