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Original poster

I nearly walked in front of a bus

100 replies

Speakandspell · 09/12/2023 06:44

I was walking into town for a night out with friends last week. Came to a road that’s got bus lanes and was about to walk out without looking but did check at final moment and there was a bus right there - I came within a second of walking in front of it and it would have probably killed me.

I can’t stop thinking about it- how bloody stupid I was - I just wasn’t paying attention and it’s really frightened me.

Obviously it’s given me such a fright that I will be much more careful in future but I can’t stop running what could have been in my head and feeling sick about it.

How do I get past this? Anyone had this happen before. I feel so freaked out by it.

OP posts:
CatOnTheCludgy · 09/12/2023 07:38

I've had that too. A tram in Prague. Guess who looked the wrong way to check for traffic. Local woman pulled me back by my coat as the tram went thundering past. I was really shook up.
I think I've looked both ways crossing every road ever since. That was over 20 years ago now.

anybloodyname · 09/12/2023 07:44

I stepped out to cross the road when suddenly a car horn started blasting over and over

I'd nearly walked onto the road when an electric car was pulling out of the drive .. they are so quiet and I'd obviously not paid enough attention

It was a wake up call to be more careful but I then put it behind me , would t let it affect me more than that

1st sarky comment ? Don't be that dick

Coolhwip · 09/12/2023 07:45

Anyone else added ‘grab random strangers before they run themselves over’ to their mental load? 🤣

ScarlettSunset · 09/12/2023 07:51

I think many people have had near misses like this. I know I have. I try to think of them as warnings so I can make sure to try to avoid doing something like that again.
Sadly, it doesn't seem to stop me from sometimes doing completely different other stupid things though, and scaring myself in a different way...

purplemunkey · 09/12/2023 07:54

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What? Have a word with yourself. That is not what OP is saying at all.

rockingbird · 09/12/2023 07:56

Thank goodness you had a lucky escape! Year ago when my children were babies I got off a bus as did many others on a busy road with many buses going through. A lady pushed past me as I got off almost tipping my double buggy then ran straight out in front of oncoming traffic and got hit by a bus! I'll never ever forget that moment as I screamed in what seemed like slow motion as she went under the bus with an almighty thud. Fortunately both my babies were asleep, a random man grabbed me and calmed me down the bus driver got off the bus and gave me water and was so bloody calming whilst also calling for the emergency services. That image stay with me for some time! I was then interviewed months later by video call about the whole thing, no question about it, she didn't look and the driver had no chance of stopping in time. Her account was very different apparently but too many see her push past me and backed up the same story. Fortunately she lived to tell the tale!! Seeing your post has reminded me of that day 😞 always look and then look again.

ItAintGonnaGoDownEasyIfItAintCheezy · 09/12/2023 07:57

I saw a woman get hit by a bus and she died. It was actually in the news. I was at the bus stop on the other side of the road. Heard it, then obviously there was all the commotion where people were helping etc.

www.standard.co.uk/news/london/shoppers-watch-in-horror-as-elderly-woman-is-hit-by-bus-on-oxford-street-and-dies-hours-later-9522383.html

ItAintGonnaGoDownEasyIfItAintCheezy · 09/12/2023 08:00

I also saw someone try to run in front of the bus in Tottenham, to hold it so they could get on, and they were hit.

Consideringachange2023 · 09/12/2023 08:01

Oh OP that’s scary!

thank god you realised at the last moment. A reminder to stay present!

as a teenager I was in the car with my dad and brother, me and brother were arguing and dad was shouting at us and losing his temper, he almost ran a zebra crossing with a woman and child on their bikes right in the middle of it. He would have definitely killed them, he must have been doing 20-25mph, I screamed DAAAAAAAAD and he slammed the breaks on and we just stopped in time.

I think about it a lot, that woman must have been absolutely terrified

Missingmyusername · 09/12/2023 08:03

You were just away with the fairies/distracted we’ve all been there. Scary though, must have your wits about you more.

grumpypedestrian · 09/12/2023 08:04

I’ve been crossing at a pedestrian crossing when the green man was on, headphones on. Luckily someone was behind me and pulled me back because someone was driving at speed through a red light.

But I see people every day crossing in front of buses without looking (not age bashing, but usually elderly people) and if I was a bus driver I’d find it very annoying. Obviously in your case it was an accident.

