Road Kindness

With the latest story on the consequences of driver aggression (Jan. 15), sometimes it takes just one little act to remind us that there are still some truly human beings behind the wheel. Recently, I happened to observe from my high-rise office an elderly, frail pedestrian who, trying to cross Santa Monica Boulevard at Sepulveda, found herself stranded in the middle of the crosswalk by the time the signal had changed.

As traffic whizzed by from both directions, a female driver stopped her vehicle in the middle of the intersection, jumped out and simultaneously held out her hand to stop the fast-moving traffic as she hurriedly helped this stranger to the other side of the street. The driver then dodged oncoming traffic to return to her vehicle and sped off just as the light was changing.

Sure, it’s but one act of goodwill, but perhaps this unrecognized act of selflessness and altruism can provide a little cheer amid the ferocity of L.A.’s roads and freeways.

DARRIN HURWITZ

Los Angeles