From Iceland — Woman And Son Almost Hit By Car On Laugavegur

Woman And Son Almost Hit By Car On Laugavegur

Published September 18, 2020

Photo by
Vísir/Vilhelm

A driver, under the influence of drugs, stole a car and almost hit a woman and her young son on a pedestrian street on Laugavegur, Vísir reports.

The driver was pursued around the capital by police, who had received a report of a stolen vehicle. Whilst speeding around the city, the driver narrowly avoided hitting Glódís Guðgeirsdóttir and her two and a half year old son, Einar Glói, as they were walking on a pedestrian street on Laugavegur.

Glódís explained to Vísir: “Einar Glói can ride his bike there at will, without me having to worry too much. I noticed a car and thought to myself ‘it’s not eleven o clock yet, and that certainly isn’t a delivery truck,” referring to the fact that delivery trucks are permitted on the pedestrian portion of Laugavegur until 11:00. “But then he came at such a high speed. I realised he wasn’t going to stop and was definitely at a speed of about 50 or 60 kilometres an hour. When I realised this, I pushed Einar Glói out of the way, screaming.”

”Of course, I thought the car would stop”

She noticed the police who had been called out because of the stolen car. “So I ran after the car, the police noticed and came after me.” She also reported the incident to the emergency services and a report was later taken from her. Glódís states that it was an incredibly traumatic experience and that she was still in shock, but was grateful that her young son seems unaware of the danger he faced.

”It was so weird”, she continues. “Of course, I thought the car would stop. But then I saw the driver’s eyes and they’re blank. That’s when I realised how serious it was.”

Glódís and her family travel around the city mostly on bike or foot, and she says that this is not the first time she has been involved in an incident with drivers on the pedestrian street on Laugavegur. The Reykjavík Grapevine has previously reported that many similar stories have arisen in recent weeks.

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