Something almost happened and I can't get over it...please help!?

Question

Last Monday (the 27th), I was walking in DC and waiting for the pedestrian light to turn "green". Something to the side caught my eye and at the same time, I saw two cars side by side driving by. When I looked over, I noticed that the pedestrian light had been green for two seconds, and those two cars ran a red light. I was like, "Wait a minute - if I had gone when my light turned green, I might have been hit!" Even today, four days later, I can't help but think what would have happened if I had been hit. Would I have had only minor injuries? Or would I be in the hospital? In a coma? Possiby dead? I tried convincing myself that every year, hundreds (if not thousands) of people get hit by cars, and only a number of those instances are fatal, and many victims gain full (or almost full) recovery. But I need further "consolation". If you or somebody you know got hit by a car, what happened? Any advice would be great - it's keeping me up at night! Thanks.

Answer 1

Dude stop being a girl.
First off, before you walk across a street, just cuz the light says go, you still look. and I'm sure would have noticed the cars coming if you had started to walk.
Second, i have been hit by 3 cars and am still here to tell you its not that bad, the first i was pretty banged up, had deep scrapes on all my limbs and back, got knocked out.
the others were on my bike when people ran stop signs again a swollen ankle, and the other was a jeep that hit me and pushed be about 10 feet before he noticed i was smacking his hood telling him to stop.

things happen, watch where you walk, accidents can usually be avoided, like my 3 hits if i was paying attention and being more defensive, i could have avoided all 3.

you didn't get hit, take it as a lesson to look out for yourself, and don't trust anyone to look out for you.

Answer 2

I have been knocked down by an inattentive driver, suffered some slight bruising.
A cousin was knocked down while cycling three times in less than a year. His most serious injury was abrasions, bruising, and possible sprains.
An aquaintence was badly struck by a motorist while cycling on a bright sunny day, and spent a few hospital days recovering.
The city I live in has had several low-speed fatalities in CVP collisions. In these cases, most of them were transit busses turning a corner after a stop, and over half were elderly, but still.
If the nimrods were street racing, you probably would have been killed.instantly.
A 2 tonne piece of metal and composites strike a 100 kilo human. Things will happen.

Hey...waking up in the morning is a risk we all have to take, so come to terms, and remember to look both ways BEFORE entering any crossing area.

However, start a petition, and see about having the City (DC) put-up a red-light camera.

Answer 3

I understand how you feel, but you can not dwell on something that "almost happened". I really doubt you would have been hit because you were paying attention and did see the cars coming and did not cross. But if you had, why do you assume the cars would not have seen you and stopped? And if they hit you how far into the street would you have been when they hit you? This would make a difference in what kind of injuries you would have sustained. There are far to many variables here.
My older brother was hit by a car twice when crossing the street as a child and received concussions both times with no broken bones. He was not hospitalized.
Please try to be safe, pay attention, and stop worrying about things that did not happen.

Answer 4

I usually wait a few seconds after the pedestrian light turns green. Last time that happened to me, It was a few months ago. A nissan altima and another altima were "street racing"
and I would have been hit if I walked into the street. I took notice to the details of the car (color, dents, person in it.) and one day, I saw the 2 people's cars parked at my grocery store. I got thier license plates and reported them. My sister's boyfriend works for My town's street cameras and he caught the whole thing on tape. Their licences were suspended for 3 years and got 2 months in Jail! Because

1: they were over the town's overall speed limit
2: street racing is illegal in all 50 states
3: they put a pedestrian's life in danger
4:They ran a red light
5:They were underage

My evaluation is, Just be thankful that you-like me were one of the few percent that avoided a car accident.


Just be thankful this wasn't you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh0qN9P_lD8

Answer 5

I lived in Washington for almost ten years and lost track of how many times a car almost hit me. If you stop and think about how many times in a single day you have brushes with death, it would cripple you...kind of like thinking how many people that walk by you each day have crossed paths with you before, just overwhelming. I am unclear if you are interested mostly in the mechanics of what happens when the human body is struck by a vehicle or the bigger "what if" it happened to you specifically, but assuming it is the former, you might want to try fielding a fantasty football team or doing some Sodoku puzzles to get your mind elsewhere.

The last time I almost got hit by a car (actually it was a bus), I continued walking to the train thinking about what regrets I would have had if I died "back there," and the next day I walked into work and quit my job. True story.

Answer 6

I've known two people that were hit by cars.

One guy got hit by a car just rolling through an intersection maybe 10-15 mph. He suffered a head injury and scrapes and bruises and was in the hospital for some time.

Another friend of mine got hit by a car going about 30 mph while he was on his bike. He pretty much had his spinal chord snapped and he died almost instantly.

Moral of the story is don't trust anyone at intersections, and look both ways before crossing.

Answer 7

dont think of what could of happened, think of what did & what will happen in the future. A car didnt hit u, cuz that wasnt the way it was supposed to be. Just remember from now on to always look both ways b4 u cross the street, try to go with a group of people, and wait a few seconds b4 crosing the street. Just know what 2 do & try to b safe & u will b. So forget about the danger that COULD HAVE happened and just know what u should do NEXT TIME. Good Luck.

Answer 8

Having worked in rehabilitation hospital for many years, I knew lots of people that were hit by cars. Some got better, some lost the use of limbs, some died, some had irreversible brain damage, and some had a combination of all of the above. All you can do is watch the roads, try not to walk on them when the idiots are most likely to be on the road, and watch your butt. Take care of yourself the best you can.

Answer 9

I understand how you feel because about 10 years ago, I was about to cross a street. I thought it was a one-way street so I only looked in one direction, but it was a two-way street. The moment I started to take a step, my Mom (who, thank God, was by my side), grabbed my arm and pulled me. A taxi went by about two feet from us at great speed. For several days I was still shocked, thinking "if my Mom had not been there, I would have been killed by that taxi".
I never wondered what it would be like to be hit, though. I just thought I could have died and I didn't. I thanked God and my Mom for allowing me to be here some more time.

I would suggest that you take a few minutes alone, breath deeply, tell yourself that it's over and that your life was spared. If you believe in God, thank Him, if not, thank life for another chance and go out and enjoy all the wonderful little things that it has to offer.

Ich wünsche dir viel Glück.

Alles Gute!

Answer 10

You are getting WAY too wound up over something that didn't happen. You know what? It didn't happen. What you need to do is take this as a learning experience. Always watch for cars before crossing! And move on with your life. You may also think about your attitude toward death, and why it scares you so much. Work toward accepting the fact that life ends for everybody eventually.