Introduction

Not all superheroes wear capes; some of us are ADIs and PDIs just doing our jobs.

I’ve told everyone that I meet in the course of my normal day that I saved a life, and now I want to share my story with you.

I was in my professional role as an ADI and out on a lesson with a pupil.

My Story

We were parked on the common on the left-hand side of the road with a crossing point in front of us called ladies mile that is quite popular.

A man walked out in front of us, who was preceded by two small dogs that should have been on leads but were not.

The pupil and I had a short conversation about whether dogs should be on leads and what the Highway Code says about this.

I explained how, a few years ago, another pupil and I had run a dog over, but fortunately it survived.

I related how the crowd had gathered around the injured hound and its owner.

After sorting out my pupil, I explained how I felt I had no choice but to go over to the injured animal and its owner, which I did.

Fortunately, the owner immediately admitted to the crowd that he should have had it on a lead and that he only took his eyes off it for a second.

His kind actions probably saved me from the lynch mob.

We contacted each other the next day, he to tell me that the dog was making a full recovery and me to say that my pupil informed me that she had spent the night praying for the dog.

I was pretty pleased with myself because we had done everything right, and the dog was going to be alright.

It starts to get dangerous.

At this point, my pupil, who was looking at me with rapt attention, starts screaming “oh no, oh no”.

There is a small boy of about three running along and heading straight out into the road, following the man with the dogs, who I assume to be his father.

I looked up into my interior mirror, and there was a car heading straight down the road toward where the small boy was about to run out.

Because of the parked cars behind us, the small boy could not see the car coming toward him, and by the same token, the driver of the moving car couldn’t see the small boy.

I reached over and gave the horn a loud blast, which froze the little boy in his tracks.

His mum and dad, on different sides of the road, both a little distance away, just looked over and stared.

I choose not to get into any discussion with the boy’s parents over what just happened.

I’d like to think that they were about to have a full and frank discussion on parental responsibility.
My pupil, who has a small child of a similar age, made the point to me that her child is kept in a buggy for just the reason we had just witnessed.

I praised her for helping to save the small boy’s life.

What are the takeaways from this?

Life can change in an instant:

  • For that small boy, being hit by a moving car at head and chest height would probably have been fatal
  • Maybe I’m wrong about the possible outcome, the boy might have stopped, or the car might have gone past without hitting him
  • One of his parents might have called out and stopped him

There might have been all sorts of reasons that the boy’s parents didn’t have him under control:

  • Maybe one thought the other was doing the job
  • They could have argued and not concentrated
  • Poor parents
  • Good parents, but having a bad day

Having a safe way of doing things keeps you safe

  • The routine of always doing something means you don’t have to think about it
  • A split-second lapse can be life-changing
  • Driving is full of routine POM, MSM, PSL and LADA

For me, the instinctive reaction of a mirror check saved that boy’s life as it allowed me to get to the horn.

I’ve probably been driving for something like fifty years, and never has a mirror check made such a profound difference.

In some ways, I’m thinking I’ve been wasting my time for the last fifty years with those mirror checks, but that day they paid off in the biggest way possible.

The problem with all our little routines is that we never know when they are going to be needed.

But when they are needed, the payoff can be life itself.

Conclusion

Not all superheroes have capes; sometimes, a green or pink badge says it all.

Liam Greaney
ADINJC Committee Member

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