A Reddit user's experience walking home from work reveals how car-dependent infrastructure makes pedestrians seem suspicious.
The original poster shared their story with the r/mildlyinfuriating community after falling ill during their second day at a new job. Without a ride home and unable to reach family, they started the 10-mile walk along a highway.
About four miles into the walk, a sheriff pulled over. Someone had called to report a person "acting weird and hiding in the bushes." The poster explained they were simply walking home sick from work.
The officer seemed confused by the call, but could tell the story checked out. He offered a ride for the remaining distance, explaining how dangerous highway walking can be. "People get hit all the time," he told them.
This interaction reflects a bigger problem: American infrastructure treats walking as abnormal. Highways designed only for cars leave pedestrians without safe paths, making those on foot seem out of place or suspicious to drivers who call authorities.
Car dependency doesn't just hurt the planet through pollution. It creates communities where basic transportation becomes impossible without a vehicle. Walking, which produces zero pollution and keeps you healthy, becomes so unusual that concerned citizens report it to the police.
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The lack of sidewalks, bike lanes, and public transit forces people into cars for every trip. This design choice locks out those who can't drive and makes every neighborhood less safe for kids, elderly residents, and anyone choosing cleaner transportation.
Reddit users had mixed reactions to the story.
One commenter noted, "Cops will just make s*** up on the fly Just to make initial contact You did everything right with a good officer."
Another focused on the positive outcome, writing, "Either way, it was nice for the cop to help you out though. Hope you get to feeling better."
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