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April 12, 2007

Run Forrest Run

Even at 46 I can still stop traffic....a fact which was proven to me yesterday. Quite unnecessarily. See, I was coming out of the courthouse yesterday and, being in my usual hurry, started to jaywalk across the street to my car. But my little voice suggested it would be a good idea to take the time to walk up to the crosswalk, which I did.

Always listen to that little voice.

A nice lady stopped so I could cross, and I had made it most of the way across the street when I heard the sound that every pedestrian dreads: squealing tires. Oh shit! I ran the remaining feet to the sidewalk as I heard the nice lady's car get hit. And then I heard something else. Another car whose driver had obviously hit the gas instead of the brakes.

I sprinted across the sidewalk to the fence, at a speed I don't think I've managed since I was in my teens. I turned to see how close my impending doom was because I could still hear a revving engine & squalling tires. The third car was still pushing the second car....thankfully towards the courthouse not me. It finally stopped and I whipped out my cellphone & called 911 before I started shaking too bad to dial.

Sweet Mother of God that was a little too close for comfort.

No one was seriously injured, though one passenger had a facial laceration from the airbag. I gave a report to a nice police officer, who finally remarked that I really didn't see much of what happened.

"No sir," I replied. "I was running too fast to look."

Cracked him up.

Posted by Rita at April 12, 2007 05:44 AM

Comments

Remind me to not join you guys for a nice walk in the square anytime in the immediate future :)

Posted by: BloodSpite at April 12, 2007 07:51 AM

Crossing Central there anytime during the day is a lot like playing Frogger....when you're the Frog. I think I'll go back to my habit of parking in the lot between the courthouse & Adm. building. No matter how many empty spaces there are right across from the courthouse door.

Posted by: Rita [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 12, 2007 12:33 PM

Yikes. I had a similar run in late in 2005. Unfortunately, the wet Yorkshire cobble-stones contrived to level me. I still wear the scars above my left eye and on my forehead. Never argue with paving.

Glad to hear you survived intact.

Posted by: Andy at April 13, 2007 05:22 AM

I remember that, you had a nasty cut. I was glad afterwards that I'd worn my sensible shoes that day. I'd prolly have a matching scar if I'd been in heels.

Posted by: Rita [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 13, 2007 05:48 AM