To the woman in the maroon SUV, who almost ran me over on Saturday afternoon just before one o’clock. I was crossing on a legal pedestrian light. You were southbound, turning left from Robie onto Cunard, and you would have hit me at full speed if I had not yelled “HEYYYY!” at the top of my lungs. Good thing I have quick reflexes and a strong voice, because otherwise you would have been paying for my funeral, or a lifetime of medical care. You did roll down your window and slow down a little, which is more than many drivers do when they almost kill someone, but you did not apologize, or change your facial expression from the smug, I-drive-an-SUV-and-you-don’t, look that is probably baked into your face by now. “I didn’t see you,” you said. “You’re dressed all in black.” So this is MY fault? For the record, I wore pale khaki jeans, it was full daylight, and the backdrop was the snowy Commons, so don’t tell me I’m not visible. I walked home shaken and in a rage. You could have said, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I should have been looking.” But you didn’t; you just drove away. —Khaki Pants
This article appears in Mar 30 – Apr 5, 2017.
Was she one of the all-too-common, self-entitled boomers in their oversized vehicles?.
Had one driving inches from my bumper recently. They were so close I could see their round, pudgy face and their unkempt hair in my rear view. Didn’t have time to shower? Could practically smell the stink of their over-caffeinated breath. Don’t know what the hurry was but I’m sure they were on the way to a VERY important meeting – maybe to the bank to review their mutual fund portfolio? Well worth risking life and limb!
I had no choice but to slow down to avoid being rear-ended if I had to make a quick stop. The irony!
I take their license plate numbers when this happens to me. Then I report it. They get a call from the police and sometimes points taken from their license. If it isn’t reported how will they learn how to drive? Oh right…
You do Ruby? Really. I see. Okay. Uh huh. Righto…
Ruby’s full of shit…..you reporting it means ZERO without something called evidence….of which, you have none other than your word. That means nothing to court, or a cop.
By paying attention and doing what you are supposed to do as a pedestrian, you avoided an accident and almost certain injury. I guess Elmer the Safety Elephant was right.
I can’t believe we had to make those “make eye contact” ads
I see the “blame the victim” mentality is alive and well among commenters.
What are you yammering about, Robin Hood? There is not one single “victim blaming” comment in this thread, unless they have been removed, cuz I don’t see any. We’re probably all rasists too, and misogynists. Riiiiiiight!!!