We've written pretty extensively about pedestrian safety issues at Grant and Sherman Circles, the near-misses of parents' with strollers, a woman hit at 5th and Grant Circle, cars driving into the middle of the Circle.

Saturday morning I was crossing Grant Circle when I was almost run over by a man in a black SUV. I was crossing at New Hampshire Ave south into the Circle, was about a quarter of the way into the crosswalk when the SUV sped around the Circle from the inside lane, shifted over to the outside lane and bee-lined straight for the New Hampshire exit... and me.

Naturally, I kinda freaked out and scrambled back to the curb with a pronounced "What the..." The guy leans out his window and yells at me for being in the crosswalk: "You're lucky there's kids around," he said, "Or I'd jump out and beat your ass." Seriously?

He gave me a laugh when he said, "I better not see your face around here." I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess he doesn't read Petworth News. I retorted with a dignified "Uh huh, buddy" and gave him the middle finger as I walked into the Circle. Not necessarily the most mature response, but hey, I almost died, ok?

DDOT Director Leif Dormjso and his staff will be meeting with ANC 4C Commissioner Joe Martin and other neighbors outside of 10 Grant Circle on Wednesday, November 2nd at 10am, and your opinion really matters.

Share your thoughts as comments below or on the related Facebook post and Commissioner Martin will give them to Director Dormsjo on Wednesday.

"The purpose of the meeting is to look at and talk about Grant Circle and New Hampshire Avenue traffic and pedestrian safety issues," Commissioner Martin wrote on a local listserv email. "I will also be discussing Sherman Circle issues."

"I keep hearing the stories of people with strollers, those in motorized wheel chairs and the rest of us nearly getting hit even when we walk in the crosswalks and signal to drivers (as if they don't notice) that we are crossing," Joe added.

So share your comments and let's get some real safety measures installed on the Circles ASAP. As for me, I fervently believe the Circles should be one lane only with speed bumps / humps 20 feet from pedestrian crossings. That SUV wouldn't have come near me if he hadn't been doing 40-50mph.