Close call

I am waiting at the street corner for the light to change. First the advanced green goes. Then green, including the signal for pedestrians to cross. I take a few steps out into the intersection.

I am crossing in front of a white car. The driver is signalling to turn right, and nudges her car a few inches forward. I look and catch her eye. Her car stops.

"Good," I think. "She sees me."

When I am directly in front of her car, she hits the gas.

Two people walking behind me gasp.

I calmly put my up hand, signalling for her to stop. She continues on.

"This could be bad," I think.

Just as I am about to jump on her hood, she sees me and slams on the brakes. The people behind me gasp again. I believe they are there only for dramatic effect.

Momentum carries the car another foot or two forward, and I happen to be occupying that space. Her bumper gives me a good nudge. It takes my balance a moment to decide whether or not I'm going to fall over. It decides not.

Everyone is still.

I realize I'm still holding up my arm up signalling for her to stop. I calmly bring it down. I think briefly of giving her hood a good slap, but I don't. I lightly tap it twice, then continue walking across the street.

6 comments:

Craig Wesley said...

Perhaps it is a sign that you are a better person than I, Dave. I would not have been *nearly* so charitable.

All Nations Christian Reformed Church said...

If that were me, I would have lifted the car by its front bumper, flipped it arse over teakettle and danced a brief bourrée on its underbelly. That would have taught her.

just us said...

Please stop with the close calls. All of you. I have had enough with close calls.

wordswords said...

I would like to see this bourrée. Almost worth a drive to Nova Scotia...

Similar incidents have happened to me before and I have not been calm. I think I just realized she hadn't actually caught my eye, and I imagined she felt pretty bad. The presence of the gaspers might have contributed.

movita said...

Oh. movita gets it. Just because SHE got nudged by a car, you have to throw yourself in front of a car. Well played, sir, well played.

Jordan said...

Well thank goodness for gaspers, I say. Well done, gaspers!