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CougarTim
How about a dramatic near miss?
Saturday morning, Lanham, MD, couple years ago. I was coming off the night shift, really not very happy or very awake. I want to go home. Driving black 1998 Honda Civic, westbound on Route 50 at the interchange with the Beltway (I-495).
The interchange is kind of a weird one, and it will confuse you if you're not paying attention or just not used to it. To get on the outer loop, you get in the lane all the way to the right; to get on the inner loop, you get in the lane second from the right. All other lanes to the left of these two are through lanes (Rt 50). The two exit lanes split and are separated by a low raised median and a shoulder-type lane. I want to get on the inner loop, and I'm familiar with the interchange, so I get in the correct lane.
In the dividing shoulder-type lane there is a disabled flatbed semi, not impeding traffic, got his orange triangles out, etc., doing everything he should.
Three cars ahead of me in the inner loop exit lane, driver in white Suburban/Tahoe SUV suddenly realizes they want to get on the outer loop. White SUV slams on the brakes and turns right, cutting over in front of the parked truck, jumping the low raised median into the outer loop exit lane. Two cars ahead of me directly behind white SUV, Chevrolet pickup slams on its brakes. One car ahead of me, green SUV veers over one lane to the left. I slam on my brakes. As the word CHEVROLET on the pickup's tailgate is growing rapidly larger in my windshield, terrified I won't stop in time, it dawns on me...
The last time I looked in my rearview mirror, there was a semi truck behind me.
I look in my rearview mirror and sure enough, he's there. Semi veers into the lane to the left, barrels past me and the pickup, no time or space to slow down hardly at all. Ahead of us he kicks up a cloud of dust and gravel, still at a good speed, cutting back from the main road to get back onto the inner loop exit ramp.
I'm awake now.
THANK GOD it was early on Saturday morning and traffic was light, and that there was no one in the lane to the left.
Saturday morning, Lanham, MD, couple years ago. I was coming off the night shift, really not very happy or very awake. I want to go home. Driving black 1998 Honda Civic, westbound on Route 50 at the interchange with the Beltway (I-495).
The interchange is kind of a weird one, and it will confuse you if you're not paying attention or just not used to it. To get on the outer loop, you get in the lane all the way to the right; to get on the inner loop, you get in the lane second from the right. All other lanes to the left of these two are through lanes (Rt 50). The two exit lanes split and are separated by a low raised median and a shoulder-type lane. I want to get on the inner loop, and I'm familiar with the interchange, so I get in the correct lane.
In the dividing shoulder-type lane there is a disabled flatbed semi, not impeding traffic, got his orange triangles out, etc., doing everything he should.
Three cars ahead of me in the inner loop exit lane, driver in white Suburban/Tahoe SUV suddenly realizes they want to get on the outer loop. White SUV slams on the brakes and turns right, cutting over in front of the parked truck, jumping the low raised median into the outer loop exit lane. Two cars ahead of me directly behind white SUV, Chevrolet pickup slams on its brakes. One car ahead of me, green SUV veers over one lane to the left. I slam on my brakes. As the word CHEVROLET on the pickup's tailgate is growing rapidly larger in my windshield, terrified I won't stop in time, it dawns on me...
The last time I looked in my rearview mirror, there was a semi truck behind me.
I look in my rearview mirror and sure enough, he's there. Semi veers into the lane to the left, barrels past me and the pickup, no time or space to slow down hardly at all. Ahead of us he kicks up a cloud of dust and gravel, still at a good speed, cutting back from the main road to get back onto the inner loop exit ramp.
I'm awake now.
THANK GOD it was early on Saturday morning and traffic was light, and that there was no one in the lane to the left.