Crash Into Me
It was just a regular day. I was driving along the Skyway leaving the city with no distractions at all. I wasn't texting, I wasn't talking on the phone, I wasn't even watching porn on my laptop. Howard was on, of course, but I can drive and listen, right?
As I exited the skyway the wind whipped up sending snow blowing across off the lake. I didn't think much of it, but I slowed the car down. The wind didn't slow at all.
I could only see a few feet in front of me. I hit my hazard lights as I really slowed, and when the snow cleared, there were two badly smashed up cars, in my lane, just a few feet ahead.
I was able to stop in time, but in a split-second my mind flashed me a warning.
What if the next guy doesn't stop?
I didn't have time to answer my own question - a truck in the left lane smashed into the stopped vehicle just in front of him. The sound of the impact literally made me jump off my seat, and that's when I was hit from behind.
I was hit just perfectly enough to spin my vehicle to the left leaving my driver's side door as a convenient target for the next guy to obliterate in the left hand lane.
I could die here.
I cut the wheel hard to the right and got back into place behind the original crashed vehicle. Then I listened as three more cars joined the smash-up-derby including one who scrapped the driver's side door - better a scrap than a direct hit, thank-you very much defensive driving school.
I'm not going to die here.
I jumped out of my car and escaped to the other side of the guide rail where a man and his girlfriend, or wife, were consoling one another. She was crying hard and holding her head and he was trying to dial 911.
A tire rolled down the center lane as glass and reflective lights and smashed up cars littered the road - there had to be 30 cars involved.
I returned to my car as the EMT vehicles arrived. I was breathing a little hard, but felt okay, and a quick glance at my car told me it was drivable anyway.
The EMT knocked on my window and asked if I was okay. He also told me that they were having trouble finding a lane for the police and fire trucks. I offered to get out of the way, and he said it might be a good idea.
So, ten minutes later I was in my driveway. No police report. No idea who hit me. Aching back, shoulder and ribs.
It was the lead story on the news. I spent the late afternoon and early evening getting x-rays. They told me I'd feel worse the next day and they were right.
"Suck it up and tough it out and do the best you can, Nancy," Jake and Sam told me.
I laughed.
How could I not?
I did what I need to do every day for them.
I made it home.
As I exited the skyway the wind whipped up sending snow blowing across off the lake. I didn't think much of it, but I slowed the car down. The wind didn't slow at all.
I could only see a few feet in front of me. I hit my hazard lights as I really slowed, and when the snow cleared, there were two badly smashed up cars, in my lane, just a few feet ahead.
I was able to stop in time, but in a split-second my mind flashed me a warning.
What if the next guy doesn't stop?
I didn't have time to answer my own question - a truck in the left lane smashed into the stopped vehicle just in front of him. The sound of the impact literally made me jump off my seat, and that's when I was hit from behind.
I was hit just perfectly enough to spin my vehicle to the left leaving my driver's side door as a convenient target for the next guy to obliterate in the left hand lane.
I could die here.
I cut the wheel hard to the right and got back into place behind the original crashed vehicle. Then I listened as three more cars joined the smash-up-derby including one who scrapped the driver's side door - better a scrap than a direct hit, thank-you very much defensive driving school.
I'm not going to die here.
I jumped out of my car and escaped to the other side of the guide rail where a man and his girlfriend, or wife, were consoling one another. She was crying hard and holding her head and he was trying to dial 911.
A tire rolled down the center lane as glass and reflective lights and smashed up cars littered the road - there had to be 30 cars involved.
I returned to my car as the EMT vehicles arrived. I was breathing a little hard, but felt okay, and a quick glance at my car told me it was drivable anyway.
The EMT knocked on my window and asked if I was okay. He also told me that they were having trouble finding a lane for the police and fire trucks. I offered to get out of the way, and he said it might be a good idea.
So, ten minutes later I was in my driveway. No police report. No idea who hit me. Aching back, shoulder and ribs.
It was the lead story on the news. I spent the late afternoon and early evening getting x-rays. They told me I'd feel worse the next day and they were right.
"Suck it up and tough it out and do the best you can, Nancy," Jake and Sam told me.
I laughed.
How could I not?
I did what I need to do every day for them.
I made it home.
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