On the access road in my car, going to Subway for my delicious daily cup of Broccoli and Cheese soup, happy as can be... so i'm checking the highway to see if anyone is getting off the ramp and on to the access road a few carlengths before I get there and once more as i'm driving almost parallel to it and see NADA. I get to the end of the ramp and seemingly out of nowhere, a woman BOOKING IT in a Lexus comes off the ramp at at least 50MPH... i'm going 65 and she's about to slam in to my driver seat door... The guy in the opposite lane has come to a complete stop (it was dark and I didn't see him completely stop so that didn't help) and suddenly there were two and a half cars in a two lane access road. I floor it to 80MPH (thankfully my car is moderately powerful, V6 Accord) and miss her by INCHES. She was so close I could have kissed her hood from my seat. If not for the exact inches and seconds, nobody would know what would be made of me or my car right now. I'm shaking like hell and thinking "Holy ****! Did I really escape that?" Funny thing is, now I want to shave with a straight instead of my DE or go ride my minibike or something else dangerous. After all, how do you fight a rush but with another rush? I'm an ungrateful b*****d and feel no more worthy of my life that's been spared, but I figured maybe i'd share this story. I'm teenage young (believe it or not) and this, besides other small things, has been an absolute memory engraving experience.
"Every man dies, not every man really lives." - William Wallace (at least according to Braveheart) Or perhaps the same thing from a different angle: Isa 22:13 and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Either way, I've had close calls, one of which was a total loss to the vehicle I was driving. Don't stop living over it.
On a different note: this might explain why some thngs happen... http://www.beyondsunsigns.com/mercretfaq.html For me I always keep track of it ST
One of the nice things about highways in Texas are those feeder roads. One of the bad things about highways in Texas are those feeder roads. I lived in Houston for awhile, driving tractor trailers locally, I have had more than my fair share of close calls on the feeders. The only thing that made life easier was trips to Braum's Ice Cream and James Coney Island.
Get used to it, Xezmer. People are idiots...especially when behind the wheel. Keep your eyes peeled and be safe. It always happens when you least expect it. The most dangerous vehicle is one driven by someone else
Ah, Houstons 610 loop. Got stuck in the wrong lane looking for my exit. Never could get used to an exit going off of both sides of the highway. 610 is a long way around, I might add.
I've absorbed the "don't do stupid things in stupid places with stupid people" thing... but the road is hard place to apply that to.
I guess every single one of us could tell similar stories. The only thing you can do to avoid these situations (as much as possible) is to drive safely and actively look out for others. Saved my life (or at least my health) a couple of times already not to drive the maximum allowed speed and to anticipate errors of other drivers. Glad to hear nothing happened young lad - may the same apply to your future on the road!
Just be happy you are alive. Also, remember how much better it feels to be alive after such event. Next time you are in line at the DMV, think back to that moment. You will not be so bored and the line won't seem so bad.
'Tis why I hate, hate, hate driving in big cities (Texarkana is about my limit of big city I feel comfortable to drive in...and that only because A) I'm kinda familiar with it, and B) kinda have to do it once a week or so). I absolutely loathe having to go to Dallas or Shreveport and the like. Still, I treat other drivers like I do guns - I always assume a gun is loaded, and I do the same for other drivers