Dangerous Driving

Tonight after I dropped off Vanja and was on my way home, I almost got hit by a car.

Before I get into that, though, let me tell you about my friend.

Last night I had dinner with my friend Drew, who told me about his own scary driving experience recently. This past Monday night around midnight, he was driving home and (an obviously drunk) driver turned out of nowhere onto the street when he didn't have the right of way, crossed the center line, and was driving straight toward him approaching a head-on collision. Drew said it seemed to be happening in slow motion and before he knew it, he was swerving and honking and the guy swerved the other way to correct himself, but not before side-swiping my friend and knocking off his driver-side mirror and driving away in what is essentially a hit-and-run accident.

Two days ago 22 year-old L.A. Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed after a drunk driver ran a red light.

So tonight, I was driving south on 15th Ave W and was just a couple blocks from my turn on Dravus. It was pretty quiet on the roads, no one in front of me. I was replaying my conversation with Drew and thinking about all the crazy drivers out there and, I kid you not, about 2 seconds later I encountered a crazy driver myself.

I glanced a little to my right about a half a block down the road and see a car that is parallel-parked with its lights on. I figure he's waiting for a friend to come out and he's just parked temporarily. Then out of nowhere, he pulls out onto the road without signaling, just as I am a few feet away from him. Immediately I react and swerve to my left into the center turn lane to avoid him, skidding and honking all the while. I was literally less than six inches from his car at one point and, had I not noticed him prior to that, he would have hit me.

I could not believe it.

If I hadn't had the topic of collisions on my mind then perhaps I wouldn't have been as aware of the guy and prepared for him to do something stupid. And then the d-bag proceeded to drive in front of me at 20 mph in a 35 mph zone.

I know I'm not the greatest driver and can scare my passengers sometimes, but never due to something as blatantly stupid as that driver.

WHAT THE EFF.