My dear friend John Erickson probably stepped off the curb, just because the light was green. I have seen it so many times now. I saw it again the day before yesterday. The light turns yellow and I hit the brakes, everyone else floors it and speeds by. Some of them must be doing 50 by the time they make it past that damn stop light and now the light is solid red. Unbelievably, another car sails thru the now solid red light. I've seen it happen too often.

John was race-walking near Michigan Avenue and Congress Parkway (downtown Chicago) Thursday, 9/1/05, when he was struck by a van. If you have any information related to this incident, my friend John needs you to step forward. But he can't take your call.

John was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and on Friday, emergency surgery was successfully performed to repair a torn aorta in his heart. His left leg and right arm are broken. Surgeons inserted metal plates to enable these bones to heal. He is breathing with the aid of a ventilator, as his ribs are broken and his lungs collapsed.

I visited John today, and not knowing what to expect or how to act, I did a little research ahead of time. You may find this article useful, to some extent, as well: http://www.tbiguide.com/familymembers.html

John is responsive to questions, nodding in response to short, direct questions mostly. I was there during a one hour physical therapy session, and his therapist is very nice and seems to know her stuff. John even looked noticeably better after this session, where she had him moving his legs on his own. Barbara, his wife, came in about half way through the session, and John waved his hand when he saw her.

I stayed for a short visit with Barbara and John in his room, and directed a lot of my small talk directly to John; there are moments when you can tell he's into it and paying attention. There are other moments when he seems so frustrated. At one point, he spoke a full sentence, and even though I couldn't really make out what he said, it was indeed a full sentence. That was a good sign, I think. This man was once one of the most brilliant and vibrant among the few people I call "friend".

So again, if you saw this accident, John's family needs to hear from you. Please be okay with calling me toll free at 866-294-0351. I can only hope.

And remember... just because the light is green, doesn't mean you can step off the curb. Not here in downtown Chicago, and maybe not anywhere.

 

That is how my grandmother was killed 3 years ago today.

 

And just another reason I have been driving like a responsible adult too.

 

There but for the grace of god, it might be me. Or you. Or one of our children.

For a long time, I worked at First National Bank of Chicago. And every year, without fail, I'd walk out of that place and see someone lying on the street waiting for an ambulance. Why? Someone couldn't wait to race through a light because they were in a hurry. They were "late for an appointment".

We lived at the corner of Belmont and Lake Shore Drive for eight years. At least once every couple of weeks, there would be this screeching sound, then a thump (sounds from the eighth floor). We'd go over to the window and see some incredibly torn up cars, piece parts strewn all over the intersection. I crossed that street every morning to get to the bus stop, and beleive me, I looked both ways.

One early morning, as I was crossing Belmont, half asleep, that light changed to green. But some angel said "DO NOT STEP OFF THAT CURB NOW". There is no other explanation, it was just something that stopped me and made me wake up a little more. Sure enough, a car went flying by that same spot I would have been in. And then, unbeleivably, a second car flew right through, a full couple of seconds later.

If we can beleive in angels, perhaps it was your grandmother who saved my life that day.

The bottom line to this forum is, you have failed as a driver if you even so much as ruffle the feathers of another driver, much less a pedestrian, with a high performance car. Sure your car might make it through the yellow stoplights of this world, and maybe you can get away with it sometimes. But the price of failing on the streets is far too high.

Far too high.

I'll elaborate it again. Just the day before yesterday, I'm coming up to a yellow on lower Wacker approaching Columbus. Granted, the yellow happens at the worst possible moment. It's decision time. But I hit the brakes and I'm in the left lane. The person several car lengths behind me and in the right lane decides to floor it. She got through just as the light turned red. The man behind her also decided to floor it, and now he's flying. Right through the now solid red light. And there IS a crosswalk there. Had someone decided to step off the curb, it would have changed his life forever. There would be nowhere for that driver to go. And his foot is on the gas. And he failed as a driver, even if there was no-one there. Because there could have been.

Think about it.

 

that sucks...seen too many accidents that were caused by people going through a yellow light...

 

It's not so much about the one who makes it through the yellow they could have stopped for. It's that second guy who follows, and is now sailing through a solid red light. And the foolish pedistrian who beleives that cuz they have a green, they can go.

I can't tell you how many times I have seen it. Again, and again.

And now, one of my best friends is making me look up on the Internet how to learn how to act before I come to visit him in his hospital room. Because I don't know how to act considering his brain damage inflicted by someone who never hit the brakes.

I am angry. Very angry.

The next time I see someone speed through a red light, I might just go after them. I am that angry. And it scares me. I don't know what I might do.

 

Chasing after people is not a good idea...

I have seen the carnage up close and personal.......I've had to notify the next of kin when a family member has been killed because of some goof ball running a red light...speeding, driving like an idiot or driving under the influence........so believe me...I get it..more than you know......

 

Ask your fellow ACCCCers who MFs the red light cameras

 

Western can be tough! I personally got bounced off the hood of a Saturn on Western and Lyndale

 

and will continue to be his friend no matter what.......people tend to loose interest after someone suffers a tragic accident ....it's hard to go and see them.....and yet you can't stay away......