Crossing the road

Clear.21C

When I walked home tonight, I saw a notice from the Police saying that there was a fatal accident on April 18 at 2.09pm and they wish to ask those who have witnessed the accident to help with the case. When I got home, I asked Mum if she knows about it. She told me she didn't even see the notice when she went home this afternoon from grocery shopping.

So I checked the news to see if it's mentioned. It seems that it was a pretty bad accident and the report was quite lengthy. But the news only said that the old lady was in critical condition. Apparently when the news went out to print this morning, she was still alive.

Of course I feel bad for the poor lady and her family. But what struck me harder was that it is the same crossing I use very often, if not every day. It is the crossing that many people use: old people, small children, people with dogs on the leash (that makes the owner become very clumsy if the dog gets out of control), pregnant women, ordinary people (i.e. people who can move and react quickly if something happens). It isn't even a corner, so I never would imagine an accident like this would occur there. The crossing was actually made safer last year when they built a wilder traffic island so vehicles can no longer take over the buses or minibuses that are stopping for passengers to get on and off. And then there was the bus stop that I got off from work. It was further up and there was no crossing at that part of the road. So, I usually just cross the road, instead of walking down to where the crossing is. Well, to save some time, say 30 seconds? Of course, I would look carefully before I cross. But there was a few times that someone blasted his horn at me because I didn't see the car coming (or hear it - I usually have more earphones on, not on full volume though). I would have thought that was a more likely place to have an accident. But no, it happened at the most unexpected place out of all.

And it wasn't a rainy or slippery day, either! I mean, I looked at the photo in the news, 2.09pm, it was bright and sunny.

I guess that's what accident means. From now on, when I cross the road to get home, I will take a safer route.