Today two things happened, or perhaps I should say, two things could have happened, but fortunately for me, they didn’t.

After lunch I went for a walk. Unusually, I went on my own as Peter said it was too cold and dreary to be out. To be fair he had a point, but I was desperate for some fresh air and exercise, so off I went. At first the sun shone, but it didn’t last long.

I went on one of our less common walks, down a quiet lane with few houses, well spaced out. As I approached one of the last houses a dog came out of the drive to check me out.

It wasn’t a nice looking dog, in fact I suspect it was an out-door guard dog. I felt a little apprehensive, but just kept walking steadily until I was passed. I felt uneasy rather than scared, but it did pose the question: What would I have done if it had attacked me?

The weather began to close in, so I decided to turn around and return home, which probably meant a second run-in with the dog. I was right. I walked passed steadily without making eye contact, and just as before it simply watched me until it was satisfied I was no longer a threat.

Which brings me to the second thing. There is an un-manned level crossing that cuts across the lane, and as I walked across it I slipped on the wet, greasy ground between the rails. Question number two: Had I fallen and been unable to move, what would have happen when a train came?

Just to illustrate my point it was less than a minute later that a train did come.

I suppose the answer to both these questions is, call for help on your mobile. The truth is, I do not come from the mobile phone generation, and although I do have one, we are not joined at the hip. I only have it with me when we go out in the car. I never take it with me when we go for a walk.

The fact is that alone or together, in the car or on foot, accidents can and do happen. I think the moral of this story is, have your phone with you at all times. I know that’s what I’m going to try to do in future.