As a community worker in north Belfast, Francie Petticrew regularly entered loyalist areas. "I'm a Catholic but there was a peace process and I believed everything had changed," he says. "I never thought for one moment I was in any danger."
Eight days ago Mr Petticrew took a group of Catholic and Protestant children to a horse-riding event. It did not finish until 10.30 p.m. and he offered a lift home to a 14-year-old Protestant girl from Snugville Street on the Shankill Road.
"I didn't want the wee girl having to get a taxi at that time of night."
He had just dropped her off when he was ambushed. "I saw this young fellow, all dressed in black, come running towards me. He started firing and I thought, this is it, I'm going to die.
"But I put my jeep into gear and got going. Another gunman started firing on me from a bicycle. He followed me down the street shooting at me but I got away." It is understood seven shots were fired.
"I've been dropping the wee girl off for a few weeks at the same time now. They must have been watching me."
Mr Petticrew (46) is a father of six. His wife, Bernie, says he has not been able to settle since the shooting. "He can't sleep at nights. I put sleeping tablets in his tea but they don't do any good."
He owns a garage in north Belfast and is concerned about his safety there too.
No paramilitary group has admitted responsibility for the attack but nationalist community workers in the area say they have evidence, which they have not yet produced, that the UFF/UDA was responsible.
Mr Petticrew claims he was threatened by the RUC six months ago. "The RUC told me that if I didn't pass on information about local IRA members, they would arrange to have me killed by loyalists. They said they got Brian Service shot and they could have me done too."
The allegations have been strongly denied by the RUC. Mr Petticrew says he wants a meeting with the Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan.
He says that while he will no longer be entering loyalist areas, he remains committed to cross-community work.
"We are building an indoor riding centre on the Oldpark Road which will be used by both communities. The shooting has made me realise there is no peace process. The whole thing is a farce.
"But plenty of ordinary Protestants have contacted me to condemn the shooting. I don't blame them and I feel sorry for the fellows who tried to kill me. They were only youngsters. They hadn't a clue what they were trying to do."