EvilBevel

A terrible accident almost happened before my eyes just an hour ago, and the "almost" word is due to a split second decision from a 3 year old girl.

Driving through a village, I see a mum and two kids (3 or 4 year old) wanting to cross the road at the (how do you call those white stripe thingies ?). Apart from the fact that our law says that you have to give way to the pedestrians in that case, I always stop because a) these kids do the darnest things(TM) and b) I like the occasional smile when you don't behave like the average t*sser.

Lady smiles, me happy, and one kid starts to run. At that moment (completely clear road) we see a car coming from the other direction driving at least 50mph in a 30mph zone. Girl runs faster, car starts to break, but other than producing smoke nothing really happens: he wont be able to stop (I know this sounds silly, but from the "smoke behaviour" you could see that his tyres were completely bald). This all goes so fast that the mum doesn't even have the time to start screaming.

I don't know if you believe in guardian angels, but the girl must have had one, as all of a sudden she stops running in a split second, and the car misses her by about 10 inches, still doing 50.

Red mist and all that, and actually feeling GUILTY for being courteous <sp?>... if I hadn't stopped, she would never have crossed the road, girl would have learned that this is indeed a hard world filled with complete idiots, game over, no harm done.

The more because this is not even the first time this happened to me, and apparently, quite a few pedestrians get killed this way (if they don't come from the other side, they come from behind you, overtake you out of impatience and ...)

My point ? None really, just heavily shocked, and I had to vent a little.

Theo

[black MY99 with red mist still hanging around it, owner wondering about the road to hell being paved with good intentions and all that]

TonyB

Your post really moved me, really well written - I could almost have been there.

The same sort of thing has happened to me, but not involving kids. Usually, it is in traffic, when you stop to let someone cross the road, and some w****r tries to overtake you. I'm really careful to make sure there are no loose cannons around before I'm courteous now.

EvilBevil, By the way, they're called Zebra Crossings where I come from. Where did this happen, I see you come from Belgium?

Tony

EvilBevel

Tony,

Thanks for the nice words, needed them.

Yes, I do come from Belgium, and those things are called "Zebrapaden" over here, so far for my English huh

What bothers me most is that - if you're really cynical - you create more dangerous situations by actually stopping (and following the law) than by driving like ... um, most people.

It's called a dilemma, I guess. Man, I love fast cars, there are chips & mappings & Ledas & Possums in my eye and all that, but for Pete's (that's how you call him, right <g>) sake, lets be a bit considerate out there.

Damn, I feel like an old man saying this.

Theo

V697DMO

would have been tempted to turn round follow him and beat the crap out of him, or at least get hos number and report him for dagerous driving, speeding, bald tyres, being a dick head

Blow Dog

ROTF
Beating the crap outta him woulda been my favoured approach
Cem

EvilBevel

One of my biggest fears is that one day:

I'll turn around, follow him and beat ... you get my drift.

Mind you, it wouldn't really help things.

Theo [I'd feel better though ]