On my walk back from work today I walked across a crossing that is just by the turn-off from a busy roundabout. As always, I checked for any cars on the roundabout or the next turn-off along as I always almost hit at the very spot by some maniac speeding illegally in the bus lane a few months ago. The road was clear and as it was raining I put my hood back up, but just by sheer luck as I got to the middle of the road I noticed out of the corner of my eye a car speeding towards me. I stopped and turned around in shock thinking “you’re going to hit me!” At this point the driver seemed to realize they were just about to plough into me and applied their brakes. I carried on walking to the other side, but then the car started up again towards me again (I think the drivers thought must’ve been that I was going to dive out of the way), so before they could get up any speed I went towards them waving my arms as if to say “What the fuck are you doing, can’t you see me!”. They stopped, but I could see by the look of anger on the driver’s face they must’ve taken exception to my arm waving, as before I had got to the other side they carried on and went as close as they could without hitting me and as fast as they could in the little distance they had to accelerate (which luckily was not much). At this point I banged on the car window as they went by a few cms from me, but they didn’t stop until after they’d gone by and they just beeped their horn and drove off.
Now I’m not one of those people who will say it was my right of way (though it clearly was, as they weren’t even visible to me when I started crossing!), as hospitals are full of such people, but I just can’t understand the mindset of someone who will drive their car at pedestrians with little thought for the pedestrian’s safety. I am lucky enough that I can walk to work everyday, but it is becoming so dangerous that I may just take the bus.