Driving and Texting, Don't Do It!
While driving late yesterday afternoon, I almost hit a young woman on a skateboard. Rather, she almost hit me.
I was on my way home from doing errands, I was stopped at a red light, at one of the busiest intersections in the city. I was in the far right lane, waiting to go through the light when it turned green. I could see this young woman weaving her way in between cars, from the straight lane to the turning lane, as well, toward oncoming traffic.
I could see her coming up beside me, in the middle lane. After seeing her reckless maneuvering through the traffic, I decided to give her a wide berth. The light turned green, and traffic began to flow through the intersection. This young woman, had her headphones on, cell phone in her hands, and her head down texting, while she continued to weave hrough the traffic!
I slowed down to let her get past me, attempting to slow down the traffic directly behind me, I was sure they weren't aware of her or her dangerous moves. I watched her, go through the green light, and merge into the right lane, never once lifting her head to check if it was safe, which of course it wasn't. The car ahead of me, slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting this girl. It must have startled him because he pressed down on the horn and beeped violently. She, lifted her hand, and flipped him the bird as she cut him off and proceeded to drive in the middle of the lane.
I could not believe my eyes, she almost caused an accident in which she could have been hurt or worse, but she had no remorse. She contine in that lane for a minute, until a car pulled out in front of her, then, she decided she should drive on the yellow line in the middle of the road, in between both sets of lanes. Oncoming traffic, upon seeing her, quickly veered to their right, while traffic behind her, drove
at a snails pace in case she decided on another speedy lane change.
Vehicles were honking, and moving to avoid her, and she continued on, texting away as if she were standing still.
We were approaching a hill, and there was no way people driving toward her would ever see her until they were upon her. Someone was going to hit her, or someone else.
In my rear view mirror, I could see police lights coming up behind me. Finally, I thought and pulled over, and watched him pull up behind her, however, she didn't have a clue he was there. She looked up briefly, and suddenly veered over to the left sharply, crossing 2 lanes of oncoming traffic down a side street. The cop, didn't see that coming!
At least she was away from me, so I began to relax. The police car, turned left down the next street, looking for that crazy girl.
My turn was coming up, around the corner I drove, only to see that same girl, skateboarding with every ounce of strength she had straight toward me. The cop was nowhere to be seen. I pulled over to the sidewalk, and she skated on past me, no expression on her face.
I watched her disappear in my rear mirror, grateful I didn't hit her. I just couldn't believe what I had just witnessed in less than 5 minutes.
There must have been 30 cars that had to move to avoid hitting her and in the process were almost involved in an accident with another vehicle.
With all of the publicity about distracted drivers and the dangers of texting while driving, I would have thought the message was clear.
It doesn't matter if you are driving a car, a bike, skateboard or walking, being distracted is dangerous. It puts not only you at risk but everyone else around you at risk.
Beware on the roads, it isn't just other vehicles you have to be watching, it's everyone and everything now!
I do not know what happened to that foolish, rude, irresponsible young woman. Probably nothing, as my mom used to say "God protects drunks and fools," and she, was definitely a fool.
I was on my way home from doing errands, I was stopped at a red light, at one of the busiest intersections in the city. I was in the far right lane, waiting to go through the light when it turned green. I could see this young woman weaving her way in between cars, from the straight lane to the turning lane, as well, toward oncoming traffic.
I could see her coming up beside me, in the middle lane. After seeing her reckless maneuvering through the traffic, I decided to give her a wide berth. The light turned green, and traffic began to flow through the intersection. This young woman, had her headphones on, cell phone in her hands, and her head down texting, while she continued to weave hrough the traffic!
I slowed down to let her get past me, attempting to slow down the traffic directly behind me, I was sure they weren't aware of her or her dangerous moves. I watched her, go through the green light, and merge into the right lane, never once lifting her head to check if it was safe, which of course it wasn't. The car ahead of me, slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting this girl. It must have startled him because he pressed down on the horn and beeped violently. She, lifted her hand, and flipped him the bird as she cut him off and proceeded to drive in the middle of the lane.
I could not believe my eyes, she almost caused an accident in which she could have been hurt or worse, but she had no remorse. She contine in that lane for a minute, until a car pulled out in front of her, then, she decided she should drive on the yellow line in the middle of the road, in between both sets of lanes. Oncoming traffic, upon seeing her, quickly veered to their right, while traffic behind her, drove
at a snails pace in case she decided on another speedy lane change.
Vehicles were honking, and moving to avoid her, and she continued on, texting away as if she were standing still.
We were approaching a hill, and there was no way people driving toward her would ever see her until they were upon her. Someone was going to hit her, or someone else.
In my rear view mirror, I could see police lights coming up behind me. Finally, I thought and pulled over, and watched him pull up behind her, however, she didn't have a clue he was there. She looked up briefly, and suddenly veered over to the left sharply, crossing 2 lanes of oncoming traffic down a side street. The cop, didn't see that coming!
At least she was away from me, so I began to relax. The police car, turned left down the next street, looking for that crazy girl.
My turn was coming up, around the corner I drove, only to see that same girl, skateboarding with every ounce of strength she had straight toward me. The cop was nowhere to be seen. I pulled over to the sidewalk, and she skated on past me, no expression on her face.
I watched her disappear in my rear mirror, grateful I didn't hit her. I just couldn't believe what I had just witnessed in less than 5 minutes.
There must have been 30 cars that had to move to avoid hitting her and in the process were almost involved in an accident with another vehicle.
With all of the publicity about distracted drivers and the dangers of texting while driving, I would have thought the message was clear.
It doesn't matter if you are driving a car, a bike, skateboard or walking, being distracted is dangerous. It puts not only you at risk but everyone else around you at risk.
Beware on the roads, it isn't just other vehicles you have to be watching, it's everyone and everything now!
I do not know what happened to that foolish, rude, irresponsible young woman. Probably nothing, as my mom used to say "God protects drunks and fools," and she, was definitely a fool.
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