The more I drive on these crazy Northern California highways the more thankful I am to God that I am alive. Everything related to our cars was going quite well this month. For example, the hubby and I have both been driving slower on the highways and we saved quite a bit of gas. I haven’t had to refuel for a month now. The hubby’s point for an accident three years ago also came off his record a few weeks ago so we got his car insurance lowered. Just when I thought that we were on a roll…
Today I got on the 101 north as usual and started driving fairly normally between 55 to 65 miles per hour on the right lane. As I neared the Holly exit in San Carlos I saw a paint can and some other metal strut fly off the rear of a car in the lane left of me. It was about 4 or 5 cars away and so I slowed down a bit, however, the can and some other debris kept on tumbling in my lane and I swerved a bit to the right. I guess I didn’t swerve enough because I heard a loud bang, and I felt my car sink to the ground on the left.
I felt that my wheels were on the asphalt so I slowed down more and pulled over to the shoulder. It turns out that the debris slashed both of my tires on the driver’s side. Then I saw at least 20 cars behind me swerving into the shoulder to avoid the debris. I guess my car was really the only one that got damaged because the debris stopped moving after I hit it. At first I thought that I didn’t have my cellphone, but I found it in my purse and called my hubby first to tell him what happened and asked him to send an email to my manager. Then I called my insurance company to report the incident. They sent a towtruck for me, and luckily the carshop I usually go to was only 2 miles away. So I called my carshop (A+ Japanese Auto in San Carlos) to say that I was sending over my car.
Anyway, I felt better once I got into the towtruck since the driver was kind of funny. He said he went to an accident scene on highway 280 last week where a portapotty fell off a truck and splattered 3 to 4 cars. The car in the front of the pile had crap all over it and he said to the driver, “well this is a crappy situation”. That made the driver and her dad laugh quite a bit. At least my car only had its tires slashed and the rest of it looked fine.
The whole impact of how lucky I was started hitting me as I sat in the office of A+ Japanese Auto. I don’t know why it is but I tend to be extremely calm when crazy things are happening but think about it and panic over it later. My car could have flipped over from the tire popping (in fact that has happened to one of my dad’s friends), or if the debris landed straight in the lane left to me maybe a car in that lane might have swerved and smashed into my car. The possibilities of a giant highway disaster were countless. The carshop took in my car and they will inspect the undercarriage and fix my tires. So now my car is safely parked in their garage. They also gave me a ride to work since I was only a few miles away from my office.
At the office my boss said to me, “I am glad you are alive!” Well, I am, too. I told my mother in law about it and she said she prays for traveling mercies for me and the hubby and his sister everyday. I am really thankful that someone was watching over me.
This incident will probably set me back a few hundred dollars since my insurance has a $500 deductible, but that’s really the last thing on my mind now. I am a little sad that all four tires have to replaced because they are fairly new, but I am sure my carshop will do a good job with my car since I have had my car serviced by them for a while now and their service has been consistently good.
Anyway, that’s the story of my crazy morning, and I am extremely grateful that I am alive to tell it to you. I hope you were entertained!
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12 comments ↓
Wow. That’s really scary. It’s strange how something so simple as driving down the highway can be so dangerous. We don’t think about it that way, but it really is. Maybe we don’t think of it because we have to do it so often.
Glad to hear you’re safe and that it was only the tires that needed replacing.
I’m definitely thankful you’re alive too, Baglady
thanks god! be careful when you are driving every day.
Thank God only the car was damaged. Never, never drive close to a truck. Not if the truck is in front, not if the truck is on the left, not if the truck is on the right. Trucks are too dangerous.
Thank God you are safe.
So many things could have been worse resulting in serious injury.
I am sure your MIL’s prayers has something to do with your getting off lightly.
Regards
@laoma: I wasn’t driving close to any truck. The car that dropped debris was quite far from me in the lane left of mine. I also explained to you on the phone that it was about five or six cars aways and I slowed down a bit already but the debris tumbled under my car even though I tried to avoid it. I don’t understand where you are getting this truck thing from my story. I only mentioned a truck in the towtruck driver’s story about a different accident on a different highway. Anyway, there are always trucks on the highway and you can’t really avoid them unless you don’t drive.
@everybody else: Thank you!
WOW, I am glad to hear that you are OK. We often take for granted how dangerous it can be on the roads. Trucks are indeed dangerous due to their size and weight, however quite often it is your regular car driver that is at fault.
Good to hear you’re ok, you assessed the situation carefully (sorta) and just have your tires shot. Just count your blessings that you don’t live in LA (yet) wherein crap like this happens everyday.
Whew….glad you made it through just fine Baglady
Good on you from taking this attitude towards this situation, not moaning about the money or the inconvenience. I had a friend killed in a car accident recently just because her car was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Every time I make a journey in the car now, I am grateful that I have been kept safe.
It’s good you are keeping the big picture in front. We too often get stressed by what is immediate but insignificant aspects of life. Thanks for sharing.
Stuff happens and you sure handled it well.
Don’t stress or panic, you did just fine.
There is this one little thing — if only two tires were blown, why do you need to replace all four? If there is nothing wrong with the other two, you should be able to put thise two on the rear if your car is front wheel drive,or on the front if it is rear wheel drive. Never would you put two new tires on just one side.
Good luck on all of your trips. The prayers always help.
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