I think we all have had experiences with inattentive or inconsiderate
drivers. I see that everyday I'm on the road, but recently it nearly
cost me my life. We had some really bad rain storms here in February
and having agreed to drive a Miata back to San Francisco from San
Rafael that Monday morning for someone, I found myself out driving in
some really hard rain. I was deliberately avoiding to 2 outside lanes
of the four lanes because of flooding. I was in the 2nd lane from the
right when a While Volvo wagon suddenly cut me off. Because of the
hard rain and the distance of the Volvo in front of me, I changed
lanes to the right lane because there was lots of traffic to my left.
Unfortunately, my move was ill timed and I drove into the leading
edge of about 75 yards of a flooded lane and shoulder. The water was
so deep that within seconds the right side of the Miata came around
like I was in a boat. Next thing I know I hit the only obstacle on
the shoulder... a 35 foot light pole. I hit it going sideways between
the front wheel and the bumper. The airbags deployed braking the
window and blowing out the rear plastic window. I was either stunned
or in shock as the last thing I remembered was hearing the light pole
crash to the ground across 3 lanes of traffic.
Judging by the bruising on my forearm and the red mark I was told was
on my forehead, I deduced that while turning the wheel in an attempt
to correct my misdirection, I was hit by the airbag which then
propelled my fist into my head. My hand was numb for a week...
luckily I didn't punch myself in the nose. It was only the smoke
filled cockpit that brought me to my senses to exit the car. though I
was still in shock at what had just happened.
Shearing off the light pole, I had spun around backwards and halted
in the wood chips between the roadway and an entrance ramp. My first
impression was if I had only missed that light pole by the extra foot
and a half I needed, I would have come away unscathed. Later it
occurred to me that if I had arrived 2 feet later, I would have hit
the pole in the door and wouldn't have lived to tell about it as if
the impact at about 40 to 45 MPH didn't kill me. the falling light
pole would have. It was also miraculous that there were no other cars
involved and no one else was injured. I was very very, lucky, but
wish I'd gotten the number of that Volvo!
I'm sorry to hear Jack's friend was not so fortunate.
Gerard
>
>Same feelings here... and I also have an SUV... but I try hard to be
>considerate to other drivers, irrespective of what they drive.
>
>I have given up driving the Lotus Seven on the local freeways. Too many
>tailgating, aggressive truck and SUV drivers. Too many inattentive drivers
>in general. Scary when you ride in a Lotus 7. Don't think I would feel much
>safer in a Spridget.
>
>JLC in San Diego
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