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Posted by Sheepy on PH SP&L.
It was just an ordinary evening as I drove home from work. I was a bit earlier than usual, and the traffic in Leighton was lighter than it sometimes can be. As I approached the center of town, traffic going the other way had come to a halt because of a bus trying to get out from behind a line of parked cars (the road narrows slightly to allow two-way traffic and a line of parked vehicles). I passed the bus, and the lorry behind it. There was a van behind the lorry, and as I drew level with the end of the lorry, a young woman ran out from behind the van. She took a couple of strides and then sort of stopped and half turned and looked right at me. She seemed to just freeze, like she couldn't decided whether to continue across or try and dash back.
I hit the brakes. I was doing just on thirty (I know, because I do keep checking my speedo, don't want to get caught going too fast). In fact I'd just looked up from the dash when she ran out. There wasn't anything I could do really, other pedestrians and traffic ruled out swerving, and there just wasn't enough distance to stop. The car's low front bumper hit her about on the knees, and she fell onto the bonnet with a sickening crack. I just couldn't stop in time. The ambulance got there really quickly, but they said she died before they got to the hospital. The traffic guys who attended were sympathetic, she just ran out, there was nothing I could have done, and I wasn't speeding. Just another tragic accident.
Of course, the above paragraph is just a work of fiction. The first one is true. The reality of the situation all too close for comfort.
Only I wasn't doing thirty, nor was I looking at the dash. I can't tell you exactly what speed I was doing, I'd just dropped to second, and was off the throttle, so I'd guess about twenty. I was looking ahead of the car, and saw the feet appear near the back of the van (actually one of those long-wheelbase sprinter things). I'd hit the brakes before she even emerged from behind the van (although I don't remember making this decision, by the time I really took in what was in front, I was already braking). Instead of the bumper hitting her below the knees, the car scrabbled to a halt about two or three foot from her. Instead of a sickening crack of her head hitting the bonnet, there was a crunch as her friend (still on the pavement) dropped her shopping in fright.
So why have I posted this (and believe me, I thought long and hard before doing so)?
Well, because I still keep hearing speed kills. I keep hearing that more cameras will save lives. Well, there was one that would have been dead whilst a camera at the road-side would have remained blind to the situation.
Better punishment for those caught transgressing a nominal value is no solution. Better education for drivers and sensible policing is got to be the way forward. Five or six years ago, I probably would have been writing the second paragraph as fact, but IAM membership and other driver training means whilst I'm probably not necessarily a better driver (still cant get the hang of go-carting), my observation and anticipation skills are way better than they were than after I passed the driving test (ten years ago).
Education, education, education. Get some, you might just save someone's life.
Sheepy
A resonating account.
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