One of the long lasting downsides of being run over by a truck is that I’m not great in traffic. I’m an easily scared passenger, nervous driver, completely non-bicycler, jumpy pedestrian. So mostly I stick to the sidewalk. Fortunately work is just a mile away so it’s pretty easy to live life as a pedestrian.

It’s dark now when I close shop. I think about my visibility all the time. I wear a lot of white jackets and white pants. I’m very focused walking, I look into the eyes of drivers when I cross in front of them, I never take out my phone, I don’t listen to music.

But still people are reckless, dangerous in their driving, bicycling, even as they run/walk by me.

People will risk their lives to save 5 seconds of time. Every night I see some dumbass running against the light on a big busy street dressed entirely in black. Moms looking at their cell phones as they push the stroller out into an intersection, not checking to confirm a car is turning. Taxis trying to squeeze thru on a yellow that has already turned red. Bicyclists without helmets, without lights, in the dark, splitting lanes. Everyone is at fault. Everyone thinks they are in the right. I can go on forever on this topic.

Another long term downside of being hit by a truck? Rage. I have a lot of rage. Especially towards these morons I watch breaking the traffic rules, making foolish and unsafe choices. This post is already priming me to Hulk out.

But so I focus on myself, on making my movement through this world safer and that includes my new light up bracelet. For my walk home in the dark. My doggies have their lightup collars, and I now have a lightup bracelet I got for $.20 at Goodwill. Besides my ivory bangle, this is my best Goodwill find yet.