a sequel to "An Accident Report"
Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2016 2:22 pm
In a earlier post--I believe, due to my just reviving it, it is on the same page as this post will be--I described an accident I had a few months ago while entering a shopping mall near where I live. The result of that accident was a badly sprained ankle that had me on crutches for many weeks. It has been almost three months and I am still limping--a little.
What follows is the body of a letter I sent to the manager of the mall where the accident occurred:
2 months ago I started to pull into the Edgebrook Shopping Mall parking lot traveling west on Highcrest. Just as I came into the entrance some man in a white car darted from the lot into the same entrance with the intention of exiting onto Highcrest. To make matters worse I was on a motor scooter. I had to brake very hard to avoid crashing into this white car. My front wheel froze, the back wheel went out from under my cycle, the bike fell down and slid on the asphalt 5 or 10 feet My ankle got caught under the motor scooter and I was dragged with the skidding machine. I pulled myself free when the skid ended and stood up.I knew at once that I had hurt my ankle--it turned out to be a 3rd degree everted sprain. My only thought was to get the hell out of there and back home and into bed. I asked the guy in the white car, who was standing there with a brain-locked stare on his face, if he would help me lift up my machine. He hoisted it up for me, I mounted, thanked him (believe it or not) and, groaning all the way, rode home, which was only about a mile away. I have been on crutches ever since. Earlier this week I again started into the lot at this entrance--this time I was in my car. As soon as I got my rear tires off Highcrest I found myself being borne down upon by a woman in a SUV. She was using the entrance to exit in the same manner as the white car had done but fortunately she was going a little slower--so was I, this time-- and we were able to squeeze by each other without crashing. As soon as I saw her coming I tried to stop her by waving my hand and shaking my head. She saw me, but gave me a look as if to say, "What the hell is wrong with you?" and continued through the entrance to the street and off on her (air-headed) way. I relate these incidents to point up a fact: The dedicated entrance and exit of the Edgebrook lot need to be more obviously marked. I know you have done your best. I know there is a large arrow on the asphalt pointing out at the exit and another large arrow pointing in at the entrance. I know you have both entrance and exit marked on the street with signs---but your message obviously isn't visible enough to strike home with as many people as it needs to strike home with. PLEASE put up DO NOT ENTER signs, one on the street near the exit and one in the lot near the entrance, so that what happened to me in early Dec will be less likely to recur. These DO NOT ENTER signs are very effective. They do the job like nothing else. Painted arrows are easy to miss. These DO NOT ENTER signs Work. They really save shit from happening. Thanks
I sent this a month ago. The manager immediately replied that he was ordering the signs I had suggested. I was happy and emailed him to that effect together with many thanks. I may, however, have been hasty in this regard: Every time I go by that lot--fairly often--I check for the signs. As of now they have not been placed.
Ah well, so much for public spirit.
What follows is the body of a letter I sent to the manager of the mall where the accident occurred:
2 months ago I started to pull into the Edgebrook Shopping Mall parking lot traveling west on Highcrest. Just as I came into the entrance some man in a white car darted from the lot into the same entrance with the intention of exiting onto Highcrest. To make matters worse I was on a motor scooter. I had to brake very hard to avoid crashing into this white car. My front wheel froze, the back wheel went out from under my cycle, the bike fell down and slid on the asphalt 5 or 10 feet My ankle got caught under the motor scooter and I was dragged with the skidding machine. I pulled myself free when the skid ended and stood up.I knew at once that I had hurt my ankle--it turned out to be a 3rd degree everted sprain. My only thought was to get the hell out of there and back home and into bed. I asked the guy in the white car, who was standing there with a brain-locked stare on his face, if he would help me lift up my machine. He hoisted it up for me, I mounted, thanked him (believe it or not) and, groaning all the way, rode home, which was only about a mile away. I have been on crutches ever since. Earlier this week I again started into the lot at this entrance--this time I was in my car. As soon as I got my rear tires off Highcrest I found myself being borne down upon by a woman in a SUV. She was using the entrance to exit in the same manner as the white car had done but fortunately she was going a little slower--so was I, this time-- and we were able to squeeze by each other without crashing. As soon as I saw her coming I tried to stop her by waving my hand and shaking my head. She saw me, but gave me a look as if to say, "What the hell is wrong with you?" and continued through the entrance to the street and off on her (air-headed) way. I relate these incidents to point up a fact: The dedicated entrance and exit of the Edgebrook lot need to be more obviously marked. I know you have done your best. I know there is a large arrow on the asphalt pointing out at the exit and another large arrow pointing in at the entrance. I know you have both entrance and exit marked on the street with signs---but your message obviously isn't visible enough to strike home with as many people as it needs to strike home with. PLEASE put up DO NOT ENTER signs, one on the street near the exit and one in the lot near the entrance, so that what happened to me in early Dec will be less likely to recur. These DO NOT ENTER signs are very effective. They do the job like nothing else. Painted arrows are easy to miss. These DO NOT ENTER signs Work. They really save shit from happening. Thanks
I sent this a month ago. The manager immediately replied that he was ordering the signs I had suggested. I was happy and emailed him to that effect together with many thanks. I may, however, have been hasty in this regard: Every time I go by that lot--fairly often--I check for the signs. As of now they have not been placed.
Ah well, so much for public spirit.
