I was just finishing up my run tonight when I was struck by a car. I did what I usually do, which is run up Yonge St., cross Castlefield Ave. and then stop just around the entrance to the parking lot at the end of the street. I do that mainly because I don’t want to get swiped by a car pulling in.
Instead, just as I stopped, in an instance I was struck while walking on the sidewalk and knocked to the ground, scrapping up my knee and shin and banging up my upper right leg. I turned my head and saw this big white car and for a split second I thought it was going to keep going and really run me over. But it stopped and two young guys got out.
At first I was really angry. I was yelling at them: what are you doing? I’m on the sidewalk?! And then it was a bit weird, because I asked them who was driving and I got different answers.
I got up and was going to go home. But they were calling 911 and I thought: what if I am in shock and some injury I don’t know about affects me later? (I was thinking of Natasha Richardson here.) As it was, in a few minutes the fire trucks came and they checked me out. Then the police came. Then the paramedics.
The paramedics said my blood pressure was high, but other than the scrapes, I seemed ok. They were going to drive me home, but because the police officer wanted to talk to me, I went home with him.
It turned out that a young woman was a beginner drive and she shouldn’t be driving unless she is without someone older (I think), and the guys she was with wasn’t. They are going to get charged for that.
As for me, I eventually got home and checked out my leg. I think it’s going to be pretty bruised tomorrow. Right now it is starting to bruise and it is swollen, and my leg is scratched up. But nothing seems broken, and I was lucky not to bang my head or anything.
I feel sorry for the the young people in the car, but it really bothers me getting struck on the sidewalk. Actually, what bothers me about this more than getting hit is that I am always so concerned about the kids getting hit by a car. You see, when I was a kid, I was run over while I was crossing a busy street by a car going too fast. I can remember getting slammed to the pavement and going unconscious. It was me and my cousin. The young guy who hit us said it was our fault and they were going to take us to the police and put us in jail, so we ran away, not knowing any better.
I was also lightly struck by a car when I was in college. I was crossing in front of this little old lady, and she was stopped, and I thought: ok, she is waiting for me to go. But as soon as I was in front of her, she started going, and I was knocked onto her hood. It was very minor, but being on her hood, I could see she had glaucoma so bad, her one eye — the one I thought she saw me with — was white!
So you can see why I am paranoid about cars. And why I am usually careful with myself and especially my kids around cars. I just didn’t expect to be struck from behind by one while walking on the sidewalk on the street where I live.
Smart People I Know 
I’m glad you’re alright. Just like with any other result of injury, it’s not the means but the person wielding it that is the cause. I hope those kids got enough of a fright to learn something meaningful about responsibility (or negligence).
Argh!! I’m glad you’re okay!
That is scary as hell.
I got hit by a bus while standing on the sidewalk outside Sheridan college.
I probably should have reported it, there were plenty of witnesses!
I was just so freaking embarassed! Stupid huh?
Thanks, Cherelle.
Actually, I know how you feel! With the fire truck, police car and paramedics there, I thought: geez, I should be more seriously hurt given all this attention I am getting! I was actually going to skip them coming all together and just go home, but then I thought: Dammit Jim, I’m an IT consultant, not a Doctor! 🙂 What if I am seriously hurt and don’t even know it.
As it is, I appear to be none the worse for wear, save some big swelling and bruising and scrapes. Now a trip to my nice doctor to see if that is the case and I should be good to go.
And ya know: the great things about getting run over on Sunday night? The rest of the work week can only be better than that! 😀
I’m also glad you are ok – what’s quite a scary story, especially on Father’s Day. And I can’t believe you have been struck by a car for the third time – wow.
Thanks, Ric. Oddly, I have often thought: I wonder if I will ever get hit by a car again (since my mom always said “things come in threes”). So now I have gotten that over with. 🙂
Hope you had a good time in Bali. Looking forward to seeing your photos.
Bernie
Bernie, you are safe now.
Jamais deux sans trois, (never two without a third)
is a French saying, so now that you had your third time you can go with no fear.
What a story!
Thanks, Benedicte! Where I am from, Cape Breton, we say the same thing (Things Come in Threes)! Interesting. I hope it’s true!
Glad to hear that you’re feeling good the day after. Somebody hit my car from behind long time ago, and I felt ok the first day, but had an annoying pain in the neck the day after. See the positive side: now that you’re done with being struck with a car, you can start running at the DVP 😉
Oops. Struck BY a car. I can’t even imagine what struck WITH a car would look like.
Bernie – glad you were not too seriously banged up. It makes me crazy to see cars doing U-turns near my GO station and ending up driving along (not across!) the sidewalk so they don’t have to wait for lights, and they’re totally clueless that the sidewalk is not for them just because they’re in a hurry. Too bad Charles Bronson wasn’t a pedestrian….