Crazy Drivers
The DC area is generally known to have some of worst traffic in the nation. I think a fair extension of that assessment would be to state that the area probably also has some of the worst drivers. I ought to know because I've had more than my fair share of run-ins (literally) with them. In fact, I had one this morning on my way in to work.
I usually drive in with Josh, since it's pretty easy for him to drop me off at my office before going on to his own, which is just a block away. Occasionally, however, he has to work downtown, and on those days I have to take a bus to and from work. Today was such a day.
My bus situation is a little strange. There is a bus that picks me up and drops me off right in front of our neighborhood, but it necessitates a half-mile walk to and from the office on the other end of the ride. There is another bus that is just the oppostie: the stop is a little over half a mile from our condo, but the other stop is just across the street from the office. I generally prefer the first option - I like being able to just walk outside of our complex to catch a bus and being dropped off right at home - it may all be in my head, but it somehow seems quicker.
Anyway, during my half-mile walk to the office this morning, I came to an intersection that I've crossed probably several hundred times before. In other words, I know precisely how to safely cross the street there. As I was stepping off the curb, a car pulled up on my left, getting ready to make the right-hand turn. The driver must have only been looking to his left at the potentially oncoming traffic before making his turn because, after only a brief pause, he began to make his turn......right into me. Needless to say, I screamed, and he stopped his car just as his front bumper touched my left leg. I then proceeded to yell at him to watch where he was going, then continued to cross the intersection, somewhat more rattled than I had been five seconds earlier.
This isn't the first time such incidents have happened to me. I think it probably happens once in a while to people who spend a good part of their lives as pedestrians, which I have. It's never a pleasant experience, but this one shook me even more than any other prior occurence because of the knowledge of the precious cargo I carry with me everywhere I go now. If something happens to me, it's no longer just me that would get hurt. I know there's no way for a crazy driver to know all this, but I know it, and that's enough.
I usually drive in with Josh, since it's pretty easy for him to drop me off at my office before going on to his own, which is just a block away. Occasionally, however, he has to work downtown, and on those days I have to take a bus to and from work. Today was such a day.
My bus situation is a little strange. There is a bus that picks me up and drops me off right in front of our neighborhood, but it necessitates a half-mile walk to and from the office on the other end of the ride. There is another bus that is just the oppostie: the stop is a little over half a mile from our condo, but the other stop is just across the street from the office. I generally prefer the first option - I like being able to just walk outside of our complex to catch a bus and being dropped off right at home - it may all be in my head, but it somehow seems quicker.
Anyway, during my half-mile walk to the office this morning, I came to an intersection that I've crossed probably several hundred times before. In other words, I know precisely how to safely cross the street there. As I was stepping off the curb, a car pulled up on my left, getting ready to make the right-hand turn. The driver must have only been looking to his left at the potentially oncoming traffic before making his turn because, after only a brief pause, he began to make his turn......right into me. Needless to say, I screamed, and he stopped his car just as his front bumper touched my left leg. I then proceeded to yell at him to watch where he was going, then continued to cross the intersection, somewhat more rattled than I had been five seconds earlier.
This isn't the first time such incidents have happened to me. I think it probably happens once in a while to people who spend a good part of their lives as pedestrians, which I have. It's never a pleasant experience, but this one shook me even more than any other prior occurence because of the knowledge of the precious cargo I carry with me everywhere I go now. If something happens to me, it's no longer just me that would get hurt. I know there's no way for a crazy driver to know all this, but I know it, and that's enough.
posted by Cathy at 8:23 AM
1 Comments:
Drivers seem to think pedestrians never have the right of way- same thing happened to me crossing 15-501 in front of my office. I had a "Walk" light and everything and the driver looked to be cussing me out. Of course, pedestrians are a rarity at that intersection, though we do occasionally need to go to one of the buildings across the street. Sadly, there's no shortage of bad drivers here, either.
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