【早朝散歩で「交通事故」現場に近接遭遇】

　昨日は早朝散歩、けっこう好きな西野緑道コースにいたしました。散歩道はわたしの場合、いくつかのコースを順繰りしておりまして、その日の気分に合わせて「きょうはこっち、あしたはあっち」と決定している。西野緑道はもともと農業用水路だったそうですが、周辺が完全に宅地化されたことでその流路に沿って整備されたもの。
　で、わが家からはその入口まではそこそこの距離もあって、総歩数は7~8,000歩程度。西野緑道に向かう発寒川河畔公園の入り口への橋を渡って川沿いを歩行中、いま通ってきた橋の周辺の信号交差点から「ドン」という大きな衝撃音が響いてきた。ちょうどその入口近くにいまは使われなくなった旧病院建築があって、その様子がなんとなく気がかりな雰囲気というか、独特の陰鬱感があってちょっと気になってはいたのですが・・・。
　そんなことからひょっとして人身事故で手助けが必要かもと気になって、その事故衝撃音方向に2-300mほどバックして現場を確認してみた。図のような位置で大きな道路側から左折しようとしていたバンが、細い道路から交差点に進入しようとしていた黒い乗用車の右側前側面に衝突していたのです。バンの左側前面に衝突の痕跡が見られて破損が見られた。
　一方の黒い乗用車は、運転席と助手席のエアバックが膨らんでいる状況が確認できた。不幸中の幸いか、両方の運転者は道路脇の歩道の方に出ていて無事そうな様子で警察に通報していることも確認できた。まぁたまたま現場付近通行中の第３者としての助力が必要とは思われなかった。
　ということで本来の目的である散歩に集中することにして、西野緑道方面にバックして往復してきました。歩数はおおむね7,000歩ほど経過。で、帰り道にもなる事故現場に気になって戻ってみると、すでに警察車両とレッカー車が出動していて現場検証などが行われておりました。事故の当事者の方々はその後も特段の外傷なども目視できませんでした。
　そんな交通事故目撃経緯があって帰宅時間が超過していたので、わが家に戻ってきたらカミさんからは「どこまで行ってきたの？メッチャ遅かったから心配してた」とのこと。かくかくしかじかと報告したら、眼が驚いていた。でもまぁ、わたし自身にはなんの別条はない。たまたまの交通事故現場遭遇。
　昨日はその後、午後からいろいろな不動産取引での現場確認の日程。周辺立地の隣家、全部が法人企業それも大きな会社ばかりなのですが、境界の確認ではじめてご担当の方々にお目にかかることになってその立会い〜契約書の記入などなどを行っておりました。
　よそ事ながら身の回りでの突然の出来事。まぁ禍福はあざなえる縄のごとし、ということなのでしょうか？いずれにせよ、要安全運転。


English version⬇

Early morning stroll in the city, I came across the scene of a traffic accident in close proximity.
Fortunately, no human injuries were involved, but I was a “passerby at the scene” of a vehicle accident. It was an intersection accident between a right and left turn on a main road and a one-lane road. Driving safety is required. Driving

　Yesterday, I decided to take an early morning walk along the Nishino Greenway course, which I quite like. I have several walking paths in order, and decide “this way today, that way tomorrow,” depending on my mood that day. The Nishino Greenway was originally an agricultural waterway, but when the surrounding area was completely converted to residential land, it was developed along its flow path.
　So, from our house, it is quite a distance to its entrance, and the total number of steps is about 7~8,000 steps. While walking along the river after crossing the bridge to the entrance of Hassamu River Riverside Park toward Nishino Greenway, I heard a loud “thump” from the signal intersection around the bridge I had just passed. There was an old hospital building near the entrance that is no longer in use, and I was a little concerned about its appearance because it had a somewhat worrisome atmosphere, or rather, a peculiar sense of gloom.
　I was concerned that it might be a personal injury accident and I might need help, so I backed up 2-300m in the direction of the accident impact sound to check the scene. As shown in the figure, a van that was attempting to make a left turn from the larger road side had collided with the right front side of a black passenger van that was entering the intersection from a narrower road. Traces of the collision were seen on the left front side of the van and damage was observed.
　The black passenger car, on the other hand, was observed to have inflated driver and passenger air bags. Fortunately, both drivers were on the sidewalk and appeared to be safe, and we were able to confirm that they had called the police. Well, I didn't think I needed any help as a third party who happened to be passing by the scene.
　So I decided to concentrate on my original goal of walking, and backed up to the Nishino Greenway and back. Roughly 7,000 steps passed. I returned to the accident site, which was also my way home, to find that police vehicles and tow trucks had already been dispatched and were inspecting the scene. The people involved in the accident had no visible injuries.
　I had to go home late because of the traffic accident, so when I came back home, my wife asked me, “Where did you go? She said, “You were very late, I was worried. When I told her what had happened, she was surprised to see my eyes. But, well, there was nothing wrong with me. It was just an accidental encounter at the scene of a traffic accident.
　Yesterday, I spent the afternoon checking the site of various real estate transactions. I had to meet the people in charge for the first time to confirm the boundary of the property, so I had to attend the meeting and fill out the contract.
　Sudden events around me, while I was away from home. Well, as the saying goes, “A bad omen is as good as a bad rope,” right? In any case, drive safely.