Very Very Lucky

I drove into work today, mostly because I was lazy and felt like sleeping for an extra half hour. On the way into work I had a very close call. An elderly lady was crossing a busy road that I take to go to work, she was crossing the opposite side of the street coming to the median. This particular road has quite a bit of traffic and has long stretches of downhill parts. On the part I encountered this woman it was in themiddle of a long decline, and she was crossing at a light that was green for both sides. She was wearing very dark red and I know she saw me coming because we made eye contact, which wouldn't have mattered normally because she was going to reach the safety of the median as I passed by and before she started traversing the road on my side. However, she tripped on the curb to the median and stumbled past the median into my lane and almost into the right lane. If it weren't for my paying attention that would have been the end of her since I had to slam on the brakes, and swerve into the right lane to avoid hitting her. It was a seriously close call and I'm quite shaken and thankful that nothing happened.

There are several things I'm thankful for in that situation, and then several other things that could have prevented the situation all together. I'm thankful that I have such good vision first of all, because it was very dark outside (overcast + being 6:00am) and she wasn't exactly wearing bright colors. I'm thankful that I wasn't distracted or doing anything besides driving, because I would have hit her without seeing her then, and we all know that there are plenty of people who drive to work distracted. I'm thankful that there were no other cars around me so that I could pull off that manuever without endangering someone else. And I'm thankful in the end that all she did was stumble, she didn't fall down and she quickly retreated to the safety of the median after I missed her. Lastly I'd like to thank the fact that I was paying attention to this person crossing a dark street and nothing else at all, because for some reason I thought that it was worth paying extreme attention to and I remeber having my mind focused on her.

There are almost an unlimited number of things that could have prevented alot of the risk here. We'll start with me, I could be driving a less heavy car or sit on the breaks going down that hill more so that I'm not speeding at all, I was probably going 5 or so miles over the speed limit. I could also not drive in the left lane when there is no need for me to do so (albeit I had taken a left turn onto the road less than a block before). I could also get more sleep somehow and be sharper in the morning (which is it's own problem that hasn't resolved itself). That particular stretch of road could stand some more lighting, it is incredibly dark for such a major road and I understand that their are some houses on the left side of the road but it is frankly dangerous. Also, I'm not sure why the pedestrians I see every morning I drive through that dark stretch of road always seem to wear the darkest clothes imaginable, I swear last week someone ran across the street wearing all black. The last criticism (although I could continue) I'll levvy is at myself for not stopping the car and getting out to see if she was ok. A better person would have and I guess I've got a ways to go.