One Split Second
Travel June 19th, 2009This isn’t a humor piece, but I’ve been bothered by an event that happened this morning and felt better writing about it.
I wanted to share it with you because it reminds me of the fragility of life as I know it and how one fraction of a second made the difference between me having a normal day and my husband getting a dreaded phone call.
Friday began like every other work day.
Cup of coffee, feed the cats, some blog stuff, shower and jump in my car. The most remarkable thing about my ride to work was that I got an early start. I would soon wish I hadn’t.
Somebody else was heading to work, too. Someone who should have had his eyes on the road instead of his head in the clouds.
I know people get distracted while driving and cause accidents.
I know that 40,000 people die on U.S. roads each year in car crashes.
I know lots of unlucky people before me have found themselves in the path of an errant driver and never lived to tell about it.
But it’s always other people.
Today I was almost one of them.
On a green light, I approached an intersection near work. As I pulled through and made a left turn, I saw a pickup truck to my left. Coming on fast. I’m not a sitting duck. I’m moving, thank God. I know I’m moving, but am I moving fast enough?
I hear his tires screeching. Might not be enough time. I see the grill of his truck. It’s close. Very close. Are we gonna hit? I start to think this is my unlucky day. God? You there? Help me out here.
In a moment that lasted an eternity, I could see the face of this distracted man, who is now no longer distracted.
He looks at me, and I at him. Our eyes are wide. Our mouths agape. I clear his front bumper by mere inches. I scream and lay on the horn. I glance back. I see he landed askew in the middle of the intersection. I quickly check to see if he still had a red light. Was it me who screwed up?
No. His light was redder than red. And he didn’t even see it.
I consider if I had entered the intersection one moment later. A single second later and someone would be calling my "in case of emergency" number.
I wanted to pull over, get out and scream at him. I wanted to let him know that someone almost had to peel me off his truck. I wanted to tell him to pay attention next time. Every time, dammit, because all it takes is one moment of inattentiveness to change someone’s life.
But I didn’t. I drove on. Slow and shaky. Nothing happened. No harm, no foul.
Except it could have so easily been different.
If not for ONE. SPLIT. SECOND.
Stumble it!
June 21st, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Holy crap, that was close huh? I’ve been on the receiving end of a drunk driver. Fortunately everyone involved walked away. But it sure gets the adrenalin flowing when when you realize they’re coming right atcha. Glad you’re here to write about it Kathy.
Marsha’s last blog post..I’ve Got a Peeping Tom
June 21st, 2009 at 8:39 pm
There’s a song about “what a difference a day makes.” But, you’re right. Even a second can make such a difference. Just the blink of an eye, and so much changes. Glad you made it.
Sherry at EX Marks the Spot
Sherry at EX Marks the Spot’s last blog post..I Miss Dad, the Blond Tiger
June 21st, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Yep… These kinds of things always put existence into perspective, don’t they?
John J Savo, the Authoring Auctioneer’s last blog post..Monsieur Edward Chanticleer
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:11 am
kinda puts things into perspective
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:26 am
Just wanted to say I’m really glad you did not get hurt. I saw a woman get t-boned the exact same way a few years ago, and she was not so lucky, so I’m really sensitive to intersections. I’m now one of those “jerks” who slows down slightly while going through a green light. Oh well, the world will just have to deal with me – but maybe it’ll help me live to blog another day.
Jeff’s last blog post..Dear dad, sorry about the car
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:29 am
Thank God you are OK. We’ve had a couple close calls, and a couple calls, too, so I can relate. Frightful indeed. God’s not done with you yet, girl!
Crabby Blogging Lady’s last blog post..Modern Technology, My Eye!
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:50 am
I found myself holding my breath while reading this. Thank goodness you’re okay!
kathcom’s last blog post..Your Hamptons Summer Rental
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I feel your pain. I have come so close so many times with encounters with Idiot drivers. So glad it worked out for you. Take care.
Beamer
Beamer’s last blog post..From Downtown
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I’m so glad you’re OK. I totally understand the desire to jump out of the car and yell and scream at the other driver. I’m afraid if it had been me I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from doing just that!
Elizabeth’s last blog post..Keep your fingers crossed
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:59 pm
I say we go get that guy.
Look, we know he drives a pickup: simplify the whole time-consuming process of actually looking for a specific jerk, and focus on apprehending everyone that drives a pickup -specifically the ones that won’t help you move, and treat you like a jerk for asking!
How many can there be? Maybe fifteen? Twenty?
I hate those guys.
