The driving was impressively accurate, the car zoomed just past the front of our toes as we were crossing the road. He’d appeared as we were walking across that road at a small roundabout on our estate. Naturally, we’d assumed he was stopping to let us complete the crossing. No, he accelerated and just got through the gap between us and the pavement.

Now, that guy (of course it was a man) saved a few seconds of his precious time, at the possible expense of maiming another two human beings. How does that compute?

Which leads me to reflect that we all slightly change personality when we get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Pedestrians and cyclists become a bit of a hindrance – they’re just not operating at the speed we are – they get in the way. Who hasn’t driven in front of a pedestrian who was about to cross a side road when you were coming out of that same side road, or given a cyclist not quite as much room as you really should?

It’s a challenge for us all when we get behind that wheel, to stay aware, remember to stay courteous to real human beings of flesh and blood, and remember their frailty.

After all, it could be you or someone precious to you.

Footnote

Incidentally, I’m pretty sure that incident would never happen in Houston, Texas. Our experience is that US drivers show extreme courtesy to pedestrians in residential areas. Maybe it’s something to do with the law there, but the behaviour of US drivers is more courteous than UK drivers. UK drivers please note!

Featured image by Trailer screenshot (It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World trailer), via Wikimedia Commons