Kudos and not

They say that four-wheel drive owners are the scourge of the roads with their bull-bars, fat tyres and their wide girth. For the most part I agree. Especially given that such off-road vehicles never go off-road. Well today I saw a four-wheel drive owner that got off the road quick smart.

The corner of Wellington and Barrack. Traffic is lined up along both streets waiting for the pedestrian traffic-light cycle to complete. Then suddenly, from east along Wellington comes the wail of sirens. People stop and look. Drivers are checking their mirrors. A bunch of pedestrians caught making a diagonal crossing freeze as though caught in headlights. The four-wheel drive owner was in the left-most lane. The only one in that lane as chance would have it. He sussed out the situation quickly, did the math and made the move. Onto the footpath, easily avoiding the gaggle of gob-smacked tourists. Only just in time too. The firefighters gave him a wave and a thankyou as they barely had to slow down. Through the gap the four-wheel driver has left them and whip around the corner - narrowly missing the group of pedestrians that had stopped in the middle of the road.

So kudos to the four-wheel drive owner and a fat kick up the arse to the pedestrians.