  We probe the recent cosmic expansion by directly reconstructing the
deceleration parameter $q(z)$ at recent times with a linear expansion at $z=0$
using the low redshift SNIa and BAO data. Our results show that the
observations seem to favor a slowing down of the present cosmic acceleration.
Using only very low redshift SNIa data, for example, those within $z<0.1$ or
$0.2$, we find that our Universe may have already entered a decelerating
expansion era since a positive $q(0)$ seems to be favored. This result is
further supported by a different approach which aims to reconstruct $q(z)$ in
the whole redshift region. So, the accelerating cosmic expansion may be just a
transient phenomenon.
