4 ms·

Just yesterday I was nearly run over by a taxi (in Seattle, what?) running a red light. As I realized he wasn't stopping I thought to myself, "at least all my c

Just yesterday I was nearly run over by a taxi (in Seattle, what?) running a red light. As I realized he wasn't stopping I thought to myself, "at least all my code is checked in and pushed". True story.

deleted 13y ago
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AznHisoka 13y ago
God, I hate taxis.. always beeping at you when you take 1 second to cross the street or make a turn (if you're riding in front of it)
- cema 13y ago
  We are all just 1 second away from a tragedy. When I was learning how to drive a car my instructor told me: see the light turned green, hold on, wait for an idiot, then wait for a taxi cab, then go slowly.
  - gknoy 13y ago
    Similarly, my mother always told me to drive as if the oncoming person who appears to be stopping is NOT, and that people with turn signals on are liars or forgetful, and will continue straight, when evaluating safety of turning right. Sometimes it feels like I drive like the stereotypical granny, but this has saved my bacon several times in the past two decades.
    - JonnieCache 13y ago
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensive_driving https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensive_driving https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadcraft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadcraft
    - krisgenre 13y ago
      Everyone drives like that in India :)
      - zacinbusiness 13y ago
        I saw an episode of Top Gear (UK) where they went to India and the driving situation looked terrifying. I still want to go sometime :-)
- meddlepal 13y ago
  Just throw them the middle-finger if the honk... at least that's what I do.
poulsbohemian 13y ago
In 2004 when I was working in Seattle, in the course of a year there were three accidents on 5th and Battery that were exact mirrors, IE: car going too fast, hits a pedestrian on the same corner. I don't remember the first, the second a German tourist was killed, and the third my co-worker and I were walking to lunch over at the Two Bells. She was hit. I'm not a superstitious or religious person, but something just didn't seem right and I lingered a few seconds on the curb and jumped back just in time - good or I'm sure we would have both been killed. Luckily she survived, and I'd even say it was a (positive) catalyst in major life changes for her - she made a job change, moved to a different city, took up new hobbies, got in shape, etc. After the event, I'll just say that: a) the city of Seattle is completely negligent in not fixing the traffic flow in that spot, b) the Seattle Police Department is truly evil (their handling of the "investigation" afterwards was appalling) and c) you will never erase the image of a car hitting a co-worker / friend/ other human being from your memory. Work is a good thing and should be fulfilling, but something like that is a good reminder that work is just one part of our life.
- MartinCron 13y ago
  I know that intersection, as it's just on the edge of downtown, the traffic is thin enough to let people think they can go faster than they really should.
deegles 13y ago
Your comment is hitting me pretty hard. I don't want my last thoughts to be related to what I was doing at work.

deleted 13y ago

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AznHisoka 13y ago

God, I hate taxis.. always beeping at you when you take 1 second to cross the street or make a turn (if you're riding in front of it)

cema 13y ago
We are all just 1 second away from a tragedy. When I was learning how to drive a car my instructor told me: see the light turned green, hold on, wait for an idiot, then wait for a taxi cab, then go slowly.
- gknoy 13y ago
  Similarly, my mother always told me to drive as if the oncoming person who appears to be stopping is NOT, and that people with turn signals on are liars or forgetful, and will continue straight, when evaluating safety of turning right. Sometimes it feels like I drive like the stereotypical granny, but this has saved my bacon several times in the past two decades.
  - JonnieCache 13y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensive_driving https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensive_driving https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadcraft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadcraft
  - krisgenre 13y ago
    Everyone drives like that in India :)
    - zacinbusiness 13y ago
      I saw an episode of Top Gear (UK) where they went to India and the driving situation looked terrifying. I still want to go sometime :-)
meddlepal 13y ago
Just throw them the middle-finger if the honk... at least that's what I do.

poulsbohemian 13y ago

In 2004 when I was working in Seattle, in the course of a year there were three accidents on 5th and Battery that were exact mirrors, IE: car going too fast, hits a pedestrian on the same corner. I don't remember the first, the second a German tourist was killed, and the third my co-worker and I were walking to lunch over at the Two Bells. She was hit. I'm not a superstitious or religious person, but something just didn't seem right and I lingered a few seconds on the curb and jumped back just in time - good or I'm sure we would have both been killed. Luckily she survived, and I'd even say it was a (positive) catalyst in major life changes for her - she made a job change, moved to a different city, took up new hobbies, got in shape, etc. After the event, I'll just say that: a) the city of Seattle is completely negligent in not fixing the traffic flow in that spot, b) the Seattle Police Department is truly evil (their handling of the "investigation" afterwards was appalling) and c) you will never erase the image of a car hitting a co-worker / friend/ other human being from your memory. Work is a good thing and should be fulfilling, but something like that is a good reminder that work is just one part of our life.

MartinCron 13y ago
I know that intersection, as it's just on the edge of downtown, the traffic is thin enough to let people think they can go faster than they really should.

deegles 13y ago

Your comment is hitting me pretty hard. I don't want my last thoughts to be related to what I was doing at work.