Thursday, December 07, 2006

A better driver?

Wellll...in my post about the kid who smoked pot and caused a major accident, I mentioned that I had a lot of practice before actually getting my license. I said I thought it made me a better driver.

This morning a freak snowstorm hit Cincinnati. The high today was somewhere in the mid 20s, with wind chill around zero. While going a max of 25-30 mph over a bridge, I hit a huge patch of ice, and started to fishtail. I was able to regain control of my Jeep for all of .25 seconds, and spun out in a wide arc. Miraculously I was able to avoid being hit by the monster salt truck in the next lane, but I hit the cement guard rail. Scraped up the front left corner enough to make it rub on the tire when I hard turn, and knocked off the back left quarter panel. Scared the CRAP out of me. I got out to assess damage, and another car had stopped to check on me. It was two young guys, and one of them even picked up the pieces of the quarter panel. I thought that was a very endearing gesture, although I can't imagine he actually thought they would put it back on, LOL! My car was fully driveable and I was less than a mile from work so I thanked them and got back in the car. Once I started driving, I got the adrenaline dump that I'm sure some of you are all too familiar with. Was shaking so bad I wouldn't have been able to dial a phone.

Someone asked if I called the cops. No, I didn't. I was the only car involved, the car was driveable and I wasn't injured. Plus due to the snow, there were accidents piling up all across the city, involving injuries and multiple cars. I let them deal with the more important issues.

That was my first accident ever. The worst part was the awful realization that it was inevitable. All I could do was wait, at that point, to hit the wall. And be thankful that there were no other cars near me. But it was a humbling experience. Yes, it was my fault. I was accelerating with disregard to the weather. Mother nature demands more respect than I offered this morning.

Yes, the baby is fine. I'm fine. We went to the doc anyway, and listened to the heartbeat, and laughed as the doc chased the baby around my belly. She/he is very active in the late afternoons!

8 comments:

Brandon said...

I know that feeling that an accident's inevitable, a few years ago I almost had a bad accident on a icy county road. I was angry & didn't notice that I was going through a curve until I was almost halfway through it & well on my way to hitting a gate head on. I was lucky, I was able to somehow get the car through the curve without hitting anything. The adrenaline rush after I safely made it was incredible...

Anonymous said...

Don't forget, bridges freeze over before surface roads.

FroneAmy said...

Yes, I know. That's why I pointed out it was a bridge I was on. A bridge over a creek, no less. It was GREAT!

kateykakes said...

Amy,

I'm glad you and Squirt are ok.

I drive like an old lady in the snow and I don't care what anyone behind me thinks. If they want to pass me and take a chance, I'll be more than happy to move over for them.

FroneAmy said...

hahaha as a little bonus, today I got my rental, and it is a Mazda 6! could do worse, right?

Brent said...

I don't think I need to lecture you. BUT WHAT THE HELL? Thirty lashes with a wet noodle!

Paradise Driver said...

You might enjoy the video I posted today.

FroneAmy said...

Brent and Wil-
Not sure if you will see this, but for SOME insane reason, when I try to comment on your blogs, haloscan doesn't like me. Which is weird because I can comment on a few other sites w/haloscan with no problems.

Wil-
Definitely enjoyed the video. Thanks for sharing!

Brent-
I accept my lashings humbly. The worst part of the adrenaline rush was knowing it was my own damn fault. Yeah, I was going slow but I wasn't going slow enough. Pretty embarassing and humbling.