I almost killed a little girl today...

[Arty50]

Today, my worst nightmare almost came true. I love kids; I couldn't imagine hurting one ever. I'd probably kill myself if I did.

I was driving to the dentist today around 2:30 down Highway 50 in South Lake; traffic was fairly dense and moving around 25 mph; and a father, his son, and his daughter were all riding along the sidewalk. Everything was cool one second and then instant insanity. Out of the corner of my eye I see her swerve out into traffic and go down...I swerved outward...didn't think I made it...I fully expected to feel a thump. It didn't come, but I didn't believe it. Instantly I was thinking "OH SHIT, SHE fell under...not the bike...that's why I didn't feel anything!!!!!" And then I heard the crying...[my heart sunk about as low as it's ever been]. So I turned into the adjacent parking lot lickety split and jumped out.

She was sitting on the sidewalk and her dad and brother were taking care of her. He let me know that everything was fine and that he was sorry. "For what?" I said, "These things happen. I'm just glad she's ok." Luckily, she had fallen away from my car and just gotten bumped/scraped up.

I really don't have the words. I still don't really even know what happened. Her fall was just so random. I'm just very, very thankful that she's ok and I hope she heals up quick and true...both in body and mind.

[Trackhead]

OMG. I would stand there quivering for hours after that.

Glad your reflexes are sharp!

[Telenater]

Glad it worked out! That would scare the crap out of anyone.

[natty dread]

That is some scary shit arty. Incredible how life can change in the blink of an eye. Glad everyone's OK.

[Foggy_Goggles]

Nice drinving cheif. That is some scary chit.

[lemon boy]

wow, scary shit. Glad it turned out for the okay. That kind of thing leaves me shaking too.

Sunday coming back through southpark I got tired and let the wife drive about 10 mins after she took over a car tried passing (?) a semi on the outside of a curve (ie: he was blind) almost headoning into a burban in front of us and then us. If I were driving there is no way I would've been cognizant enough to avoid colision.

Old guy with a handicap sticker. That part I saw.

[Vets]

Wow. That has really got to shake you up inside.
Glad that you have awareness and quick reflexes.
Also, it is good to hear that she will be alright.

[schuss]

Arty, Glad everyone's ok. I went through a similar thing a few months ago. Backed right into my neighbor as she was diving after the dog. Luckily she was just bruised. It truly is one of the worst feelings in the world, even after they say its not your fault and that they're ok. You'll feel a lot better tomorrow, and I'm sure the girl got a stern talking to about playing in traffic

[Camilo]

Damn. That's great to hear nobody got hit. My driving got a lot more reserved once I finally started to think of my car as a weapon. I never even come close to speeding through residential areas anymore (not saying that you were). I can't imagine how many lives I would screw up with one little mistake trying to get somewhere 2 minutes faster.

[jpcski]

Glad things worked out the way they did. You can bet she was back on the bike 5 minutes later or so. Kids are pretty resiliant.

My son broke his collar bone last winter falling off some rocks. He was shoveling snow the next day.

[Karl Stall]

truly scary - man, how that coulda changed your life. glad it didn't in any bad way ..

[jonesy]

It wasn't her time arty and a fine job of driving. Good Karma on you.

[Monique]

Soooooo scary, and so glad everyone's okay. Maybe the close call will keep her a little farther from traffic and safer in the long run. Nice job behind the wheel.

[bklyn]

Good thing you are an alert driver. Great job avoiding the accident.

[LaramieSkiBum]

this is why you dont take kids riding on HIGHWAYS.....

[splat]

Arty, you're a good man and a gentle soul for such a heavy hittin dude. I can understand how you must have felt.
That Pilates is paying off bigtime.

[Blizzard7763]

Good to hear she's alright, and that you dodged (pun intended, but no joke) the experience. It's also good to hear that there are still decent drivers that have that certain situational awareness.

Once or twice a week, I ride my motorcycle up to a friends house, which is just off of a major highway, about 35 miles away. Every single time I ride up there, I encounter at least one person passing in a no passing lane over a small hill. It's pretty scary coming over a lump in the road and seeing the mean end of a Suburban at 12 o'clock and closing fast. The scariest was a semi passing another semi in a no passing lane, both going the same direction as me. Luckily, I saw that the passing semi driver was an asshole, and backed off about a quarter mile. The passing semi was in the lane of oncoming traffic, when a full size pickup was coming in the opposite direction. The semi being passed had to swerve into the dirt to let the other back in, and missed the oncoming pickup by inches. I wish people like that would realize that a decision to get somewhere a few seconds faster could easily kill a completely innocent driver (and his entire family, maybe).

Anyway, congrats for being observant.

[Viva]

So glad that everything ended up okay. Kids recover from stuff like that. I did- was hit when I was 5 or 6 and avoided death on several other occasions. Take care, Mang.

[Arty50]

Even though I'm not 20/20, I have excellent peripheral vision for some reason. It's times like this that it pays off I guess...also great when your brother's trying to sneak up on you and smack you upside the head.

[skiski]

Nice work. That would freak anyone out, but that's very, very nice work to make the critical swerve.

[jibij]

Nice driving Arty!
I've been on both ends of driver/ped collisions. Sometimes they're unavoidable. Thankfully, no deaths in either but they still really suck.

[Grange]

Glad your reactions were quick enough. I've had a similar situation happen once before except the father and son were playing catch when he just decided out of the blue to run out in front of my vehicle. Now every time I see kids in their yards near the road I probably pay close attention to their actions. I don't want another close call.

[Powder Seeker]

Close call....glad everything turned out alright.

[13]

Phew. Close call.

On second thought, why wasn't dad between the traffic and his kids instead of the kids between traffic and him?

[TeleHoar]

That is a rough highway through S Lake. I saw more carnage on that few miles from the casinos to the Y then anywhere else.
One day A dealer from Harrah's fell asleep at the wheel after a graveyard shift, and plowed into an old man right in front of his wife. Guy was OK after a long hospital stay. Happened right in front of me.
Another time a guy tried crossing 50 between a stopped double trailer semi truck. He walked right in between the trailers, as he went to crawl under the hitch the truck started moving with the traffic and sure enough...crunch...right over him with the semi-duelies. He didn't make it. Once again, happened right in front of me.
That Hwy 50 is a killer, Tourons and drunk casino guests and overworked casino employees just dont mix well together on the same highway.
Glad your story came out allright! Eye opener for you and her Dad, I bet!