almost became a hood ornament

[bmccasland]

While walking my dog yesterday evening, wearing a bright green tunic I might add, we came very close to becoming a hood ornament to a big black Chevy PU truck. Nala & I were crossing at a crazy "Z" intersection - where the street takes a jog, so we're 50 ft left of the driver. Anyway, we were already crossing, as this truck was approaching the interestion, it stops at the stop sign, driver looks RIGHT, the proceded to turn LEFT right into us. I was watching the driver the entire time, and my brain is processing that he never looked LEFT before he started rolling, he doesn't-see-me, jerk-is-going-to-hit-me! Oh Crap! My flight instinct kicked in and I turned to RUN, did a hard enough yank on Nala's leash that she yelped. 'Bout that time, driver finally saw me and stopped. Jerk had teenage son with him, and in a severe breach of southern manners didn't even mouth "sorry". So I'm standing in the middle of the street, heart in my chest, glaring, hurumph. Deep breath, and then continue walking on. Walked down a house or to, and into some shade, and pat Nala for being a good girl.

[badger]

good thing you were watching him the whole time! can never trust those drivers turning left. Glad you're okay!

I actually DID get hit by a car while walking my dog across the intersection (had a green light, nothing shady on our part).

Girl came barrelling through and luckily only clipped me with her mirror. Felt it, and recall thinking "oh god, I'm being hit by a car". I landed on my poor dog! I was sore as hell for several days and my dog only got a road rash on his elbow but we were oh so close to being a goner.

Unlike you, I wasn't watching (couldn't, really, as the intersection's not quite a "square" but more a slanted square). It was also January, raining, and dusk so visibility wasn't the best. I was wearing a red jacket but she still managed to not see me (my poor dog was black so he didn't stand a chance, I guess!)

[Ann G]

I'm glad that you and your dog are okay. It's too bad that the driver missed an opportunity to model appropriate behavior for his son. Sheesh!

[Zen]

I often see drivers look in the wrong direction. Glad you and the pup came out relatively OK.

The eternal question-
WHAT'S WRONG WITH PEOPLE?!

[OakLeaf]

Phew. Glad you're OK.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH PEOPLE?!

+1

[sgtiger]

Beth, I'm so glad you and Nala are okay. Some people. Sheesh!

[channlluv]

I'm so glad you guys are okay.

Something similar happened to me a few months ago, too, only I was walking my daughter across an intersection next to her school. This young woman in a big black SUV was waiting at the 4-way stop to turn left and noted that the cars coming from her left had stopped, so she initiated her turn, not realizing the cars had stopped because there was a mother and 5th grader walking across, followed closely by a couple of other moms and young children. I shouted, "Hey! Hey!" and could have leaned out to pound her hood, which had just come into the crosswalk, mere feet from me.

The other moms saw her and stopped their kids - they were five feet or so into the crosswalk - and I pushed my own daughter ahead because we were nearly half-way across, but if she hadn't seen me and stopped, she would have hit me. She steers to pull around me, because I'm standing there in shock, not moving, and this woman leans out her window, grinning from ear to ear, and calls out, "Can you be a little forgiving?"

Oy-freakin'-vey. Really? Maybe if you can be a little more observant. In her defense, it was 8am and she was looking into the sun. Maybe her windshield needed cleaning. Who knows.

I really think we all need to be so much more observant when we're in a vulnerable position, on foot or on bikes.

Roxy

[Mr. Bloom]

Glad you're OK!

[girlonbike]

Glad you're OK!

+1, it's nice to have happy end, though hood ornament sound funny