Wednesday, April 2, 2008

To The Dude I almost Flattened

Listening to: Bare Necessities – Jungle Boy

Mood: Calm – for the moment

To the Dude I almost ran over today:

Okay, so as an older white guy, you probably aren’t a “dude”, but hey, that’s just my terminology. So I almost ran you over today. Yep, I know, it’s really scary when a car weighing a couple tons is coming right at you and you aren’t really sure it’s going to stop. I apologize for scaring the crap out of you. It certainly wasn’t intentional. I really wouldn’t want to go to jail for manslaughter over you. A rapist or mass murder perhaps, but not just for you.
A couple of things that you probably didn’t notice in your adrenaline hazed stupor as you stared at me in amazement as you crossed the street in front of me.

1. You were crossing a street. I understand that I had a red light. I really had every intention to come to a complete halt. I just had a different idea as to where that stop was going to be. It’s common practice for people and cars to stop at a corner so that they can see the activity on the street so they can judge when to enter the intersection. So I really don’t think it was worth all the attitude you threw my way when I stopped suddenly for you because you decided to step off the curb 30 feet from the corner, which brings me to point 2.

2. Drivers have lots of things to pay attention to – pedestrians don’t. Being in control of said heavy, moving, vehicle is something that requires lots of attention in different directions. To be perfectly honest, I stopped so late because you happened to be in the last direction I looked before stopping at the intersection. I’m sure this clears up my intentions about whether I wanted to flatten you or not.

3. I understand we live in a city and pedestrians are absolutely ever where, like flies on road kill, but this still does not give me the psychic ability to read your mind. Don’t you think it’s just a little foolish and arrogant to step off the curb before you make sure the cars will stop? Perhaps someone is coming along like me who just didn’t see you but was driving faster and not planning on stopping.

So I’m sure I’ll never see you again. White Plains is a pretty big place. Hopefully neither of us have another encounter like today. I know it gave me a few brand new grey hairs. I'm sure you wouldn't notice any new ones anyhow.

Becky

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