I could have been killed today. Okay, I know that sounds a bit melodramatic, but it's true. I was driving back from church and I was going about 70 mph. That was in the "slow" lane. A car in the "fast" lane that was about 3/4th of a car length ahead of me began to drift into my lane. I began to drift to the right to compensate, but there were only two lanes and the rough shoulder dropped off, so I could not have pulled onto the shoulder, even if I wanted to, without possibly crashing.
The other car, smaller than an SUV but bigger than a Pinto, and definitely big enough to make me spin like a top if it hit me, wasn't seeing me. Then suddenly the other car saw me and saw that if it kept drifting it would hit me and we'd both be spinning around at 70 mph and we had cars ahead and behind us.
The driver overreacted and the car swerved toward the shoulder on the left side, then it swerved again toward me at what seemed like a 33-degree angle. If the driver didn't correct, I was about to get hurt. At the last minute the driver jerked the car again, this time in the direction of the shoulder. The car went off the road and partially up the incline in the median. I was now watching this car turn around while I pulled off to the shoulder and began running up the interstate to make sure the driver was okay.
I was thrilled the car did not flip over. The whole thing was reminding me of my own car crash, where my truck flipped and spun. I'm curious if others have had close calls like this and how they reacted to it.
Not only was this car not flipped, another driver beat me to the car in question and was returning to his car. He shouted at me, "She said she's okay" and gave me a "thumbs up" sign. I tried to think of the sign to indicate "I need to check on her because I'm the car she almost hit and--" damn, there was no sign for that. I kept running—well, walking now as I realized I was out of shape—toward the car that now seemed to be... was she turning her car around? She was.
I thought quickly. Is there some kind of car accident etiquette here? I felt bad and yet I really had no reason to feel bad - I had the right of way and did nothing wrong. Was this driver obligated to tell me herself she was okay and/or bore no ill will? Or do I to her? As I now got closer to her car, about 50 yards now, she had her car turned around and was signaling to re-enter the fast lane.
Article comments
1 - Brad Schader
great story we can all relate to. It could be that she feared what you may do to her. Still a statement on our society, but less of a judgement of her reaction. Maybe because I live in Florida, but we are told to avoid contact if possible- too many road rage shootings and such. If you were running towards her car she may have thought this.
I love these personal stories. I hope there are more here to come.
2 - Scott Butki
Thanks. I am glad to hear you like personal stories because I don't think I got feedback on the other ones I wrote (also, incidentally, about car crashses.)
I didn't even think about her being afraid of me, me being a unitarian pacifist and all I rarely consider myself much of a threat. But then she had no way to do know that.
3 - Mat Brewster
Two thoughts/stories: Once driving in Tuscaloosa traffic the car in front of me did 180 degrees so that I was looking at the driver and passenger right in the eye. The fear was thick between both of us. Amazingly they made it to the side of the road without a scratch, but for a moment there I thought I was a goner.
Another time a friend of mine had a small accident with a little old lady at an intersection. It was totally his fault, but he never got out of the car. He didn't say anything to the lady or gesture in anyway. They were obviously not hurt too bad, but it seemed awfully rude to me. Of course I didn't get out either. Like a drone I followed his que. I feel bad about that all these years later.
4 - originalgeek
Next time, just hit your brakes just enough to let the other car into your lane. Moron.
5 - crevans
Meh. I commute on a motorcycle. People encroach into my lane and nearly kill me at least once a month, usually more often.
Be angry. They almost killed you. Never rely on the other vehicle to see you in time to avoid hitting you, it'll eventually get you killed. The idea on a motorcycle is that you're invisible - I've found that idea works just as well in a car. Just make whatever manuever you need to to get out of trouble, legal or not. As they say, better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
As safety systems in cars get better, suspensions more compliant, engines and cabins get quieter, and the amount of distracting electronic gadgetry increases, people seem to get ever more isolated from the road and forget that they're propelling several thousand pounds of potentially metal at a high rate of speed. Driving (or riding a motorcycle) is about the most dangerous thing most of us do in a day. Respect the threat. Keep alert and safe out there.
6 - BDKives
In 2004, I was driving from Hammond back to Baton Rouge, La. There was always road construction somewhere on along I-12. You never knew exactly where, but you knew that somewhere you would come to a complete stop. This day I was almost back to Baton Rouge when I came to a dead stop in front of an 18 wheeler. I looked in my rear view mirror and I saw another 18 wheeler coming up too fast on me. I hit the gas, pulled off onto the shoulder, and braced for the concussion between the two big trucks. There was a lot of tires squealing, but no impact. After a minute, I backed up the shoulder to see less than a foot of space between the trucks. I would have been crushed in an 18 wheeler sandwich. I was cool. Maybe I was numb. After about 10 minutes, traffic began to flow again, and the trucker that almost killed me let me in.
We drove on a few miles when it really began to sink in. If I hadn't moved as fast as I did, I would be dead. I wanted to see the face of the trucker that almost killed me, so I slowed down. The trucker didn't pass me. I slowed down to about 10 mph while everyone else was doing about 40 through Baton Rouge traffic. Finally the trucker pulled into the fast lane and around me. The trucker was a woman in her late 20s or early 30s. She did not look down at me, just stared forward. I could see her clearly. She drove slowly on. Two lanes of I-12 going 20, traffic backing up behind us, and me getting mad that she wouldn't look at me. It stayed like this for three exits. I could see the guilt and maybe fear in her eyes. I wanted to see a nod of recognition, and maybe an "I'm sorry", but it never happened. I was livid when I finally got off of I-12 and went home to the wife and kids.
A year later, Katrina would hit New Orleans, and everyone would move to Baton Rouge. It now seems funny thinking about driving 40 on any road in any direction at any time close to 5 PM.
7 - Scott Butki
Well, I seem to have touched a nerve. Thanks for all the reflections and memories.
I just realized that I linked to the wrong story. I meant to link to an earlier story I wrote about being in a car crash.