Stopped breathing

I had a few minutes yesterday on the tram when my breathing stopped, but at the end of it, everything was alright.  It all started because of a sight impaired lady who boarded the tram yesterday afternoon with her guide dog, a wonderful brown Labrador.  I have seen her quite a few times down the Glen Hunlty road with her dog.  As soon as she boarded, she sat on the seat reserved for people with such difficulties, and told the tram driver of the stop that she needed to get off.  The tram rolled on and when the stop came, the tram driver stopped just a few steps away from the tram stop.  Now, I did not know that this was so crucial for sight impaired people.

Now since the tram driver stopped a few steps away, she alighted from the tram and made her way across the Nepean Highway where the cruise speed for vehicles is 70 kmph.  Usually near the tram stops on the highways, there will be a signal with a passenger crossing button that anyone can press so that the signals change and the vehicles stop.  This lady stepped right onto the highway with her dog and to be frank, I became very scared for her, there was one car that whizzed past her and there was a collective “Ohhhhhhhh” from the passengers.  Luckily, two things happened, the other cars slowed down and stopped and by this time the tram driver got off the tram and led her to the other side of the road.  This took probably a minute or so, and in all this time, no swearing from the drivers, no car honks and the cars moved only when the tram driver was back on the tram.  I really appreciate the kindness of the drivers and their thoughtfulness in avoiding a potential fatal accident.