To the White SUV who almost killed me yesterday

[Sapphire Silk]

I'm actually thinking about sending something like this to my local news paper, I am that mad.

To the Driver of the White SUV who almost killed me:

I can't tell you how much I appreciated having to slam on my brakes as you literally blew through the red light on Vickory Chapel and Harvey Roads yesterday. Your intent to turn your vehicle into a weapon of mass destruction was clearly evident since you

1) Went through the intersection at approximately 50 MPH. In a school zone.
2) Went through the red light so late that the guy ahead of me had actually completed his left hand turn on the green before I entered the intersection.

How you managed to swerve enough to avoid being T boned by me without going head on into the guy coming the opposite direction who actually stopped on red I will never know.

Yes, I really appreciated nearly dying. It certainly shook off any lingering sleepiness on the way to work. Probably got my system aerobic enough to burn off a handful of calories to boot. And I got to test the anti lock breaks on my truck. Yep! They work! Sorry, didn't get to test the horn, you were too far down the road to hear by the time my brain processed what had just happened.

I'm sure you regret not being able to help me test my airbags, but I'm sure there will be another time.

Panacea

[Zellie Crescent]

Please tell me you actually did put that in the paper, that guy deserves to be found out and arrested he could have killed somebody.

[downforit2008]

Must have been a 16-year old girl with a cell phone glued to one ear. You'll be surprised how many inconsiderate drivers have a large vehicle like an SUV. When they smash into a smaller car and kill the driver, the best they can think is, "Oh, I'm so glad my big car protected me. Tee hee!"

These days, people should have a special license just to drive an SUV. I quiver at the thought of what would happen if these dumb drivers were allowed to drive a semi-truck without needing a special license to do so.

[Captain Trips]

Do it. You have enough details that, if this person reads the paper (if this person reads) they will definitely recognize themselves. No guarantees on any signs of remorse, but it will let people know there's an issue.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Do you have intersection cameras where you are? Might be worth reporting, because they just might be able to catch the person.

[Chromatix]

I think there's a reasonable case for special licences for:

1) Vehicles over a certain power-to-weight ratio.

2) Vehicles with a high centre of gravity (including SUVs).

Both of these require extra skill and experience to drive as safely as a normal small or family car.

[EmilyRose1982]

It was Mayhem, all the way.

[dragon_wings]

It was Mayhem, all the way.

Those commercials are so funny!

[Jay 2K Winger]

Those commercials are so funny!

I know, right? I think my favorites have been the "I'm a raccoon" home insurance one, and the "I'm a GPS" and "I'm a blind spot" car insurance ones.

[Food Lady]

I like the one where he's a pretty jogger, because I've seen that scenario happen. As for the OP, how can this guy be caught if there's no license plate info? That's always frustrating to me, when it's dark or it happens too fast. So many people here need to be reported.

[Moirae]

Glad you're ok. Trust me, I know how scary it is. Really glad you're ok. Wish you could have reported him to the cops though.

I know how you feel. I was in a car accident in 2004. I was crossing the street and got hit. A week unconscious in a hospital bed, major surgery and a year out of work and unable to walk has made me a little... apprehensive of oncoming cars. I will NEVER cross the street without a proper signal light, and I do not j-walk ever. Thats how I got hit the first time and I don't want a repeat of that. I'm still missing a week out of my memory, and I only remembered most of my childhood about three months ago (I cried when I did).

That being said, I tend to over react a bit when cars are coming for us. Not screaming or anything, but I'll inhale sharply, step back, or press myself into the car seat, that sort of thing. I have flashbacks sometimes.

A few months ago, I was crossing the street near where I work for lunch on the correct light. Some moron wasn't watching and it happened so fast there's no way I could have gotten out of the way. It was seriously inches from me. A single step forward and I'd have been hit. And I had a flashback like you wouldn't believe of a car at night heading straight for me.

I had to fight from crying for the rest of the day. Needless to say, I really wasn't very fit for work, and my attitude sucked the rest of the day.

I'm so tired of being afraid for my life every time I step out on a NOLA street. I wasn't even scared on the 16 lane highways in Atlanta as I am on the small streets in NOLA. The insane drivers in this city are one of the many reasons I want to move out so badly.

[EricKei]

You'll be surprised how many inconsiderate drivers have a large vehicle like an SUV.

Not really, no 8p

Maybe it's just me, but SUV's don't seem all that "safe" to me anyway. They're essentially glorified station wagons, built higher off the ground and with lighter materials...Also, according to the "once every couple of years reports" that shows like 60Minutes or 20/20 used to do -- they're classified as Trucks, even though, structurally, they're much closer to Cars. Ya see, the manufacturers had them classified this way because Trucks have LOWER safety, emissions, and fuel efficiency standards than Cars do, iirc. If I ever drive something that size with MPG that low, it's gonna be a decently-tough pickup, TYVM ^_^