Wednesday, April 09, 2008

I've Got the Shakes

It's been snowing since Saturday, after all that lovely spring weather we've been greeted with a foot and a half of snow--it's a blizzard out there and today it's just awful.

I was taking Lillian to school at noon, going about 40 mph along the highway, and I came up over the small rise on the overpass when there in the middle of the lane in all that snow and near white-out conditions was a car. Sitting there--as in parked. Even though we were all going slow and were well-spaced the car in front of me swerved to avoid things and I panicked a little bit. I over corrected and started fish-tailing right along with the car in front of me.

Though the first car was able to pull out of it I was not and did several rotations like I was a puck in an air hockey game. I went twirling by the parked car, barely missing it then twirling past the second car and then the guardrail, fully expecting impact and waiting for the sounds of broken glass and being smushed. After another rotation I whipped over the side of the median to land in the ditch pointed backward--breathing rather heavily.

You'd think the whole thing would have ended right then but it was like a scene in a movie because turned around like that gave me the vantage point of being able to see the car which had been behind me--which happened to be a very large semi-truck and trailer--make the same mistake and start swerving and fishtailing toward me. As I sat there in the ditch I watched that thing come closer and closer I wondered if I should make a run for it but knowing there was no way to avoid anything I sat there, praying the truck would get control.

When it did and skidded to a stop in front of us Lillian burst into hysterical tears as the windshield wipers flopped back and forth and I took a quick mental note of whether there was any damage. I couldn't believe we'd escaped and after a call to a tow truck I scooped Lily up on my lap to calm her down.

But then I watched that dumb parked car sit there on the overpass with car after car swerving around it--suddenly a Subaru came through and did the same thing, spinning around in the same trajectory and headed right toward me all over again. Instead of getting lucky like I did and landing softly in the ditch it whacked the guardrail on every corner before coming to rest next to me. A regular pinball game it was.

The tow truck showed up right away and the dumb guy in the parked car finally got out to see if he could get a tow. He nearly kills 17 people then he leaves his car to steal my tow truck. Apparently he's never seen a housewife hopped up on adrenaline.

And it's still snowing.

38 comments:

Ginna said...

oh no! That's so scary. One of my nightmares is watching a semi crash on top of me. I'm glad youguys are ok. I'd have the shakes too if I were you. For like a week.

Montserrat said...

Goodness gracious I'm glad you are all right! How scary!

Daisy said...

I'm so glad you're safe! Those times are scary. I hope that dude in the disabled car learned something from the situation, too.

Lucy van Pelt said...

You put me in a panic just reading about your trip. I was in Anchorage on Saturday when it started snowing and could hardly believe there could be that much snow this late in the year. What a horrible turn in the weather. Hopefully you get a turn for the brighter in the next day or two.

Diana said...

What the hell was he thinking, parking there? I'm glad you're both alright! I'd have... well, we won't even go there, but some guts he has trying to steal your tow truck after all that. Some people.

Heather said...

Oh my. Glad that you are all okay.

Laura said...

Wow how scary is that, so glad you are okay!

Lissete said...

I was terrified just reading about it! I'm glad that your both ok. I hope you let the parked, tow truck stealing guy have it!

Mrs. O said...

I'm so glad you're okay - you just lived a scene right of a movie.

Anonymous said...

Is this all in your new van, too?

I was nervous when you said you had your daughter on your lap and then more cars came out. The vision in my mind was not good, but I'm glad you are all right. In April, no less!

I myself sound ungrateful for the moisture, but I am beginning to detest the never-ending snow. Your storms are headed toward us for Friday.

Tarasview said...

oh that sucks! we still have snow here too. Blizzards are so scary when there are morons on the road!

Anonymous said...

Oh my heck. I'm so glad you're ok. How frightening. Poor Lillian; how's she doing?
It's supposed to start snowing and blowing tonight; I anticipate a late start tomorrow.
Winter can end now thankyouverymuch!

Ter said...

Oh my! That guy in the parked car should be charged with something... dangerous parking???

I'm glad you're ok!!

Miss Notesy said...
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Miss Notesy said...

