So what does safety have to do with nature?
The answer: Everything!
I witnessed something today that had me baffled at the lack of attention that each of us have. Is it because people are in such a hurry? Have we started to have tunnel vision and are not focused on our entire environment? Here is a link for suggestions from the government to have in your safety kit: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/sfttps/tp201012-en.aspx
The Scenario
Let me describe the scenario I was in today, that may save your life, or the life of someone you love.
I was travelling west on John Laurier Blvd and right between 19th and 14th St, there was a lady pulled to the side (as far as she reasonably could) with her flashers on, holding a “slow moving” warning sign and waving it as people passed for safety.
I pulled over in front of her and put my hazards on and went to see if I could help. Her driver side front tire had blown out. She had called AMA. She was hoping that holding the sign and waving it would keep people from plowing into her! I ran back to my car which luckily has an emergency safety kit and I pulled out my portable emergency triangle signs and set them up to try and help. People still weaved in and out and many near misses happened.
Another gentleman pulled up and said that he would change her tire because he was a truck driver and had reflector safety overalls in his vehicle to put on to help him stand out. He also decided to drive up the hill and pull in his vehicle and park it behind her a little way with his flashers on to help on the safety front.
He finished getting the tire change when at the same time, someone plowed in to the back of his car! I saw the whole thing and stood there in disbelief. How could they not see the car was not moving with the flashers on! I ended up being a witness for the collision…but it did have me thinking, if he had not parked his vehicle there, would the lady and I have been what they hit instead?
Insights:
This whole situation made me realize a few things and I hope that you take them to heart for your own safety:
- Make sure to have an emergency safety kit in your car that has reflector signs for traffic.
- Make sure that you know all that is in your emergency safety kit to help. When the adrenaline is pumping, it is not the greatest time to figure out all the tools available to you! When I got home, I pulled my emergency safety kit inside to go through it in detail and realized that there had been an emergency reflector vest in a small pouch that I could have opened and put on. There was also a small orange cone that could have been put at the end of a flashlight to help direct traffic away from her car.
- Do not ASSUME that people will stop or even see you, even if you have taken the proper precautions.
- If you are in an area where you cannot properly pull off and could cause an accident, call the police and ask for their help. Their bright lights at the scene will help to slow down traffic while waiting for AMA. That being said, once the police did arrive to take the details of the accident, there was a car that almost hit the Police truck! The police officer told me, that it wouldn’t be the first time it happened!
- Finally…this was in broad daylight. I shudder to think what may have happened at night.
I share this story in the hopes that it helps to keep you or someone you love safe and out of harm’s way. May each of us pay closer attention to our surroundings. If you have any other tips to share, please do. Stay safe out there, be aware….and be kind!