No Driving for YOU!
Ugh. Ok I love old people. Really. They are so full of wisdom and experience, but dammit that does NOT give them the "I'm old and I'm coming through!" right of way! Sometimes I'd like to think that if an elderly person begins to start having those little fender benders-yes even the parking lot sideswipes where they drive off-they need to get their driving rights threatened. Of course this will take an extensive secret force of highly trained parking lot ninjas... but I digress.
I realize that in a state like mine, which has crap public transportation because we're 'car country' means that some seniors depend on their vehicles. They still shouldn't be endangering others, their passengers, or themselves.
Here's what torked me off today:
I made a quick run to my grandma's house. Coming home I had to go through a four way stop a block from the main drag. On two corners are houses. On the other corners sit the post office and a funeral home. Right next to the funeral home is a church and their parking lot behind. This area can get rather busy, since it's close quarters, parking for the post office is RIGHT on the ROAD and well... funeral home + church = lots of cars. I stop as I'm supposed to, move through the intersection at about 15 mph (ice and snow on roads) when this little old lady with a passenger in her car just BACKS out of the post office parking spot on to the road without looking, and right into my path. Luckily she did hit the breaks, but I had to do a lighnting speed swerve manuver to avoid her.
This could have been bad. Imagine if there would have been a car coming in the opposite direction. There is a large hill there, theres ice and snow on the road, this person wouldn't be able to stop, nor swerve to get out of the way because the funeral home and parked cars are there. I wouldn't have been able to move because of this car, Granny would have hit my passenger side, knocking ME into the other car. This could have then caused the other (imaginary) car to go into the wall of the funeral home or more likely, the parked cars. Big mess. I probably would have gotten hurt since my car would have been in the center of it all. And look, me with no hospital insurance. All because some old lady was chatting away with her friend and figures that she doesn't have to look behind her when she backs out.
Thankfully I avoided her and there was no one else coming. But the fact that the above scenario was just as likely to happen as the true one unnerves and angers me. Dammit people, I don't care how old you are, PAY ATTENTION WHEN YOU DRIVE. It could save your life, or someone elses.
*grumble*
I realize that in a state like mine, which has crap public transportation because we're 'car country' means that some seniors depend on their vehicles. They still shouldn't be endangering others, their passengers, or themselves.
Here's what torked me off today:
I made a quick run to my grandma's house. Coming home I had to go through a four way stop a block from the main drag. On two corners are houses. On the other corners sit the post office and a funeral home. Right next to the funeral home is a church and their parking lot behind. This area can get rather busy, since it's close quarters, parking for the post office is RIGHT on the ROAD and well... funeral home + church = lots of cars. I stop as I'm supposed to, move through the intersection at about 15 mph (ice and snow on roads) when this little old lady with a passenger in her car just BACKS out of the post office parking spot on to the road without looking, and right into my path. Luckily she did hit the breaks, but I had to do a lighnting speed swerve manuver to avoid her.
This could have been bad. Imagine if there would have been a car coming in the opposite direction. There is a large hill there, theres ice and snow on the road, this person wouldn't be able to stop, nor swerve to get out of the way because the funeral home and parked cars are there. I wouldn't have been able to move because of this car, Granny would have hit my passenger side, knocking ME into the other car. This could have then caused the other (imaginary) car to go into the wall of the funeral home or more likely, the parked cars. Big mess. I probably would have gotten hurt since my car would have been in the center of it all. And look, me with no hospital insurance. All because some old lady was chatting away with her friend and figures that she doesn't have to look behind her when she backs out.
Thankfully I avoided her and there was no one else coming. But the fact that the above scenario was just as likely to happen as the true one unnerves and angers me. Dammit people, I don't care how old you are, PAY ATTENTION WHEN YOU DRIVE. It could save your life, or someone elses.
*grumble*