- Ray Bradbury was an American author best known for his science fiction and fantasy stories. One of his most famous works was Fahrenheit 451. - "The Pedestrian" (1951) is a short story by Bradbury that shows his skepticism of technology and "progress." It depicts a dystopian future where people do not interact in person. - The story follows Leonard Mead, who takes walks at night for pleasure when most people stay inside connected to media. He is stopped by a voice from a mysterious car and taken to a psychiatric center for being a "regressive" by walking alone outside.