Consideringachange2023 · 09/12/2023 08:05

Oh also I saw a tiktok the other day about an interview with a mortician and she was talking about all the things she does / doesn’t do because of her experience in her job and she said about never pulling away at a green light as soon as it turns because people run red lights so often and smash into those moving from the green.
Always give it a second and check left, right and check again.

I think US have a lot more T junction type crossings than UK but it’s still a really good reminder that taking literally 1 second to double check a road - either as a pedestrian or driver could be pretty much the difference between life and death

MintJulia · 09/12/2023 08:06

A teenage girl two nights ago close to Basingstoke Railway station. Looking at her flipping' phone.

I managed not to hit her, but it was very close. She just stepped out. Still makes me feel sick.

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 09/12/2023 08:07

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Woke up and decided to turn on bitch mode this morning did you?

OP, was there a reason you didn't look in the first place? I only ask as I've seen near misses more than once and most of them have been people walking along looking at their phones. I used to do it but don't any more after noticing it happening.

willWillSmithsmith · 09/12/2023 08:12

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It can shake you up so no need for the sarky comment is there?

You're just shaken up OP, it’ll fade but the good lesson learnt is to be more alert. We’ve probably all has near misses of one kind or another and it can discombobulate for a while. I still shudder over slipping over on an icy road and a car having to emergency brake so as not to hit me and that was forty odd years ago 😬

Dozycuntlaters · 09/12/2023 08:12

Makes you think doesn't it.

A few months ago I was driving along country roads that I know very well. There's one corner that is really sharp so if you don't know the road it's quite dicey. Well I was coming the other way and a car flew round the corner and was on the wrong side coming towards me. If I had been on that corner he would have gone head on into me. Missed it by a couple of seconds. For a few days I was really unsettled thinking what if.....

I'm certainly more wary going on that road now and I'm sure you will be more careful when stepping into the road. It wasn't our time OP!!

EBearhug · 09/12/2023 08:15

MintJulia · 09/12/2023 08:06

A teenage girl two nights ago close to Basingstoke Railway station. Looking at her flipping' phone.

I managed not to hit her, but it was very close. She just stepped out. Still makes me feel sick.

I never expect the buses to stop there, even on the zebra crossing. Most of them do, but I've seen enough carry on. Fortunately, not seen anyone hit.

We all have near misses from time to time. Take it as a reminder to pay more attention in future. The feelings about it will pass - sometimes takes a few days, but they will.

NonanteNeuf · 09/12/2023 08:16

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I reported your post. How nasty.

It’s happened to me too OP with a tram. It took hours for my heart to stop pounding.

SoftandQuiet · 09/12/2023 08:17

This is a common shared experience/saying isn’t it? That you should go ahead and do whatever it is you’re hesitant to do as “You could be run over by a bus tomorrow “
Hope you had your best underwear on OP!

plumtreebroke · 09/12/2023 08:23

I walked into the side of a moving bus once, coming home from school. I was quite shaken but OK apart from feeling an absolute fool. A friend of mine had a woman run into the side of his car while driving down the high street, shopping everywhere, but she was OK. I guess we all have moments of brain fade!

OldTinHat · 09/12/2023 08:25

Happened to me, too. At a pedestrian crossing last year. I pressed the button and then just walked into the road. I heard a huge horn, looked round and saw a double decker bearing down at me. I sort of fell/ran back to the pavement and it missed me by just a few feet.

I've no idea where my head was at and I still feel awful for the driver who must have thought he was about to have a middle aged, fat hood ornament!

Chickenwing2 · 09/12/2023 08:28

Turn it into a Ross from Friends moment (when he nearly died, but it was actually a car backfiring) and get a zest for life Grin

Drivingmisspotty · 09/12/2023 08:31

When stuff like this happens to me I like to comfort myself that it could have been awful but it wasn’t because I DID do that final look or I WAS driving slowly enough to stop in time etc.

Definitely good to be more careful because of it but don’t beat yourself up too much because it was close. You looked again and stopped yourself from stepping out. You are actually quite safe.

Ffsnotaconference · 09/12/2023 08:33

Kindly, I instead of thinking about what could have been. Think about how lucky you were you weren’t hurt, use it to remind yourself to be more careful.

Nothing actually happened. Dwelling on what could have happened isn’t going to help. It didn’t happen. You aren’t physically hurt.

It’s a bit of shock. Your body felt shock and fear and that fades.

PamelasSpamela · 09/12/2023 08:34

This thread has given me new respect for bus and coach drivers to be honest!

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