Yesterday as I drove to pick up Lacey from Kindy I witnessed something. A bus swiped a parked car, almost completely tearing off the front bumper.
Hubby once told me that if a bus has any sort of accident they have to stay parked, offload the passengers and wait until some bus-type officials come and assess the situation. Well, not this bus. It went on it’s merry way.
I channeled some sort of action/thriller type movie and decided that it was my duty, being a witness, to chase that bus down and get the details… and then put them on the parked car. I’d be devastated if someone had done the same to me.
So I followed the bus, and risked having to pay $5 per minute for picking up Lacey late for school. It was a thriller, I tell you.
Whenever I’m stuck behind a bus, it usually seems to stop at every stop, blocking teeny Bondi streets and making me frustrated and delayed to where ever it is that I’m headed. Not this bus though, it didn’t seem to want to ever stop. Never fear though, I kept following that bus.
Fifteen minutes later it finally stopped. I whipped around to the driver’s side {still in my car}, honked the horn and motioned for the driver to open his window. “You hit that car back there,” I said in my best cranky mama voice, “You didn’t even stop!”
The driver looked at me with a puzzled look on his face, “What?”
My experience as a nanny for 12 years, a mother for 3 years and a wife for almost 6 years has allowed me to see ‘playing dumb’ more than once. “You hit a parked car at your last stop and you just drove away.”
He maintained the puzzled look on his face and pretty much gave me nothing. In true action-type fashion, I was blocking traffic and the drivers around me were growing increasingly frustrated. They honked and showed me their frustration. I had no choice but to move on.
As I hesitantly moved forward and out of the way, I looked in my rear-vision mirror. The car that had been swiped all those streets ago sped up to the bus and parked in it’s path, forbidding it a quick getaway, an irate man exited the car and approached the bus driver.
I performed a fast u-turn, parked the car and gave the irate man my number, “I saw him hit your car, followed him to tell him. Call me if you need anything.”
Through his anger he mustered a “Thank you” and grabbed my phone number from my sweaty palms.
I drove off as a superhero and arrived just in time for pick-up without incurring the $5 a minute fee, making me a super-mum of sorts too.
When is the last time you did a good deed? What did it involve? Did you get that warm & fuzzy feeling afterwards?
I imagine that driver will find himself in a LOT of trouble, and possibly out of a job.
Hubby and I went away for the weekend last weekend. While waiting for our food, I saw a couple get up and leave the cafe. She had left her purse on a chair at the table, for some reason her wallet was in her hand so I guess she didn't think about her purse. I chased them down the footpath and asked if she'd forgot her purse. She said, “Oh my goodness, I did!” She was incredibly grateful. Must be some good karma coming my way for that.
It's like a real-life car chase! (Or bus chase?) You're such a superhero!
I definitely get all warm and fuzzy after I do something good. I work at a gym, and a few weeks ago, an older woman came in for the first time and had NO clue what she was doing. I took just a couple of minutes to chat to her, show her around and make her feel more comfortable. She was unbelievably grateful. It definitely put a smile on my face.
Great post xxx
Brava, Telle. I hate hit-n-run drivers. Thanks for tracking him/her down and helping the man whose car was hit. You ROCK, mama. =)}
Legend. Utter legend. xx
GREAT JOB Chantelle!!!
Oh you are a superhero mumma! I don't think I could do that. Especially in Sydney traffic. I take my hat off to you. I bet that man who had his car hit was really pleased to know that someone was looking out for him. So lovely to know that people like you are about in the big smoke. xx
PS I'm having a giveaway over at Feather & Nest if anyone's interested.
Good job! I would of done the same thing!
You are a true hero. We need more people like you to chase down those errant bus drivers!!
And the karmic pay-off was certainly there – no overtime fee for Lacey!
That's a great thing to do! Most people would maybe see it, and do nothing!
Awesome you!
We tell our children constantly how important it is to do the “right thing”, so good on you! What a great example you set for others!
If you lived here you would get a Well Done Award!!! 🙂
I think you need a fat mum slim super cape to keep in the back of your car. Good on YOU! Naomi x
That is awesome!! Job well done!
My last superhero moment (that I can remember) is when I was 8 months pregnant with Chloee (now 3) and I stopped a bag thief in a restaurant. Probably not a smart idea (especially in the suburb we were in) but I felt great afterwards.
You go girl! LOL I'm laughing imagining your bus-chase! 😛
You're a helper! It's the Superman Effect in action and I love it. Good for you, Telle. x
good on you telle. pleased he didn't get away with it
Job well done! I'm like you – I chase people down and get their details if they don't do the right thing. We saw a 4WD try and park next to a smaller car, hit and scrape it, and then move out and into another park a few places down. Hubby was with me (so I felt brave) but I went over to them and said “You hit that car, are you going to leave them your details?” and he looked shocked that someone had noticed and uncomfortable about it too. We ended up giving his details and ours to the nearby shop that we were visiting and as it turns out, the note that he left on the car just said “hit your car, sorry” and that was it. The owner was about to head overseas and was so thankful that we had taken the time to make note and she was able to get him to pay through her insurance. Hopefully someone does the same for me if someone does similar to my car! Good Karma definitely goes around!
Posts like this are the reason I love checking this blog everyday Chantelle, was having a shit day and thinking that society had 'gone to hell in a hand basket' and then I read this post. Your a love!
Good on you! A bus side swiped my car when I was 17. He kept on driving and I was so devestated I didn't get his details.
Thanks guys. xx
Great work Telle! I only wish that there were more honest and assertive people like yourself in the world.
Fantastic job SuperFMS! The manners, morality and respectfulness of others is slowly declining and we all need to do something about it.
In other queries though, $5 per minute for being late to pick up your daughter from Kindy?? I wish I had that at my Kindy!!