A sad phobia

I enjoy walking and exploring where I live. But this enjoyment is generally controlled by my fear of crossing roads. I do not know where this fear came from, but it is a real one. Whenever, I have to cross the road, I make sure that I am at the place where there is green and red man,



and I will not cross until the green man shows his face, even if there are hardly any cars coming. I will walk long distances to avoid places where there are no lights or pedestrian crossings



because I am afraid to face cars.

I am the person who slings behind the large crowd that crosses with “kifua” at all crossing levels, because I definitely do not want cross by myself. I am the person who stands and ensures that the lights are definitely green for the pedestrian before crossing. I will not jay walk for whatever reason. (Not because it is against the law), but because I am a crossing chicken.

This fear has grown to become a phobia. My hands sweat, my heart beats fast and I panic at the thought of crossing the road. The other day, I had to cross a busy road, and there were builders building something behind Kings Cross station, and this man comes and asks me, “Want to cross the road luv?” I said yes, but you have to hold my hand because I am a chicken!!! Fortunately he did and I did.

I watch in fear and trembling at people who ran across the road without a thought while the cars barely brush their behinds – and those who casually jaunt across the road while the lights are turning from green to amber.

My favourite city for walking is Manhattan - the lights and zebra crossings are all pedestrain friendly. The worst places to walk is Los Angeles. There people live in their cars. Nairobi? Drivers or pedestrian - always on the defensive.