So because of the holidays last week, I didn't tell yall about my car wreck. Yes, it's simply not December if you don't have a car wreck. It was a Tuesday and Dallas had one of those ice days. You know, where the temperature here goes from 70 to 20 and it rains. To say we're not equipped to handle ice here is a serious understatement. And then there's the added bonus that I live far outside of the city in a rural area.
I wouldn't have even bothered to try to go to work, except that it was the day of our Christmas party. I held out for a long time, mostly due to the serious traffic on the only highway out of my town. It seems that a cattle trailer had overturned just in front of the bridge (yes, the only bridge out) and was blocking the road. My neighbor had taken a jaunt up there on his 4-wheeler to check out the situation. You gotta love living amongst rednecks - they have equipment for any occasion. And hey, it could have been worse - at least there were no cattle in the trailer this time!
So once the cattle traffic had cleared I decided to drive a bit down the road and see if I could manage 30 miles of that to work. I got a mile down the road and turned around, deciding it wasn't worth it, not even for all-you-can-eat Italian food. I was 20 yards from turning back into my subdivision when a guy coming in the opposite direction lost control and slid straight toward me. I managed to avoid a head-on collision with some pretty fancy ice-driving (if I do say so myself), but he managed to take out the passenger side of my car before spinning me around and stopping on the shoulder of the road.
While we were exchanging info, the local cops came to check out the situation. This was the conversation that ensued:
Cop 1(while chewing Copenhagen): M'aam, is your car drivable?
Me: Yes, but I have no mirror and I need to go the other direction.
Cop 1: No problem. We can block traffic to get you turned around. 'Bout how far you going?
I point to the entrance to the subdivison just feet away: There - I'm going right there.
Cop 1 looks at Cop 2, spits then says: Man, that sucks!
This is the "official" word of the local police.
While I was exchanging info, another wreck happened just feet in front of us. Then as I was returning to my house, another in the same spot. The final blow was the SUV that slid off the road and took out a utility pole - the subdivision across the street lost all their power. So 4 wrecks in the same spot in a matter of a little over an hour. After the fourth, the city decided that spot might need some sand.
Next time, I swear, I don't care if Paul Walker is coming to the Christmas party, my happy butt is staying at home. And for your groaning pleasure, a pic of my five-month old, used-to-be-sparkling-new-and-perfect car. (sigh)
Deadly DeLeon
Monday, December 29, 2008
An Exercise in Futility
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24 comments:
You have my sympathies. Not only a wreck, but no party. The cop had the right of it. That sucked.
I lived in Dallas for 13 years and went thru several ice storms of the sort you're talking about. I've lived in Yankeeland for 32 years now. I have learned that sand is, for the most part, useless against ice. Especially if it's raining. Then it just become a big sand hill of ice!
Stay home and stay safe, girl.
"a pic of my five-month old, used-to-be-sparkling-new-and-perfect car"
What is there about new cars under 6 months old that attracts accidents?
I'm very glad you weren't hurt though.
That definitely sucks. *hugs* But I'm glad it wasn't any worse than it was!
Jana,
I was gonna say darn, or shucks, but I think this deserves the real word. DAMN!
I'm soo sorry, but soo glad you weren't hurt. And I agree, I think I'd stay away from next year's Christmas party, too.
I'm hoping the guy had insurance. And I'm really hoping your holiday starts getting better right now.
CC
On nooooooo! Your poor baby! I echo what everyone else said - so glad you weren't hurt. But the cop was right. That just sucks!
~Gemma
Dude, in the official word of the law: "Man, that sucks." Totally.
Did you throw your broken mirror at the other guy? I mean, that might have made you feel a bit better about it.
Jana, that does suck. I know exactly what you mean being one state over in South Arkansas. 2 hours of ice falling can shut down every thing for days until it gets warm enough to melt.
I hope your car gets to feeling better soon!
What a bummer!
Glad to hear that you're ok and not injured. It could have been alot worse. As they always say, you can replace the car, not the person.
At least you're not here in Michigan where it's a "No Fault State." We just came through a major snow/ice storm ourselves. It was quite the experience to be going under 10 mph on the highway. (Usually 70 mph.) And we have months of more snow and ice to look forward to up here. I've been in 2 weather related accidents,including a head on with a snow plow and agree that its not much fun.
Here's hoping better luck for you in 2009! And a Happy New Year!!
Oh, my! So glad you were not injured, Jana. The car is replaceable; you are not.
You didn't mention injuries in the list of accidents so I'm assuming you and everyone else are okay. In the end that is most important.
Don't you absolutely hate knowing a crash is inevitable yet being absolutely powerless to do anything to prevent it? Thank goodness your fancy ice-driving minimized damage.
Actually Margaret - they rescheduled the party for the next day due to my wreck, so I got to go anyway - in a rental car, but hey - all you can eat Italian food!
Sand isn't all that useful until people have driven on it a bit then it gives you a little grip. But if there's a thick sheet of ice, all bets are off for quite a while. Then I guess you'd need chains. Never done that before.
bookmobiler - I don't know what it is, but you're right. Every wreck I've been in (none my fault, btw) have been when my car was less than a year old. Bummer.
Thanks Tori!
Christie - He did have insurance - well, his company did. He was driving one of those huge commercial vans, which is why my economy crossover suv didn't fair all so well.
Gemma - It does suck, but it was also like a twilight zone episode. Small towns are fascinating places. :)
Mshellion - No, no mirror throwing. He wasn't driving fast or stupid, just didn't know how to steer once he started sliding and there was a huge sheet of ice there. And he was so apologetic and did have insurance, so it was okay. That's why they call them accidents, I guess. :)
Keri - Oh yeah, I was in Little Rock one time training a class and thought I was not going to get to leave. Even better, I was a little outside of town and the place I was training was at the top of a steep hill. The company owner picked me up that morning in a tractor - no lie. :)
Thanks, estella!
refhater - I don't think I'd like no fault since I've never been at fault. I don't want to pay for everyone else - they can't drive!
Thanks, Heather! You're very sweet. ;)
Terry - no injuries, thank goodness. Especially since I've been in therapy for my back the last five months, I was sweating it, but it was fine.
And yes, the entire time he was sliding and I was trying to move was like slow motion. It's very surreal.
So sorry but I know how you feel. Our 21 yr. old moved to Edinboro, PA for college (near Erie) - it's in a snow belt where they get the "lake effect". Two weeks ago while going to the bank to chip in for her boss's Christmas gift, she slid on ice while trying to turn and hit a guy with a pickup truck. Her car was driveable but barely so she came home and guess who doesn't have a car - yeah me. It's not going to be fixed for a couple more weeks and we're just waiting to hear if our rates go up and of course there's the deductible and dealing with the insurance companies - waaaaaa.
It’s been years, surely the road has been sanded already to make it less slippery during winter season. Has it? =| Anyway, I hope the accident did not cause you any injuries, like a whiplash. If you have, you could have asked for a personal injury claim from the driver who wrecked your car.
Maggie Malone
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