Someone Saved My Life...In A Parking Lot

By Semperpapa

The truth of the matter is that while I do believe in a Supreme Being and in an after-life, I am not really one of those people who likes to publicly interject religion into every aspect of my life. To me, religion is very personal and should remain such.

That stated, I do believe that someone saved my life in a parking lot just couple of days back.
I commute 100 miles a day on my motorcycle to work and back, and it can be said that the freeways of Southern California are probably not the healthiest environments for motorcycle commuters, but a combination of many years of experience and a good dose of defense driving, has kept me right side up for the most part.
Interestingly, even as close-calls or near-misses, or whatever else one wants to call them, happen on an almost daily basis in my situation, the closest call I have ever had was in a parking lot near my work, just few days ago.

As I make my way down toward my work, I use a major boulevard that takes me from the freeway down toward my destination. This boulevard is lined with businesses on both sides, including mini malls, car dealerships and motels.
I take this route south from the freeway for about 5 miles and than turn right (west) on a smaller street that takes me to my work. As one approaches the point of my right turn, there is a business that does not open until later in the day, so at the time I come through, its parking lot is completely empty.
Few weeks back, on a morning that saw the boulevard busier than usual, I decided to try the parking lot as a cut that would get me through the intersection. Entering the lot from the boulevard and proceeding to the very back of the lot would allow me to then make a left turn and go back out unto the smaller street I need to take.
The maneuver worked out great, as it allowed me to avoid having to negotiate the busy intersection in order to make my right turn. In following days I kept on using the short cut every time I saw the upcoming intersection overly crowded. I would turn into the parking lot, make my way to the very back, turn left and go to the driveway where I took a right back out unto the street. No stopping, just slowing down through the deserted lot.

Couple of mornings ago, toward the end of a particularly challenging work week, I was making my way down the crowded boulevard, like every day. As the intersection of my street came into view, I noticed a wall of cars and buses in front of me, so, as I have done so many times, I slowed down and entered the empty parking lot, making my way toward the back. But this morning I noticed something that had failed to get my full attention previously: the very back route on which I would turn left lines up with a route that continues to the right. I guess the corner of the business had given me the impression that the opening to the right was just one of those service routes that go to the back of the businesses. On this morning though, I just decided that instead of taking the left turn in stride, as I have done so many times just slowing down, I came to an almost complete stop. And that is when the lady in the SUV came out from the right at about 50mph. Had I taken the turn as I usually did, she would have taken me out...permanently!

She did not even see me, nor realize I was even there, not even tap her brakes. With a car load of children, she must have been in a hurry to take them to school.
I so noticed that the route she had come from goes to a conglomerate of condominiums nested in the back of the business complex, something I had never paid full attention to before.
Ultimately, I am convinced that someone made me notice the route on the right, made me register a potential threat and made me stop. Ultimately, someone saved my life that morning in that parking lot. Thank you, God!

We all want to believe we are going to live for a long time, at the same time subconsciously knowing it want be for ever, but we are convinced that we still have a lot of time left on this Earth. The truth of the matter is that life is fragile and unpredictable, which in a twisted way is what makes it so worth living.
But the message I gathered that morning, and that has been gnawing at me since, is how a split second decision can have such an impact on the lives of so many. For that woman, the decision of driving through that parking lot at such high rate of speed could have had an enormous impact on so many people's lives. I am pretty sure she does exactly the same thing every morning and by having witnessed several children in the SUV, unrestrained, she is jeopardizing their safety even more, even if we want to accept her prospective of total lack of care for the safety of a stranger's life like me or anybody else at that time.

On a personal note, I am convinced that someone up there had a hand in saving my life. I know, some of you may just attribute the whole thing to coincidence or riding experience or just plain luck, and you may be right.
I, though, choose to believe that God does not need me just yet and did not allow the momentary stupid act of one person to rob my family of me. God wants me to still enjoy my wife and kids and grandkids. God wants me to meet my grand daughter who will be joining the clan any day now. God saved my life that morning, proving to me that He is truly everywhere, even in a deserted parking lot in Stanton, California.

In closing, I really hope that people will at some time in history realize how dangerous stupid driving is. What you may perceive as a need to hurry may turn into a nightmare for you and so many other people. What you may perceive as your right to do something stupid on that road as long as you don't get caught, may ultimately infringe upon the rights of others and possibly ruin their lives for ever. Please, don't do it.

Just my thoughts and Happy Easter!