I read all that with my mouth hanging wide open. Praise God you guys made it through it all okay. How horrific! I hate, hate, hate driving in snow/ice. The first time I ever did, I completely flipped and totaled my SUV. I'm so glad you are safe.

Kelly @ Love Well said...

Dang girlfriend! I'm so glad you were OK. I know those kind of shakes. I hope you can sleep tonight after all the adrenaline.

Spring, where art thou?!?

Deb said...

Oh my! I mean I knew you probably had to be all right if you were writing that, but still... I'm very glad that you and Lillian are ok!!

Lara Neves said...

I have the shakes just reading your story! I am glad that you and Lily are fine, if shaken up a bit.

I really hope that guy gets a ticket or SOMETHING! That is just beyond belief.

The Estrogen Files said...

Stinkin' tow truck stealing bum driver!! I'm so glad to hear that you are all okay.

SabineM said...

oh my glad that you are all ok! Crazy person!
I had something very similar happen to me a few years back...not fun

Sonja said...

I'm so glad you guys are safe. What a horrifying experience. I pity the fool on the other end of a mother "hopped up on adrenalin."

Anonymous said...

Oh.My.Goodness. I have chills from reading this.

How did you NOT throttle that man??

I am so glad the two of you are okay. Seriously, I would have raised Cain.

Anonymous said...

OH MY... I was near tears reading this. Poor thing!

Hugs!

Allysha said...

oh my goodness! I'm glad you are okay! Someone should give that guy in the white car a very stern talking to- at least!

Jody said...

Oh my gosh. I have the chills after reading that.

I have spun like that, no snow involved, and my babes were strapped into their car seats in back. I remember everything going in slow motion...but the thing I clearly remember was looking into the back seat at my 2yo and thinking "I let his 5yo brother buckle him in...oh my God." My 5yo was such a good helper and knew how to do it. He had never done it wrong before, but oh man I knew, at that moment, that I would never allow it again.

I am so grateful you all are okay.

Richelle said...

That is scary. The couple of times I have slid out of control on snow (nothing serious) I was shaking for a while, too. Glad you are OK.

Jerri Dalrymple said...

I've had this happen, as well. I don't think we had NEARLY that much snow (this IS Arkansas, LOL!), but a not-so-intelligent teenager pulled out in front of me thinking she could make it....had there been no ice, she would have (barely), but ice+ bumper2bumper traffic equals me in the ditch w/ 2 toddlers and her laughingly calling from her car to see if I'm okay...or the car behind me that went in the OTHER ditch....GRRRRR!
So, SO glad you are all okay. Hopefully the guardian angels on the corners of your van didn't get spun off! :0)

Janet said...

Good heavens how awful for you. I trust you did NOT allow that idiot to steal your tow truck and that he got a heavy fine for endangering everyone on the road.

Chief Family Officer said...

OMG! I'm so glad you are okay!

Robin said...
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Robin said...

How incredibly frightening. Thank god you're all okay.

AlaneM said...

Wow, how freaky! My hubby & I did a 360 on the freeway once in the snow. Hit both gaurdrails on the way round & ended up sideways half on the side-half in the right lane. We were very lucky we wern't smashed by a semi...we were on a very busy mountain pass in a curvy area where you can't see very far.
I'm normally not one who screams & didn't realize that I did but Chris told me that my screaming was almost worse than the spinning LOL!!
Glad to know you are ok...you can be as careful as possible but you just never know what's around the next corner do you?

Anonymous said...

It never ceases to amaze me how some drivers handle snow conditions. What in the world was he doing parked on the highway?

How scary! Good thing you both were okay.

Ice Cream said...

Few things make me scream, but car accidents do, everytime. I am so relieved that you and Lillian are safe. Did the parked guy at least have his hazards on, or road flares going? Things like this are so much sacrier than a scary movie.

Anonymous said...

ahhh! So glad you guys are ok!! how scary!!!!!!

Enzie Shahmiri said...

Oh my! I am so glad you and your little one are ok. My god what a scary experience!
You really had a guardian angel watch over you.

Anonymous said...

Praise God for a safe if scary experience.

Anonymous said...

I remember growing up in Wisconsin and surviving those conditions! Texas is easier in the winter, but you should see us driving in the rain!