I was a few centimeters from being struck by a train as a small child, lucky for me my mom used her mother reflexes and pulled me away from the rails before it came. I'm thinking sometimes how close my life was to be cut so short, gives some perspective on things.
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Good to hear that you escaped. Moms are wonderful!
In true reverse form, I once hit a stopped vehicle on my bicycle. It was motionless at a stop sign. I didn't see it in time, and slammed into its side. The woman driving was very upset, but I told her I was okay and sped away. I was more worried about getting into trouble from my parents than whether I was hurt. Fortunately I only had a few scratches. Dumb luck.
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Oh yep. I was knocked over by a car while walking across a pedestrian crossing, no less, lol.
I was 14 at the time, and was lucky the car only struck my leg breaking my ankle. Could have been much worse.
The guy stopped and got out and a crowd gathered. His breath stunk of alcohol and his speech was slurred - clearly had been drinking. Didn't see me on the crosswalk. I think he'd been speeding too because before I stepped out I did look, and his car was way, way distant away so I assessed I was safe to step out. Suddenly he was right there and hitting me.
I was also, another time, the first witness on the scene of another teen girl getting hit by a car, just a year or two later (different street!)
I was in a phone box making a call - this was the 1970s, no cell phones - and heard tires screeching on the road next to me. Looked out in time to see a car hit a girl and she literally flew up into the air off the hood of the car, and landed back on the street, on her back - and didn't get up.
I ran over and she was alive and conscious but just lying there and starting to cry. The guy stopped and got out -- and HE WAS DRUNK TOO! Like the guy who had knocked me down. People came out of their houses and called the police and ambulance. I gathered up the girl's bag and belongings that were all over the street, and stayed with her trying to calm her.
I wish I knew what happened after they took her to the hospital, I don't know if she lived or died or was paralyzed or what.
Really hope that she made it. Sometimes i feel drunk drivers deserves to just be shot on the spot. Drinking and using a car means you are prepared to waste anyones life just because you can't bother with getting your fat self on a bus or in a taxi. One of the most selfish things a person can do. Sadly it's normally innocent ones and not the driver itself that has to feel the consequences of this choice.
shareYes, it's such a selfish thing to do, and it's often some other innocent person who suffers consequences in terms of death or injury, and not the drunk driver.
I really hope she made it too. I wish I could have found out what happened. It was the days long before the internet, even, and there was no way to even find out her name like now when it usually shows up in a localized news item online. I still think about that girl even now.
If you have the exact or close to the exact date and what hospital she went to i suppose you could find her name in the journals, they may not hand them out of course, but she should still be there in the system, i think they store patients data indefinitely. I can understand it would tear on your soul, horrible to always have to wonder and never get an answer.
shareI could try that, but I'm inclined to feel that this particular hospital won't have kept those records, particularly since it was 1970's. I recently discovered even my local grade school and high school hasn't bothered to keep student school records from that long ago! :( There is much that hasn't been kept from those times, where I am, I fear.
shareI would give it an attempt at least. You have nothing to lose :-)
shareI've never had a close encounter with a vehicle but I did nearly drown when I was about 6 or 7.
shareI know the feeling. That could be a whole thread in itself.
shareYep me too for nearly drowning! I was very, very wee and tiny and went right under in a crowded pool. I still have a vivid memory of being physically dragged up off the bottom of the pool from behind by a very kind and observant teenage boy who turned out to be one of my older sister's classmates.
shareI was hit by a car when I was four years old. Ran out in front of it right in front of my house. It was pretty serious but here I am. In fact, I'm the only one of my immediate family still around.
shareSorry for all your lost ones, but glad you're still with us. Did the driver stop to help?
shareHe was a neighbor who lived down the street. I'm sure he stopped and probably had little choice. This was a suburban residential neighborhood with cars parked on both sides of the street, probably why it happened in the first place. I always felt a little bad for the guy. I'm sure it must have rattled him.
shareYeah, hard to take in you might have just killed someones child, the feeling probably never leaves you.
sharePlus, when I was a young and inexperienced driver I turned in front of another car accidentally (obviously). It was night and there were flashing Road work saw horses in the middle of a street and I turned just past them and the other guy plowed into me. He sued and we must have settled out of court. Dad had good insurance so one way or the other it was resolved. My folks didn't want me to have to think about it, so frankly, I didn't.
shareSeems like you had really great parents. Most would've scolded their kid for that.
shareOur car was crashed up pretty good (bad, although it wasn't totaled) and I was with a friend, so yeah, I think they just saw it as an accident and were glad it wasn't worse. My folks had a lot of faith in me. May have been misplaced, idk. Seems like most parents I knew were more concerned for their kids rather than looking for an excuse to blame them for something.
shareHow i wish all parents would be that way.
shareBeen in a few car crashes but nothing serious.
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