To Sue or Not to Sue

My body is still shivering from the shock. I just got home from work. At about 6.20pm, I was almost knocked down by a pick-up truck, on purpose. I was travelling in the middle lane and switched to the right lane so that I could turn right at the next junction. I checked my blind spot, I switched on my signal light and I made the switch. After a few seconds of going into the right lane, I heard some horning behind me. I looked into my rear view mirror and glanced back. I saw the truck travelling fast but experience convinced me that the driver still had time to slow down. I was turning right after all and it wouldn’t make sense for me to switch back into the middle lane.

The driver continued hornin incessantly. By then, he had became irritating. I continued on with my journey. Then, something jangled my nerves. I felt something nudging against my back and my neck and the bike started to skid. At that moment I knew that it was the pick-up. A quick look behind confirmed it. I managed to keep my cool and more importantly, my bike under control. The driver backed off, he must have felt that he had scared me enough and he did scare me. At the junction, I composed myself and then I turned behind to gesture to the driver what in the world was he doing. The driver, a man in his late 30s or early 40s, just flashed me the most disgusting, sadistic smile in the world and gestured back as if nothing happened.

By then I was seething and many thoughts flashed through my mind. I thought of the people that mattered to me. My parents, family, darling, best friend. In that short moment, I contemplated leaving them prematurely. After that I saw myself bashing the driver’s face into a bloody pulp. I breathed in deeply and soon reasoned that such an act would definitely be unwise, regardless of how much he deserved it. I remembered advising my pupils that it doesn’t matter who started the fight or who retaliated. A wrong act once committed, is punishable. Won’t do me any favour if I got a criminal record. In the end, I decided to let it pass and continue on with my journey home.

As I walked home, I asked myself, “Should I let that man get away with what he did?” When I got home and I saw my parents, it dawned upon me what could have happened. Maybe I’m being a little melodramatic, but I know that had I fell, it would have been a disaster. A slippery road, cars all around, not to mention the offending truck who was just behind me. Anything could have happened. Thus, I decided to go to the nearby police post to make a report.

What did the officer make of it? “I think you should report this to the Traffic Police. There is nothing much I can do. However, do take note if your complaint is taken up to court, you have to prove your case that the driver intended to knock you down intentionally.” Yeah. I kinda expected him to say that. I was on the phone with my brother, whom is an Investigating Officer with the SPF, asking him on what would be my best course of action. The officer just gave me the email to lodge my complaint and I headed home.

Now, I don’t really know what I should do. I have calmed down a little. Writing has always been therapeutic for me. Maybe I’ll just let it be. Be thankful to Allah because I am still blessed to survive such an ordeal. Trust Allah will be the one who will pass His judgment upon those who deserves it in His eyes. Either way, this incident has given me much to think about.