On almost being hit by a car
Don't destroy lives because you're looking at your cell phone
In my neighborhood and all over Philly, people drive straight through stop signs without even slowing down. One woman in a red SUV routinely does it while looking at her cell phone right in front of my house.
It almost happened to me. And I’m very, very scared.
I was walking home in broad daylight from my morning walk, just a few blocks from my house. I always stop and look and usually give a polite wave to an oncoming car.
There was a parked car making it hard to see, so I inched into the intersection. Looked safe. I started to walk.
Suddenly a white car that was definitely speeding flew into the intersection. It came within one to two feet of hitting me.
The driver was on her phone. She did not slow down or look both ways, or even one day. She could have killed or seriously injured me, obviously. Cars are dangerous weapons when driven by idiots.
People, stop at stop signs. Slow down before them. Get off your phone and put it in your purse or somewhere you can’t get to it. Ignore the beeping of your five thousand notifications or turn it on silent. JUST DRIVE.
I love to walk. I take pictures of flowers, as you know. I have changed my routes to avoid the most dangerous intersections, which means I’ve missed a lot of my favorite flower spots this year. Oh, and I live in fear of getting hurt or killed.
This doesn’t happen once or twice, it happens all day, every day. I wish someone would have the guts to set up cameras and prosecute the people who run stop signs or text and drive. Talking and driving is dangerous too, and it’s a way of life to a lot of people.
The woman didn’t even see me. Maybe she doesn’t care. She would if she killed someone.
There are laws in this country for a reason, but now it seems that no one cares to obey them. Have laws become optional since I took social studies? What did I miss?
I miss feeling any vague sense of safety here. You can’t walk to the corner store without risking your life. It’s not just guns, it’s cars!
Pray for me, even if you don’t pray. Thanks.
And put your stupid phone in the trunk if you have to. Eyes on the road. Follow the law. STOP AT STOP SIGNS.
I miss these.
Glad that you're okay!
My grandmother taught me to always drive as if I was being followed by a police car. Advice that has helped me countless times. I think today people set their own rules, let their conscience (or lack of) be their guide, and the police tend to be less aggressive, allowing a culture supporting over the limit speeding and not coming to a complete stop, among other bad traits. Using a cell phone while driving is like lighting a stick of dynamite. Scary.