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I've been thinking about the whole "cars stop for pedestrians carrying (what appear to be) bricks" thing

I was a driver for 15 years before I took great pains to move somewhere I could quit driving, and the thing that became extremely evident to me is that you really are incentivised to only care about the objects on the road that can cause you damage. truck drivers been generally the absolute worst to share the road with, and I've always believed it's because they just don't have to care. some unconscious thing in their brain knew that if we collide, I'm going under their grill. and I don't think it's ever been a conscious consideration; I don't think any of the trucks that have nearly run me off the road over the years saw me in my little sedan and thought, "I can take em." I don't think any of them saw me at all

it's just that attention is so precious when you're driving. I think it was especially noticeable to me because of my neurodivergence, but I think it's true for all people. most of them just don't know why their energy levels are depleting so fast. driving pulls your awareness up to a level that you really just can't keep up with and have to pick and choose what you track. you can care about pedestrians so much and do your damnedest to see everyone, but when it comes down to the wire, your limited human processing is choosing the dangers over the things you're a danger to every time

as a full time pedestrian now, it's really tempting to be flippant and accuse drivers of being monsters who simply don't care if I live or die. it's fun sometimes, even, and I will not stop. but in 99% of cases, drivers really just do not have the mental resources to catalogue objects that are not threats to their lives or property. they just don't!

basically what I'm saying is, as far as individual solutions goes, carrying bricks makes things easier for everyone