Runner Slaps Hood of Car, Prompting Long and Thoughtful Discussion With Driver
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A local runner crossing an intersection this morning paused to pound the hood of a car that nearly hit him, Dumb Runner has learned, prompting an earnest, probing conversation with the driver that left both of them feeling better about each other and about the world in general.
Benjamin Orr, 29, said he was running around 8:00 a.m. when the incident occurred.
“I had just started across the street—in a crosswalk, with a WALK sign—when this driver to my left rolls around the corner to make a right turn, not even glancing in my direction.”
“So I shouted and slapped the hood of his car. Hard.”
The driver of that vehicle, Richard Ocasek, 40, slammed on his brakes, averting a collision.
“It was scary,” Ocasek said. “I pulled over to the side of the road, exited my car, and approached (Orr).”
The adrenaline-fueled encounter that followed, both men said, was mutually beneficial.
“We exchanged ideas, explained our points of view,” said Ocasek. “Honestly, though, I mostly just listened.”
“It was really productive.”
“I explained how vulnerable I felt, as a runner,” Orr said, “and how frustrating it can be to see a motorist behaving in such a reckless manner.”
Over the course of the 10-minute discussion, Ocasek apologized profusely and promised to do better in the future. Orr apologized as well, saying he was sorry that he frightened Ocasek. He added that Ocasek had given him a lot to think about.
The men ended their encounter by thanking each other for his time, expressing disappointment that social-distancing guidelines meant they couldn’t hug, and bumping elbows before going on their ways.
Orr said he encourages his fellow runners to follow his example.
“If I hadn’t slapped that hood,” he said, “none of this would have happened.”
