Nerves
Today heading north on the 101 (note my native-like use of the definite article) to see Dr. J. out in Ventura County I almost got involved in an accident. If it weren't for my defensive driving skills (I was several car lengths back from the people involved, not on the cell phone, and not messing with the radio) Pepe and I could have been really hurt!
It was one exit north of mine, I had just merged in from our left entrance, and was heading towards an underpass with striking WGA writers on top of it (it's not far from a major studio). I was slightly distracted by them marching overhead, but apparently the guy one lane over was even more distracted, because he clipped the back of the car in front of me in my lane. I didn't see what happened with that car because I was focused on his skidding, doing a 360, slamming into the dividing barrier, and coming to a halt jutting partway into the left lane. I was one lane over and slammed on my brakes, checking my mirrors to see if I could move further to the right, which I couldn't, and do you know the guy in the truck behind me was blasting his horn at me? Did he not notice the major crashing action happening just in front of us? My main concern was the delivery truck (like milk-truck sized) to my left, but that driver managed to swerve and avoid the skidded/crashed guy and retain control, and there was enough space in front of me for him to do it. So I kept on going and took the next exit and called 911 (first time ever!) and reported the crash, which was underneath like 50 striking writers, all of whom I imagine have cell phones and most of whom had surely already called it in), did some deep breathing, got some gas, informed the lovely Dr. J that I was going to be delayed, and headed back on the highway.
While en route I got stuck behind an SUV that was periodically weaving into the left lane and then returning to our lane. This is a really dense zone of highway, so there wasn't a lot of space -- the driver was really almost hitting people. This not 20 minutes after the first accident just 5 miles back! I finally shot around her to the left and saw that she was on a cell phone and writing stuff down on an envelope that she had propped up on the steering wheel. Once I had a safe distance in front of her I checked in the rearview mirror and saw her drifting over to the left once more. It was unbelievable. But I felt like if I called the CHP again, they would put me down as a crank or something, I mean, they had just taken my name for the first accident, and also I hadn't been able to get her license number. So I just kept on going and left that accident waiting to happen behind me. Maybe I shouldn't have.
Then, once Dr. J. and I set out on our mini day trip up the coast, we were almost hit in the gas station by an anorectic teased-haired bleached-blonde 60-something woman in tight purple clothing and lipstick, driving (kind of) a Mercury with a truck-like backup warning (thank god, since she was backing right into us). Unreal.
I am hoping that bad driving incidents come in threes and that I am all set for a while. I bought myself some consolatory shoes in the outlet mall nearby before heading home (they are really quite cute), but still feel kind of shaken up and not sure what to do about it. One thing I think I won't be doing for most of tomorrow is driving, that's for sure.
It was one exit north of mine, I had just merged in from our left entrance, and was heading towards an underpass with striking WGA writers on top of it (it's not far from a major studio). I was slightly distracted by them marching overhead, but apparently the guy one lane over was even more distracted, because he clipped the back of the car in front of me in my lane. I didn't see what happened with that car because I was focused on his skidding, doing a 360, slamming into the dividing barrier, and coming to a halt jutting partway into the left lane. I was one lane over and slammed on my brakes, checking my mirrors to see if I could move further to the right, which I couldn't, and do you know the guy in the truck behind me was blasting his horn at me? Did he not notice the major crashing action happening just in front of us? My main concern was the delivery truck (like milk-truck sized) to my left, but that driver managed to swerve and avoid the skidded/crashed guy and retain control, and there was enough space in front of me for him to do it. So I kept on going and took the next exit and called 911 (first time ever!) and reported the crash, which was underneath like 50 striking writers, all of whom I imagine have cell phones and most of whom had surely already called it in), did some deep breathing, got some gas, informed the lovely Dr. J that I was going to be delayed, and headed back on the highway.
While en route I got stuck behind an SUV that was periodically weaving into the left lane and then returning to our lane. This is a really dense zone of highway, so there wasn't a lot of space -- the driver was really almost hitting people. This not 20 minutes after the first accident just 5 miles back! I finally shot around her to the left and saw that she was on a cell phone and writing stuff down on an envelope that she had propped up on the steering wheel. Once I had a safe distance in front of her I checked in the rearview mirror and saw her drifting over to the left once more. It was unbelievable. But I felt like if I called the CHP again, they would put me down as a crank or something, I mean, they had just taken my name for the first accident, and also I hadn't been able to get her license number. So I just kept on going and left that accident waiting to happen behind me. Maybe I shouldn't have.
Then, once Dr. J. and I set out on our mini day trip up the coast, we were almost hit in the gas station by an anorectic teased-haired bleached-blonde 60-something woman in tight purple clothing and lipstick, driving (kind of) a Mercury with a truck-like backup warning (thank god, since she was backing right into us). Unreal.
I am hoping that bad driving incidents come in threes and that I am all set for a while. I bought myself some consolatory shoes in the outlet mall nearby before heading home (they are really quite cute), but still feel kind of shaken up and not sure what to do about it. One thing I think I won't be doing for most of tomorrow is driving, that's for sure.
posted by Pangea at 8:59 PM
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