Pug’s Place

I nearly killed an old man while riding my bike from class today. This isn’t just any simple near-homicide, no sir. I nearly killed this old man from 10 yards away.

I had just left the computer science building and was rounding the corner between Marston and the nearby pond, doing a brisk walking pace on my bike (In other words, not very fast). As normal, people are trafficking through this area walking generally perpendicular to my direction of motion, crossing in front of me. So I’m coasting with light hands on my breaks planning my route between people. Before me but not quite straight ahead, around 10 yards away, an old man turned his head and caught sight of me. Upon doing so his face grew contorted in terror, he stopped mid-stride and made a shuffling hop out of my way which resulted in a stumble and yet another small hop to recover. He was near to falling down at every stage of this, that he kept his balance was somewhat amazing. I would not have been surprised if he had a heart attack from the experience as he was definitely an old man.

Let me reiterate that I was 10 yards away and moving at a brisk walking pace, less than the speed of Sam. He not only overestimated my forward speed, he grossly overestimated it. I, of course, plotted a course through the crowd which kept a wide berth between us and tried to ignore his scowls. He overestimated and overreacted in what would have been a comic manner had he not been at risk of acute myocardial infarction.

My analysis of the situation indicates a 96% probability that I was without fault. I keep my distance between myself and the pedestrians, I don’t speed through crowded areas and I don’t run down old men. But even so, that man thought differently. That makes this worth a post.