I had a near death experience the other night . I never gave much credence to the old saw that your life flashes before your eyes, but I'm here to say that it does .
On my way to Walgreens just a few blocks from home I was crossing the street at a green light and was in the center of the crosswalk when all of a sudden a huge SUV came barrelling down on me. Normally I would have been frozen in fear but a rush of adrenalin came over me and I literally jumped out of the path of the car which was so close it brushed my side. Good thing I'm agile.
The driver, a young woman, stopped, rolled down the window and said " sorry. " " Sorry ? Sorry doesn't make it, Sister, " I said. Driving is a serious business not to be taken lightly. I'm someone's wife, mother, sister, friend . Just how sorry would you be if you took someone's life because of your carelessness ? She was shaking and my knees were so weak they could barely carry me. I let her go with that lecture. What else could I do, have her arrested for almost killing me ?
Thank you , Jesus, was the first thought that came to my mind. He was surely looking out for me. My sisters best friend of many years was killed by a young driver while crossing at a green light. " I didn't see her " was all he could say .
This is NOT the first time that I've almost been hit by cars while crossing at a green light. When I worked on Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago a Taxi cab screeched to a halt right in front of me, so close he was touching my knees. I was so angry I pounded the hood of his car and gave him a piece of my mind. Much to my chagrin a big audience of onlookers had gathered to witness my drama and clapped and whistled !
What are pedestrians to do ? I always look both ways but even then a car will come speeding out of nowhere and not see you. Especially if its at night and you might be wearing dark colored clothing. OR, and this is my pet peeve, they're on the cell phone .
Do pedestrians need to carry their own personal red light that flashes and says STOP ! while crossing at the light ? Necessity is the mother of invention as the old saying goes. If you see a crazy old lady waving a flashing stop sign crossing the street you'll know it's me.
Oh my gosh, Carolyn, I am so glad you are okay. Was she on the cell phone? I think we've all got to stop talking on them while driving. It's just dangerous. Once again, so very glad you're okay.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn Gail, we do sometimes forget how fragile life is and how it can be forever changed in a moment. I'm very thankful that you weren't hit.
ReplyDeleteWOW!
ReplyDeleteI am just glad you 're not hurt.
Praise the Lord!
Hi Dee,
ReplyDeleteI don't know if she was on the cell phone because it was dark and it happened so fast. It's against the law in Illinois to use a cell phone when driving but it doesn't stop a lot of people.
Thanks for your concern and good wishes.
Thanks, Robin. It's so true that everything can change in the blink of an eye.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your good thoughts.
Oh Carolyn Gail, that's just awful. I'm glad you were on the ball when the driver obviously wasn't.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kylee. If I hadn't jumped when I did I would've been flattened by that SUV for sure.
ReplyDeleteyikes! I am glad you are ok! That would've scared me , too. People need to remember that driving a car is the most dangerous thing they do on a daily basis and drive more carefully.
ReplyDeleteHi Muum,
ReplyDeletePeople do need to take driving more seriously. I see a lot of road rage these days that also leads to accidents . Americans are short of sleep and temper, it seems.
I'm glad you're okay too, Carolyn. HOLY Crap....I have no tolerance for people who don't stop at crosswalks, so here's what I do. Remember Kevin Kline in A Fish Called Wanda? How he would yell 'a-hole' at other drivers when he was mad at them? I do the same thing from the crosswalk, and because I have a strong voice...it also draws the attention of other drivers and walkers who look at the a-hole in question and point and make comments too. I don't know if it works, but you know what? It can't hurt. It certainly does express ones displeasure. And when I'm driving, I watch for crosswalks, especially if there are a lot of parked vehicles on the street. It's a scary world out there, for everyone involved, and we gotta pay attention, for sure.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are alive to tell the tale, Carolyn ... makes us all realize how precious a day is. It amazes me when I see drivers chatting on a phone, drinking coffee, adjusting make-up in mirror then give ME the 'dirty look' when they slam on their brakes!
ReplyDeleteYour guardian angel was definitely beside you! I wish Indiana would follow Illinois with the law about cell phones. I have had more close calls in the past year than ever in my life, and they were all on cell phones.
ReplyDeleteWell put, Jodi. I'm glad your system works. Being a Southern Belle I can't bring myself to cuss. Yelling is the best I can do. Wish I had a strong voice that could carry that far !
ReplyDeleteThanks Joey,
ReplyDeleteI know someone who was killed because the driver spilled hot coffee in his lap, causing him to accelerate and crash through the cafe window !
Unfortunately, Vonlafin, laws mean very little unless you obey them. It should be a nationwide law against driving with a cell phone .
ReplyDeleteI know my guardian angel was looking out for me for sure ! Lucky me.
Whew, your gardian angel must have been working overtime! Glad to read that you're OK. Driving a car and using a cell phone is against the law here, and rightly so. Isn't that the case where you live or are some people stupid enough that they think they can ignore that rule?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you escaped unhurt (physically). Emotionally, you must have been seriously shaken up. There's nothing you can do to prevent these sorts of things happening to you, short of never leaving the house. No, wait, I'm wrong. People have been hit by cars that crashed into their houses. When I send my kids out the door to walk to school, I try not to think about the possibility that I may never see them again because of the carelessness of a driver. I'm a firm believer in the philosophy that when it's your time to go, that's it & if it's not, it's not. That seems to be the only way to get through life without a permanent anxiety attack. I'm glad it wasn't your time.
ReplyDeleteWe can be thankful you are still here to tell about your situation. People need to listen.
ReplyDeleteMy sister was killed by a hit-and-run driver a little over a year ago. She was walking her little dog in a well-lit crosswalk, quite early in the morning. Life can change suddenly and unexpectedly for many people.
I can't imagine the future of the person who killed my sister. It must be a very difficult memory.
By the same token, the rest of us have our own difficulties. I appreciate the empathy and concern that I've been given for others in my life. And it's all a prayer concern.
Carolyn, I'm glad you were okay. It's so scary but I know as a driver sometimes you just don't see people. I always get nervous driving in pedestrian areas because when you're not used to people, you don't look.
ReplyDeleteHi Shady Gardener,
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your sister. What a great loss. It's so true that life can change in the blink of an eye.