I Heard a Pedestrian Get Hit

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Tonight has been perhaps the oddest of my life. I’m relatively young, and haven’t seen much in my life. When I was in middle school I was introduced to the relatively new Rotten dot com. Also, in middle school, I once saw a would be suicide jumper on an overpass (he opted not to jump, according to the news that night). But this has been the worst. This was up close and personal, to cite a trite cliche.

My friends and I had just departed from a record store specializing in hard to find music, Vinal Edge [sic], this evening around 7:30ish and were driving down Champion Forest Dr. in NW Houston. I noticed on the far left of the road a small cluster of two or three people, clad in dark clothing. There was a small group of cars, including a large SUV, coming.

My windows were down, as per norm in my car due to my chain smoking while driving habit, and I heard a long, sustained honk. Then I heard a sickening crunch. When I glanced back, I saw the SUV screeching to a halt, and the motionless figure of a person in the middle of a lane. The SUV stopped, as did at least one car behind them. At least one person stood to the side of the street. I was too far to see or hear their reaction.

My friend in the backseat witnessed the contact. The pedestrian was struck firmly by the SUV, and thrown to the side. I merely heard it. Hearing it was enough to send a shiver down my spine.

I feel aloof now. We distracted ourselves afterwards, going to a coffeeshop and later IHOP. We discussed it only briefly. But now I’m alone, and I can dwell on it more. Why was the person in the street? Why didn’t the car swerve into the obviously empty lane to their left? So many questions.

No matter how much I scour, I can find no trace of this on local news sites. I’d appreciate if any Houston Doper, or any Doper for that matter, can find a follow-up to this presumed accident. I’d be very appreciative.

I just felt obligated to share this, for some peculiar reason. Getting it off my chest, in an abstract way.

2

I’m sorry you had to experience that. I hope the victim is ok, doesn’t seem likely. Car accidents NEVER make sense, accidents in general do not make sense. I could go on and on with such useless statements.

I’ve never seen or heard a person being struck by a car but I saw a dog get hit once. I was working in a daycare and leading my class of three-year olds into the building when I heard tires screeching. Up I looked (so did my kiddos) and we saw a dog get hit by a car and slide along the road. I gave a shocked scream/squeal thing before I could help it.The dog was still alive but wasn’t moving much. I got my kids into class in a hurry because they were upset and all day long I got the “Will the doggie go to heaven?” and “will the doggie live?” questions.

My sharing this story is even more useless. What I saw was mainly sad but you had it much, much, much worse. I hope you can find some info about what happened and that the person will live and be just fine. I hope you and your friend will be fine, too.

3

It’s shit, isn’t it?

I’ve seen a child cartwheeling through the air, and a dog get hit by a car and dragged along underneath it for whar seemed like an eternity as the car stopped (the dog was smart enough to actually get in to the stranger’s car afterwards - they took it to the vet).

It’s funny that you mention rotten dot com. Sometimes I disagree with the notion that tv and internet viewers get jaded. So what if “The average American has seen six gajillion TV murders”? People aren’t dumb. The real stuff is still much, much worse.

I’m sorry you had to see it, but it’s an ecperience that in many ways can’t hurt.

4

Oh yes, and I was just reminded why I hate SUVs.

5

After nearly hitting a little kid myself (he ran out in front of me at night), I have absolutely no desire to ever hear the sickening sound a human body makes when struck by an automobile. I’m sorry you and your friend had to see and hear it.

Is there any chance that the police would need your friend to make a statement as an eyewitness?

6

I’m not positive. There was at least one person in very close proximity to the victim (the presumed friend), the driver of the car that hit, and at least one, possibly two other cars that stopped. I’d assume not. Anyone know how to go about inquiring this with authorities, though? Surely there’s some method to inform those who are curious after witnessing something.

7

FWIW humans are pretty hard to kill, and cars that hid pedestrians can sustain some impressive body damage (collapsing grill and hood around a pedestrian etc) without killing the person. If the incident ended with the person lying in the street in front of the car (not thrown a great distance, not under the wheels), it’s a good sign.
I saw a pedestrian get hit and thrown about 20 feet. He made a surprisingly loud thump, then started making a frightening and loud rattling noise trying to inhale while lying on the sidewalk. I ran and made a flying leap onto the top of a brick wall to get to the building on the other side, and call an ambulance - then made the same leap coming the other way to get back to him (by which time others were standing around too) - and absolutely squashed my new programmable calculator in my coat pocket. The fellow lived, and I think recovered completely. This was 25 years ago, and emergency medical treatment has gotten a good deal better since, besides.

8

Wow, Daoloth, I’m so sorry you had to go through that (and sorrier for the person who got hit, of course.) I was driving home one night and had two BIG dogs weaving through traffic in front of me. Saw one of them heading for the oncoming traffic just about the time my car was able to move forward. I heard it run in front of a semi-truck (right in front of the bumper) and heard the CRUNCH and the scream of the brakes as the driver stopped. I though to myself how awful that driver had to go looking for the dog…then I realized, as big as that dog was, and considering the driver couldn’t possibly have seen it, he probably thought he’d hit a PERSON! God, I don’t know how he could get back in the truck and drive on after that scare.

9

Yikes, that’s quite a disturbing thing to see. :frowning: I certainly hope that the guy who was hit is all right. Did any of you have a phone with you?

10

I witnessed such a happening in Milwaukee during the MetalFest in 2000 (despite no real interest in metal). It appeared to be a half-assed suicide attempt.

As I remember this experience, I am truly sorry you had to experience this, and I hope that the victim will be okay as well (in both cases).