Yesterday there
was a huge accident on the motor way, lots of cars were involved and the
motorway was closed... needless to say it caused havoc all around the area
because people were trying to find ways into work. It was a horrendous accident
that resulted, unfortunately, in at least one death – though I don’t know the
full details so it could be more.
It got me
thinking about the responsibility we put on ourselves and others every day when
we drive. Since I have thought about this I have noticed how many times I could
have been in an accident just coming to and from work (5 miles) because of
someone else’s stupid mistakes or my own impatience.
We all get
complacent in our driving, you do it every day and normally the same routes so
things just become habit but if you actually think about it, every time you get
behind the wheel you are putting your life, your passengers, other drivers,
cyclists and pedestrians in danger. By
saying this I am not trying to scare or change anyone but it is amazing that we
are so at ease about the whole thing. You get people who can’t even get on
planes because they are scared of it falling out of the sky but the dangers on
the road are so much more risky!
The other
day a cab driver got so impatient trying to turn into a road that he just started
reversing, I was already going around him before he started so I couldn't stop
and luckily he spotted me otherwise he would have backed straight into the side
of me, wouldn't have been a major accident but a major inconvenience! And yesterday
morning going to work I was going around a roundabout, indicating, and a girl
decided to pull out in front of me! It was like she decided not to wait OR that
she didn't see me, luckily (again) she slammed her brakes on and I managed to
get past without any incident. When I
passed I looked at her and she didn't even acknowledge that she had done
anything wrong so I really am not sure she was aware! That is a worry.
I think
because I had a minor ‘accident’ it has made me a little more aware of all
these little mistakes people make, including myself, that could result in
something awful happening. I had a lady drive into the side of me while I was
going around a roundabout. Initially she tried to blame it on me saying I cut
her up but after I pointed out that there wasn’t a chance the marks on my car
could have been made unless I was ahead of her she quickly backed down and said
it was fine and we didn’t need to change details etc.... anyway because I was
in the right and did nothing wrong – I was indicating, there was no one coming
from the left and she was in place when I set off – it made me realise that you
can have a accident just because other people are not concentrating on what
they are doing...
I mean you
really don’t know who you’re going to encounter on a drive, people get so
frustrated by cyclists that they make stupid, impatient decisions that could
result in accidents. In the same breath, I see so many cyclists breaking rules
and almost causing accidents themselves. I had numerous kids run out in
front of my car near where I used to live, they just didn't seem bothered by
the fact they were almost run over and yet I am sitting in my car heart
pounding thinking about what would have happened if I had actually hit someone
– it is a scary thought. Even if it isn't your fault imagine if you were
involved in an accident where someone died, I can’t imagine I would ever be the
same after something like that!
My aim now
that I have noticed and thought about all these things, is to make sure I think
more about my surrounding and try to lose the impatience I have when I drive –
if I know that I have done all I can to drive safe I can’t be held
responsible if there is an accident. You can’t stop the way other people drive
but you can try to be better yourself.... maybe a motto for life in general too
J
Peace on the
roads people – take care, you’ll get home eventually so why not do your best to
get there without incident J