That perked up my adrenaline level!

[mbarker]

The other day, I was driving near our home. I pulled up to an intersection, just two two-lane roads and a traffic light. The light my way was red, so I pulled up to the stop line and stopped.

I wasn't even paying that much attention to the traffic running both ways in front of me, until the guy going straight across in front of me hit his horn, and the idiot turning across the traffic decided that the way to get out of his way was to turn short and hit the gas. Which put him headed right into the lane where I was sitting.

I could see the dismay on his face as he realized that there was a car sitting there, and he was about to front-end me. I was caught by surprise, and couldn't quite decide whether to let go of the brake, which would have made me roll forward, or hit the gear shift, which might have tossed it into neutral, at least, or just scream.

I ended up doing nothing, just gulping as I watched him racing toward me. Then he fish tailed his car drastically and managed to swerve into the empty lane beside me on his side of the road.

The fellow going straight rolled on past, his horn dopplering away. The fellow who caused all this simply drove on. I shook for a bit, then after the light changed, carefully and a bit slowly drove on.

I have to admit, I'm still wondering just what if anything I could have done. Parked at the line at a red light. That's not a position where I normally think about defensive driving. Hit the gas? That would have just ensured a collision. Try to turn? From a dead stop?

I did wonder about the new collision prevention systems that are being advertised here in Japan. Will they do something about idiot cases like this? If so, I hope the insurance companies get behind them and push, hard, for their use.

There's something particularly terrifying about seeing this kind of idiot come so close to killing me. I mean, if I'm an idiot, well, that's okay. But having someone do it when I haven't done anything unusual? That's irritating.

Comments

[dialyn.livejournal.com]

I honestly don't know that there's anything you can do when you are properly stopped at a red light and someone else does something crazy. Altogether a scary situation. I'm glad you weren't hurt. I don't know that there's anything you can do. Stupidity overrides most systems and the fellow causing the problem seems to be lacking a few brain cells. When I think about it, turning might not have helped. Instead of hitting the front of your car (if he had proceeded), he might have ended up hitting your driver's side and that would not have been helpful. I don't blame you for being shook up after that experience. Let's hope 2013 doesn't have such adventures in it.;

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can't really come up with anything sensible to do. But it's really bothersome to realize that there is just nothing to do in this kind of situation. I do think it's worth reminding people that the few seconds or minutes they save by doing something like this really isn't worth the risk of an accident. I mean, if that idiot had waited a little bit, the traffic would have cleared, and he could have turned safely, instead of doing his best to get into at least two accidents -- the fellow he cut off, and me. Was getting across the road that little bit faster really worth it? Anyway. Thanks! And happy New Year.

[dialyn.livejournal.com]

The only thing I can think of is a force field or power shield. I'm assuming your car isn't equipped with either? People do a lot of things that are dangerous because they are in a hurry or distracted. There is no cure for basic stupidity.