[Big Mac]

I was at an intersection in my home city tonight waiting for the green light. Light turned green but for no logical reason I hesitated for a few extra seconds. Suddenly I saw a large truck with its headlights off blow through the intersection at a high rate of speed.

I thought about following the truck and probably would have if I had not been tired and had my brother not been in the car with me. I called 911 to report it instead.

If I had proceeded through the intersection normally I probably would not have glanced to see if there were a hazard and instead would have gone through and gotten seriously injured at best in a t-bone collision. I will now take the extra second to look both ways when I have a green light.

And in case you're wondering, I do indeed believe this may have been a form of divine protection. There was absolutely no reason for me to hesitate to go like that. Plus, the worst nightmare I've ever had is of being in a serious collision with my little brother in the car. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if anything were to ever happen to my brother with me behind the wheel, even if the other driver were at fault. I think my brother and I may have been saved tonight.

[phantomdragonz]

personally I am not a believer in devine intervention but rather the power of our unconscious minds, something may have made you hesitate... maybe a low rumble with no headlight? maybe a glimpse that you did not realize?

anyways, I would feel like a lucky guy if I were you!

drive safe

-Zach

[hyteckit]

Praise Lord Buddha.

[Big Mac]

Good post, pdz, thank you. Two observations: The truck passing right in front of me was essentially inaudible; one of the other things I did at that intersection was to stop further from the line than usual, so I couldn't have glimpsed the truck at all from that vantage point until it was sailing past.

hyteckit, I was interested enough to click to reveal your post this time. That's not my religion, but I'm glad to see you supposedly believe in something higher than materialism.

[ghporter]

Whether you subconsciously noticed something in your peripheral vision, or your guardian angel made you delay, you WERE NOT smashed by that truck. Very good to hear! Also your 911 report was the best way to deal with the issue, since someone zooming on the street at night without lights could be dangerous in other ways.

I'm glad to hear you didn't get hurt, for whatever reason.

[Big Mac]

Thank you very much, Glenn. I am very thankful for being spared that misery or even an untimely demise. My forum political opponents may not be that happy, though.

I'm not trying to argue the point but I'm pretty sure there's no way it was my peripheral vision, nor any of my other (conventional) senses keeping me stopped in front of that light. Since I stopped short on red I was far away from the line; this is a major intersection that affords little cross traffic visibility even if you're right at the line. Plus, the only thing I was looking at was the green light.

[Phileas]

I had a couple of occasions in my life where I could have died, but didn't. Whether it's plain luck, a guardian angel or the subconscious kicking in what counts is that you're still here.

[Big Mac]

Good point. I wonder how common these types of experiences are.

[osiris]

Intuition proves that all things in the universe are connected.

[hyteckit]

I had a similar experience. I just got off the freeway and at the traffic light. The street intersecting the freeway exit is heavily traffic. There's a big truck on the other lane to my left, totally blocking my view. I couldn't see traffic coming from the left and I was going to make a left turn. Well, the green left arrow signally my right a way to turn left. I waited about 3 seconds after the green left arrow had came on before making my left turn. Big truck in the left lane didn't move, but since I've already waited 3 seconds, I assume anyone running a red-light would have gone driven by, and that the truck driver just isn't paying attention to the traffic light.

So I started to make a left turn. Out of the left corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of an oncoming car about to speed through the red traffic light, coming directly towards me. My car at that point is already well into the right lane of the intersecting street. My instincts kicked in, and I slammed my foot onto the gas pedal in order to avoid the collision and getting sideswiped. Luckily I accelerated fast enough to avoid the collision. The car that ran the red light speed right behind my tail. I could clearly see their faces as their car speed toward me. It was two mexican dudes, most likely illegal immigrants.

After completing my left turn, I look at my rear mirror and saw the car the ran the red light had actually pulled over about 200 feet away. I guess they just realize they ran a red light and could have gotten into a car accident and could've killed somebody. They probably needed a few minutes to composed themselves or something. Anyway, the truck driver also made a left turn and was again stop at the next traffic light, in the lane to the left of me. I looked over to him and he look over to me smiling and sort of laughing. I'm just shaking my head thinking "Dude. You could have at least honked or signal to me that a car is about to run a red light. I could've gotten killed."

Guess my guardian angel was with me that day.

Maybe next time wait until the vehicle to your left starts to make a left turn before you do, unless you can clearing see oncoming traffic? How long should I wait after there is a green arrow or green light? 3 secs? 5 secs?

[Eriamjh]

And what did the people at 911 say?

[olePigeon]

You didn't die because Satan has plans for you.

On a related note, years ago my brother was about to pull out into a major intersection when his car stalled. As he reached for the ignition to start his car back up, some asshat ran a red light and clipped his front bumper. If his car hadn't stalled, he would have been t-boned by a Suburban and probably killed.

[Atheist]

Glad you decided to pause before you went forward. First thing I learned in driver's education is that green DOES NOT mean go. It means look both ways and go. I was also taught to slow down and inspect every intersection I meet with a green light. Has saved my skin many times. It's even more important now that I'm in the Dominican Republic. The drivers pay no attention to the traffic signals. They routinely drive right through red lights.

[Rumor]

Glad you avoided an accident.

Night before last, I was hit by a car while riding my bike. Bike is in worse shape than I am. Bastards didn't even have the decency to stop and see if I was okay.

[iMOTOR]

I had a situation exactly like Big Mac’s a couple weeks ago. I can’t really explain why I hesitated, but I’m glad I did.

The best part was there was a police officer sitting at the red light as the minivan flew past him, but he was on his cell phone and didn’t notice.
arghh

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by Atheist 

Glad you decided to pause before you went forward. First thing I learned in driver's education is that green DOES NOT mean go. It means look both ways and go. I was also taught to slow down and inspect every intersection I meet with a green light. Has saved my skin many times. It's even more important now that I'm in the Dominican Republic. The drivers pay no attention to the traffic signals. They routinely drive right through red lights.

That's a great point Atheist. I consider myself a very safe driver and have never had an at fault accident, but that principle just isn't (or wasn't) regularly taught here in California driver training. I know my mother advised me once that it was the proper thing to do, but no instructor or instructional material ever did (that I can recall). As I said, this was a wake-up call that will make me check cross traffic consistently even when I have the protected right of way.

[- - e r i k - -]

When driving you are more aware of your surroundings than you give yourself credit for. Our brains are wired to detect small movements coming from our peripheral vision and judge them to be threats. It's the good old survival instinct kicking in. Praise evolution maybe?

Very happy to see you didn't get smashed Big Mac!

[brassplayersrock²]

I was backing out of the driveway today, kids were playing next door. Hear screech of breaks, and this lamer in a BMW flipped me off. I was already in the street so I end up stopping at the stop sign and he honks, so I sit there and point to the stop sign. He zooms around me and up the hill.

He could have easily hit the kids at the speed he was coming down the street.

Such a jack arse.


/rant

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

Glad you avoided an accident.

Night before last, I was hit by a car while riding my bike. Bike is in worse shape than I am. Bastards didn't even have the decency to stop and see if I was okay.

Disgusting. Too bad you didn't get a license plate.

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

Very happy to see you didn't get smashed Big Mac!

Thank you very much, erik. I know this experience has made me an better driver.

[nonhuman]

Glad to hear you're ok!

Always looking before going, even on a green light, is one of those lessons that you learn very quickly in Boston... I've definitely avoided a serious accident on quite a few occasions thanks to that.