I have to vent. I was riding to work today when a car pulls into the far right lane (with me) and stops about a block in front of me to let the passengers out (I think they were being dropped off at school.) Two girls get out on the passenger side, one gets out the driver’s side. The two passenger side girls walk and stand in between two parked cars and wait for their friend. Their friend walks around the back of the car looks at me and stops behind the passenger side taillight. Leaving me about 3 feet of space on the side of the car.

“Ok” I think as I approach, “She’s waiting for me to pass.”

I drop speed and go between their car and the parked cars… just as she finds her cell phone in her purse and steps right in front of me.

I had about a nanosecond to brake so I wound up careening off of her as I swerve and body slide across the side of the parked car. (No damage to the car, I checked.)

Looking back I know I should have just stopped and waited for them… and I would have if she hadn’t made eye contact and looked like she didn’t see me.

The thing that pissed me off was that she didn’t even look up at me the entire time. Not once. Not after I sucked it up and appologized. Not even afterwards when I said “Some sort of acknowledgement would be nice.” Just nothing!

I get that all the time. People crossing the corner just as I get in the middle of the cross street and am headed straight for them. I mean, I can brake in time, but still… I am travelling at 15-20mph – you’d think they’d say to themselves “if I start walking now, I’m going to be in that guy’s way. Maybe I’ll wait 10 seconds… or maybe I’ll walk fast.”

I see that “I’m too cool to pay attention to my surroundings” look a lot.