Almost killed a kid today

Left work to get some lunch. Four lane road, 60kph limit. Students are crossing the road in the middle of traffic to go to the chip wagon/pizza/etc places. Nothing out of the ordinary. I drive slow, the kids pay attention and cross safely. However, about twenty yards in front of me, I see one kid almost to the center line, about to walk into my lane. He is talking to his friend, turned away from me. I tap the horn twice, and brake gently. His friend stops immediately because he sees me. The other genius does the inexplicable. Upon hearing the horn, he doesn't stop, he doesn't look, he just bolts. RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I put two feet through the floor board. Full ABS panic stop. Wet road, too. I get stopped just as he clears the right corner of my bumper.

Hauled the kid into the office to have a little chat, and put in a call to his father.

Popped a brake line when I stopped hard. The main rear line right above the muffler. The line is in perfect shape, except a small rusty spot where that wire loom cover touches it. Burst right there. I will replace it in the shop tomorrow, and that will be a pain. Getting to the fitting on the frame above the axle sucks.

How was your day?

That sucks Jay. I know you're mad - as well you should be, but I also know that you'll get over replacing a killed brake line in a blink - and you'd have never gotten over hitting a kid, no matter whose fault it would have been.

damn.. at lease you were calling the father and not the cops with the worst news any parent can here.. just think if it didnt happen the way it did, a future panic stop could of been, lets say not good...

Great day for you and lucky day for the kid!Could have been much worse.
Jim

if you were going 120 you,d have passed by before he got off the curb,.

Nick

I'm not really mad. Just still shaken. I have never felt like this before, and I have wrecked a couple of cars. I really thought there was no way to not hit him. It was only after seeing him get safely to the curb that I noticed the brake light. If someone had gone around me in the right lane to pass me when I jammed on the brakes, it would be in the newspaper tomorrow...

I think I will walk to lunch tomorrow...

On a positive note, the ABS performed beautifully. If this had been one of my non-ABS cars (the four other ones), they would have locked up and slid on the wet road.

Glad that no one was hurt, only shaken up.

Had one dart in front of me a few years ago with contact being made. Can still see his shoes flying off. Thankfully he only had a couple scratches.

Its amazing how well adreniline works when you need it. Too bad the kids kicked in the wrong way. Glad to hear that everything worked out.

Brake lines are replaceable. Kids aren't. Maybe he should be helping you to replace it.

You do have your issues with rear brake lines don't you?

Bill

I hit somebody last summer with the wagon. I was pulling out of a bank, and a similar situation to you. Guy riding a bike cuts across as I go to turn right into the street, I honk the horn, he speeds up and clips the driver's side of the bumper with his front tire. I freaked out because his arm was bleeding a lot, and I offer to take him to the hospital or just anything I can do but he insists nothing is wrong and asks me to leave.


Still freaked me out. I didn't drive for like 2 weeks.

Bewber wrote:

That sucks Jay. I know you're mad - as well you should be, but I also know that you'll get over replacing a killed brake line in a blink - and you'd have never gotten over hitting a kid, no matter whose fault it would have been.

Word. There was a guy where I work who was driving his work van in the right lane all perfectly legal and safe, 3 lanes wide 45 mph limit.
5 year old girl riding a bike on the sidewalk hit an exposed tree root which diverted her right in front of his van while passing her. No time for any reaction, the girl was killed. The guy never recovered as he had a grandchild the same age.

Used to come into work in the morning never talk to anyone and sit in the corner until it was time to go home, never drove the company truck again. One of the reasons I NEVER drive in the right lane unless making a turn ahead. I realize Jay you were in the left lane but thought it was a timely story to share.

Glad to hear it's only a minor invonvience and hopefully you scared the crap outta that kid so he's smarter next time.

Man that takes the wind out of you. I take my oldest to grade school on the way to work every morning, and it's amazing how many kids....and parents, walk into the roads around the school without looking. It's somewhat shocking issues like you had don't happen more often.

Glad the kid is ok....and glad you are ok. Deep breaths....

-Mike

A better day today! Got the brake line out, cut it below the rear door, flared, and fixed it up. Boy, that fitting above the axle is soooo fun to work on. I really appreciate the two inches of clearance there that GM gave us. The last time I did that fitting was when I was 16 on my 71. Yes, I realize that line was installed before the body went on. The longest part of the whole fix was standing there for at least 45 min trying to get the the threads to grab into the flex hose fitting. Bled no problem, and light went out as soon as I hit the brakes first time backing up out of the garage.

I'm all ready for the next idiot to jump in front of my car!

They are only an idiot if you miss them.Really happy that this kid is still an idiot!
Jim

I found if you jack the body and let the axle drop you get more room to work up there moot point for you now, but..... I had to do it on the Radio Flyer last year.

Jay, first if you are going to replace a damaged brake line replace the full length of it.

secound I've noticed in the last 20 or so years people have lost the self preservation relflex, they don't look before walking and rarely stop for red lights. Pedestrians expect cars to look out for them and give them priority at all times. their attitude is one of if you hit me I'll sue your ass, instead of if you hit me it's going to really hurt! What they fail to realise the money they may or may not get from a lawsuit isn't to improve their current life, but to help them with regaining what the accident took from them, be it in the form of a wheel chair, prosthetics/orthodics and to cover medical costs and loss of income. In the case of stupidity as in not looking before walking out into moving traffic the Judge/justice of the peace will drop charges if any were laid on the driver. Leaving the pedestrian on their own.

One point pedestrians fail to think about is that they might get lucky and make the car they just step out infront of to stop, but that don't mean the car behind it can stop in time and not cause the first car to slide 20 feet

Parents aren't teaching their children to look both ways and wait till it's safe to cross anymore. Jay it's your turn to take this child from idiot status to smart status

Thanks for the advice, Pat, but the job is done. There is no difference with a properly flared line with a union. There are already lots of connections in a stock system (MC, ABS, prop valve, dist block). If there are no leaks, the system is secure. I don't use compression fittings. If you are suggesting replacing the entire line because of the rust, don't worry. The line looks brand new. Car has been sprayed since new. It only rusted in that one spot where crap collected on the loom that was rubbing on the line.

I am pretty sure that after our conversation yesterday, our young friend will be a little more cautious when venturing out in the world. I sure hope so. I'll have to check my class lists to see if I teach him next semester. Should be interesting. Might have to hook my extra Cadillac four note horns up to a 12V power supply under my desk.

Pat has a point, all to often I see kids playing in the streets, and I'm talking about busy main roads! I remember when I was a kid (wow I sound old!) if you went anywhere near the road all hell breaks loose.
And people seem to love walking in the road and not bothering to attempt to move out of the way of a car coming, they act like they own the damn thing!