Jaywalker.
This isn’t the jaywalker post I was going to make, but I’m going to make this post first because I am still FREAKING THE HELL OUT.
I was driving Em home from Scouts about 45 minutes ago, just past twilight. We were returning home along Fairview, which is a main thoroughfare here in Charlotte. No other cars were near me, I did have my lights on, and I had a very long, clear green light. All of a sudden a jogger starts crossing the street in front of me. Against the light. IN FRONT OF ME.
I slammed on the brakes, which is the point at which this guy saw me. It was very surreal from my point of view. I saw the guy, I stood on the brakes, and tried to move the car to an empty lane, then my brain said, “Well, I’ve done all I can do, I hope this isn’t too bad” and then just watched in horror to see how it would unfold.
I came to a stop right at the white line, hitting the guy lightly. He came up on my hood with a little hop and kept on jogging. KEPT ON JOGGING! Meanwhile, I’m freaking out. I shout out the window at his retreating form, “Are you okay?” and he gives me a little wave as he goes. Not satisfied, I shout back, “DUDE! Are you okay??” And he says, “Yeah! Yeah! I’m fine!” and keeps on going across the street to where his female jogging partner is. The light turns yellow (see how green it was? It was green through the entire transaction!) and so I sit there and watch him and his friend walk off. They seem fine, my car seems fine, so when the light turns green again… I drive on. I’ve never hit anyone before so I’m not up on the etiquette, but I guess it’s not exactly a hit and run if you wait through a light and the guy waves you off and walks off with a friend.
During all this, Em is in the back seat dying laughing. I asked her to stop while we were there with the guy, but when it was over and I looked in the rear view mirror she actually had both hands over her mouth so I told her she could laugh. Nobody was actually hurt, after all. Most of the way home I continue to repeat, “Oh my God.” Em finally says, “Oh my God is right!” so I stop doing that. If nothing else, it was a vivid lesson in why we do not cross against the light and why we look both ways when we cross the street. And why we don’t speed, thank God.
Why did he keep jogging? Did he want to impress his lady friend with his manliness? Did he want to avoid trouble from potentially damaging my car? I would not have been such a cool customer, I can tell you.
If you take something away from this episode, let it be this: no matter how much you want to get across the street, WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING.
Thank you. I’ll be over here continuing to freak out.
