I had just started home from work. Cruising on Wall towards Riverfront Park, I had the green light to cross Spokane Falls Blvd. A car was stopped in the far lane on Spokane Falls. As I entered the intersection, a pickup truck coming down the center lane on Spokane Falls did too. I locked up the brakes. The truck followed suit. After stopping my front tire was just off his bumper.
I looked at the driver. He was an elderly man and I assume the passenger was his wife. He looked at me with an open-mouthed I-almost-killed-somebody look of horror on his face. Just to make sure I checked the traffic lights. I still had green and he had red. I looked back at the driver. His face was still frozen in that expression. I pointed at him and then at the red light. He gave no sign of recognition. He just stared at me with his immobile face.
So I continued on. I didn't begrudge the lack of apology from him. Better no apology to me than one to my wife and kids.
Try Not to Sing Along
2 months ago
3 comments:
I am so glad... relieved!... that you came through okay. This story just strengthens my belief that we should have additional road testing for senior citizens. Heck, start it earlier. Or do it at both ends of the age spectrum, when people are likely to be the worst drivers. I rode in my grandfather's car about a year before he became incapacitated. Scared the holy hell out of me... and the people in cars around us. And he had no idea why people were honking. At least your driver was stunned by what almost happened.
Guh!
I don't know how many times I have been almost hit, had cars come way too close, or just been harassed by cars. I am starting to get extremely mad about it all. the last time was a cop who came about a foot from my back tire.
Andrew
Having been through years of terror related to my father's driving--he just gave up the keys at long last, at age 92, after years of bad eyesight, worse hearing, and no reflexes other than the accelerator foot-jam motion--this one hits close to home (oooh, bad pun). Glad he missed you. I had my experience like this last November on Friday the 13th.
The worst part is he'll probably forget all about it or talk himself past the hard, cold truth about his driving abilities and be about there revvin' 'er up tomorrow.
My goal when I'm old is to live where all the services I need are within walking/biking/transit distance so I'm not dependent on the car to get around past the age when I should be driving. Cars don't make you INdependent, they make you DEpendent.
@BarbChamberlain
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