Slow Down People!

I'm terribly sad to hear this weekend of 3 dogs that have been hit and killed by cars.


Last night I spoke with a friend for a few hours who I hadn't spoke to in a few years. He told me about his sister's little dog--that was like her child--that got hit and killed by a car last October. He said that she has serious depression over it. She saw it happen. After my friend moved to NYC, and his parents and brother to Cali, his sister was alone for a while in their old house, and she got the little dog to keep her company. My heart seriously breaks for her. I lost 2 cats earlier this year, and have been witness to too many deaths of loved ones--both animals and people. It does haunt a person. Even if your life goes on, there are events that bring the tragedy to the surface again. It can be debilitating at times. It's a form of post-traumatic stress syndrome I suppose. I can only imagine how devastated she was/is.

For this reason...because I do think about and imagine how it would feel to lose a beloved pet this way, I drive so slowly and carefully on side roads. I am a careful driver overall, but on side roads in particular I am always watching the sides of the road to make sure nothing runs out in front of me. I never want to be going at a speed that I can't brake fast enough to prevent a tragedy. I don't want to hit a bird or a squirrel! People make fun of me when I brake for tiny critters. I find it kind of sick that these same people drive drunk. Don't they get it? If I'm careful enough to avoid a squirrel, then surely I'd be prepared to brake if a child ran into the street from behind a car, or an elderly person stumbled into the road.


SLOW DOWN PEOPLE!


Please, think about not only the animal you could take the life of, but how it will affect the people's lives who loved these animals. Even if it's a wild animal, someone is gonna mourn its loss of life. I saw a deer that got hit by my last apartment in the city (near a park), and the woman kept driving. The deer was left struggling in the road, and drivers continued to speed by well beyond the speed limit. I got out of my car and stood by this deer hoping to prevent it from getting hit a second time. I still have a lot of sorrow wave over me from this experience. Prior to the deer getting hit there, a neighbor's dog was hit and killed. Ducks and geese that would cross the street to get to the pond would also get hit.


Getting back to this weekend...a friend's mother's dog was hit and killed tonight. When I spoke to my dad today he told me that my aunt's sweet dog got hit and killed. I'm sad. Much of the time I wonder why people share these things with me when they know how sensitive I am. It does bring up memories of past heart-breaking moments. Like when I was at a birthday party as a young girl and my friend's dog got hit and killed. Probably every birthday she has she remembers that. It's horrible. While traveling with my parents as a little girl, I remember driving by an adorable little black puppy that was playing in the grass. On our way back down that road it was dead in the street. I saw it full of life, and then still, and it was difficult for my young mind to process. It is still difficult today when it re-enters my thoughts.

I have flashbacks.

I also think of an exotic type bird that would visit with me when we were in France at my mom's cousin's little grocery store. It was the pet of a person who lived across from the store. Across the small road there were cherry trees, and the bird liked to go over there to get berries. I saw it get hit and killed. I was heartbroken. Birds don't or can't always fly out of the way in time for cars! It is such a fallacy to think they will move faster than you in your speeding bullet! It makes me crazy when I watch people speed straight for them as though they will just fly out of the way! They need time to gain speed and adjust direction! The larger the bird, the more time they need. Please, remember this!!!!!

I sadly remember a squirrel that was run over, but still alive, and was pulling itself across the road with his hind legs dragging. I cry now thinking about him. Yes, I cry over a squirrel.

If you made it this far, then you too must care a little. If you need any further encouragement to slow down and be more alert while driving, then watch the movie "Bella".
Spread the word!