THE PITFALLS OF POWER WALKING
As some of you may have read here last week, a broken sidewalk jumped up and attacked me on my way home from the track where I go for my daily (well, every other daily) power walk, leaving me splat on the pavement w/ a scraped, bloody knee and a dislocated shoulder (OK, I'm exaggerating about my shoulder).
Well, not only are the potholes and broken sidewalks a challenge to maneuver, now I need to develop eyes in the back of my head. Why? IPods!
Yesterday I took a detour along some side streets (most w/o sidewalks) that I haven't walked in awhile, just to check out my 'hood.' I was happily dueting "Country Roads" w/ John Denver (I know, I know - so shoot me - I still like him) when a car came up behind me and ran me down. (OK, I'm exaggerating again - but it was close). I had no idea the car was there. I hadn't heard it approach since my ears were plugged w/ the lyric "... West Virginia, Mountain Mama, take me home country roads." My heart raced as I narrowly escaped death, but then I got pissed. The road was not narrow, I wasn't walking in the middle, and no other cars or pedestrians were in sight (the streets in my neighborhood are sort of quiet, "suburban-country" roads). There was absolutely no reason for him (and it was a "him") to drive up right behind me, scaring me to death and forcing me off the road in some sick game of "chicken" --- his car vs. me. As I watched him drive by he was talking on his cell and totally ignored me, oblivious to the fact that if I hadn't jumped out of his way, I'd be roadkill. Soooooooo, not only did he almost kill me, or at the very least, cause me bodily harm, he was arrogantly breaking the law. I flipped him "the bird" but it didn't make me feel better (I really wanted to punch his face - a lot).
I love my IPod and really don't want to stop listening to music on my long walks on quiet, 'little-trafficked' neighborhood streets, so I'm going to have to be more alert, grow those eyes in the back of my head or walk backwards.
Living w/ modern technology can be hazardous to your health. So can living w/ arrogant cell abusers.