LOBO’s last blog post..Chicken and Ducklings
June 23rd, 2009 at 9:57 am
I’m so glad you’re okay. These incidents are very scary – I’ve been in a very serious accident where someone in the other car died (it was the driver who caused the wreck, and not his grand-daughter, thank the Lord) – and for years I thought about all the things that happened that day to cause us to be in just the right/wrong place at just the right/wrong time for that to happen.
I’m glad it was just a near miss –
Wendy’s last blog post..Prognosis: Grim
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Glad you’re okay. You made me think of my DVR.Had you two connected, there was no rewinding. Some of the worst drivers are experienced drivers. Because they know it all!
LaTonya’s last blog post..Mama’s Little Helper
June 23rd, 2009 at 3:41 pm
What a scary story and I am so happy to hear you were not hurt. All it takes is one second, though, to make a difference. I think we all have similar stories to tell and each experience is truly scary.
Preston’s last blog post..Top Ten Strange and Stupid Products
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Hi Kathy,
Not a funny post at all, but one of your better ones (though they are all great)… a good reminder that life can change in a second. I had a similar experience a few weeks ago of nearly getting hit while making a left turn on a green light. Someone wasn’t paying attention and almost ran the red. I think I saw him out of the corner of my eye just as he hit the brakes. It wasn’t as close as yours, but made me very shaky as I continued on my way.
There will always be those drivers, so it is important reminder to drive defensively.
Great post. Glad you’re ok. Steve
steve, trade show guru’s last blog post..Belated Happy Fathers Day
June 24th, 2009 at 4:41 am
Marsha — Oh, sorry to hear about the drunk driver. That’s a fear of mine, too. At least in my case, the other driver wasn’t drunk and could engage his reflexes quickly enough to avoid an accident. Glad it turned out all right for you!
Sherry at EX Marks the Spot — You know it.
John J Savo — Loudly and clearly.
luke at web design leeds — Ditto.
Jeff — I’m one of those people too. But never fear. I guarantee our slowness will save someone an accident (likely ourselves) one day.
Crabby Blogging Lady — Glad you had only close calls. Hope you never have a real one.
kathcom — I’m glad this post was only about a near miss and not making contact. Crosses fingers I’ll never have one.
Beamer — I think we all have. And let’s hope they’re all misses!
Elizabeth — Wanna know the reason I didn’t? I thought that could get me beat up. A man just died the other day in a road rage incident. Chased a woman down the highway who flipped him the bird, and then he lost control and rolled his car. Cripes.
LOBO — All I remember was that it was red. Is that sufficient?
Wendy — Oh, man. So sorry to hear that. I don’t know how well I would handle things if I was in a car crash where someone died. Even if it wasn’t my fault. That’s gotta stay with you.
LaTonya — Good analogy. And you’re right. I think everyone gets complacent.
Preston — And that’s why I wanted to write about it. To remember all those close calls and maybe keep them in mind whenever we get in the car.
Trade Show Guru Steve — Ah, you and I had the same experience. I’m glad neither turned into anything remarkable, but it’s good to always be reminded that a normal, boring day could turn into something so much different.
June 24th, 2009 at 5:47 am
This is proof positive that each and every moment of life should be spent enjoying the things you do, loving the people your with and living each moment with enjoyment!
Megaman the Madman’s last blog post..Obama is a homicidal maniac!
June 25th, 2009 at 8:36 am
That is a scary and all too common occurrence. I have had that exact thought – what if I had been there a second earlier? Or later? So far I have been lucky, but many aren’t. I was reading yesterday on another blog that Florida traffic accident deaths are outstripping the national average. I think you have be careful no matter where you are, though.
June 29th, 2009 at 7:26 am
There is actually a fictional story written by a Chinese author about this exact same thing, except, the car actually hits him. And now he’s a paraplegic and he keeps replaying in his mind, what if I had just done something slower that day I wouldn’t have been hit. He then goes on and on about the unfairness of life as he dreams about what he could have become were it not for that accident.
It ends as bleakly as it starts.
Even though I don’t know you, I’m glad you’re ok. It’s a weird thing I think, that we’re connected as human beings in that way. Wishing you many beautiful and grateful days ahead.
Fanny’s last blog post..138th British Open Championship (2009)
July 1st, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Megaman the Madman — No truer words have been written.
Lorrine — Yes, I’ve read how horrible travel is in Florida. I don’t understand why we don’t do more to curb the massacre on our roads!
Fanny — Wow, what a powerful story. I’m glad it’s only fiction, but how many people are living that very nightmare? Thank you for your kind words.
August 1st, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Nice. I’m linking it on http://www.transparentvoices.com home page for others to enjoy!