They say that bad things usually happen in 3's. And if that's the case and is really true, I am sooo going to be continuing in my paranoid state until the third one comes along.
And then I will relax.
You may remember my story a while back of how I came so very close to having what I considered would've been a horrific car accident. It was last winter and by the time the truck behind me came to a stop, it was right up at my door. I could've reached out and touched the headlights. I'm certain I would've been killed. Crushed between him and the guy in front of me.
Now, you need to know that I am a good driver. You're probably thinking that I'm not, but I am. I have the full load of merits, I've never been in an accident (unless you count that one time back when I was 18 and rear-ended someone at a stop sign because I was busy changing the radio station and thought my foot was pushing harder on the brake than it really was. It was never reported by her, or me, so it doesn't count), I've only received one speeding ticket and one running a red light ticket. I'm a good driver. A very good driver.
Coming home on Friday from the full time thing I do five days a week, it was a lovely, beautiful, sunny day. It was very warm and people were happy, it was the end of the day, end of the week, the weather was great, it was smiles and happy faces all around.
Now, I'd say close your eyes and imagine this, but then you wouldn't be able to read, so you're going to have to multi task now. Read and Imagine. Both at the same time.
Approaching one of a few railway crossing's I encounter on my drive, I notice that the lights are flashing, telling us that there's a train coming. The guy in the right lane, in a big blue van, one of those older ones that doesn't have windows and is probably being used to haul tools and stuff around (I say this because SG's brother has one and in my mind, all big blue vans without windows are hauling tools of the trade around in them) puts on his brakes. And so do I. A quick glance in the rear view shows me that the car behind me however isn't stopping. Not even slowing down. I take my foot off the brake and move ahead a bit, while sorta moving out of the way to the left. I have room, probably 15 feet before I'd be too close to the tracks. I look at the train tracks and can't see how far away the train is because the big blue van without windows is in the way and then I hear tires screeching and I look in the rear view again and the car behind me is right there, is going to hit me and hit me hard! I move forward more, streering the Cav a little more to the left and the car behind is still coming. I notice the big blue van cranks it to the right and moves up and I crank it to the left and move up and now, I can't move up any more... because I will be sitting on the train tracks.
And then I waited, for what seemed like hours but was really only probably a millisecond, for the car behind me to hit me. I think I even had my eyes closed and was bracing myself for it. "Here it comes, here it comes" I'm thinking. But it didn't. When I opened my eyes and looked in the mirror and out the window, I saw that the car behind me had managed to stop right between me and the big blue van. And the front end of the car was right at the front door of my car.
I looked up and there's the train. About 2 1/2 inches from the front end of my car. Seriously, I was that close.
Now, I'm not a traffic accident inspector and don't even pretend to be one, but I do know that if she (yes, it was a she who nearly took me and my car out) had hit me at even the reduced speed she was doing while slamming on her brakes in an attempt to not hit me, the impact would've been enough to push me on to the railway tracks, right in front of the oncoming train. Not only would the rear end of my car be crushed, I would've been to.
So, that's two now. Two that were too close for comfort. Two that I really wish had never happened. Two that will keep me on guard for a very, very long time. Two that have made me not a very trusting person when it comes to others navigating their vehicles down the highways and biways.
The guy in the big blue van, thank you for being aware and being smart.
The girl driving the car behind me, I don't know what you were doing that took your attention off of projecting your vehicle down the roadway at what was probably too fast of a speed given the traffic volumes and what not, but next time, maybe you shouldn't be doing it...?
I think I'm going to start taking the bus. I feel it might be safer.
*** Edit ***
I've received a few emails telling me that they were somewhat pissed that there wasn't any random this week....uhmm... hello?? I could've possibly and potentially been in a life ending accident... Honestly, do you really think I have anything random bouncing between the ears right now??? Shit...
It will however return next week, you know, barring any traffic issues. Thanks for your patience and understanding.
No comments:
Post a Comment