I enjoy driving and I am usually faster off the light, but I've always just figured it was my competitive nature. Lol!
Quick thinking though, I was once in an odd accident when a drunk homeless man decided to jaywalk across 4 lanes of traffic. I didn't see him traipsing across the street because I was 2 lanes over and he was coming up on the passenger side behind that pesky bar between the windshield and the window. At the last moment, I finally saw him (he wasn't going to stop) and I slammed on the brakes. I knew I wasn't stopping fast enough, so I pulled the emergency brake to stop faster. I stopped inches from him. I looked in the rear-view mirror just in time to see the car that rear-ended me. The homeless man still got clipped from my car being thrust forward by the impact. He was knocked down from the impact, denting my fender, but he got up and quickly walked away. He didn't stay for any medical treatment. He wouldn't have been able to walk away if I hadn't pulled that emergency brake. The accident totaled the car that hit me. My husband was with me and he was dumbfounded that I had the wherewithal to pull the brake.
Not sure if that is processing speed or perception, but I'm glad I had it that morning!
