Monday, December 29, 2008

Watch Out!




Eeeek! Augh! Watch Out!
I drive my husband crazy when I'm a passenger in the car with him. It is so hard to sit quietly in the front seat while he's driving too close to the curb or makes a lane change in heavy traffic. It's not that I don't trust him. It's the other driver you have to watch out for.


I was in a major car accident in January of 2001. I was a single mom at the time, driving my kids to pre-school before I headed to work on the first day back after the new year. The twins were in the built-in car seats of the van. I was driving down the road, minding my own business - isn't that always the case?


All of a sudden, there was a white, brand-new Nissan Exterra sitting in the middle of the road. Seriously. The driver had pulled out into traffic and couldn't decide if there was a turning lane there for her to get in, so she stopped. In the middle of the road. Perpendicular to my van.


There was nothing for me to do. Nowhere to go. It happened so fast. I swerved, but I had to hit her. The air bag blew up in my face slamming me against the door. I couldn't move my arm to open the door with my left hand. Luckily, people stopped to help, the police responded quickly, and my dad was there in minutes to take the kids. Thank God they were completely uninjured.


I, on the other hand, had to ride to the hospital in an ambulance on a hard board with my neck in a brace. That is not fun! Aside from other minor injuries, my shoulder was broken in an odd place, and I spent the next nine months in physical therapy. And the van was "totalled." Luckily, the woman driving the Exterra had good insurance, and she was very gracious in admitting her fault. But, can you see how that would make me a nervous passenger?

You really have to watch out for the other drivers on the road!

Join us for Heads or Tails where this week's topic is "watch."

Subscribe in a reader

17 comments:

  1. How awful, but am glad you had angels watching over you and your children that day.

    I was in a serious car accident on New Year's Day 1975. It took a LONG time to feel safe in a car again.

    ReplyDelete
  2. oh wow. thats terrible. thankfull for the kids, they didnt get hurt.
    do you suffer any today from that broken bone? im a nerveous rider too, my husband is careless i think at times. and i dont drive i have a phobia in big city's. we live in San Antonio, TX. But we are moving back home to Northern New York in a few weeks.
    hope you are doign well. i like your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Things can change in an instant. A warning for all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I so agree with you...it's the OTHER drivers we need to WATCH. Why just a few months ago, in a parking lot, as we were in the driveway getting ready to pull out on the street, the van ahead of us also waiting to pull out, decides to back up to allow a pedestrian to cross the walk....he backed right into me! Backed up without looking. Damage to the car, but geez....some drivers. Y'know? Glad you were okay.

    Great post.

    My HoT is posted. I have a 'watch' cat, sunrise, history and movies today.

    Happy New Year Wishes to you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
  5. my other half is a passenger driver too. drives me batty lol. i can see why it worries you though after the accident.must be nerve racking

    ReplyDelete
  6. I happy to hear that you are ok. And yes, people should be watching out for others!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I trust my Poor Hubby to get me where I'm going much more than I trust myself. I was rear-ended last year & everytime someone else (never Poor Hubby) cuts us off or something, I tense up. Can't help it. I know what it's like!! I'm a much observant driver now, though!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Horrible accident but Wonderful that you pulled through. Watching out for others is a good thing - they don't seem to be watching out for themselves, do they?

    ReplyDelete
  9. You always need a good defense when driving. I do not drive with my husband anymore I'm afraid he will kill us.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Car accidents are so scary. I always worry when my kids are in cars. I can't help it. Like you said, it's the other drivers you have to worry about. There are so many reckless ones out there.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow ... that was SOME association to this week's theme, but I understand why you WATCH so carefully. Methinks I would too.
    Hugs and blessings,

    ReplyDelete
  12. That's so scary! Thank God you guys were all okay.

    ReplyDelete
  13. OMG...glad to hear you are OK.

    ReplyDelete
  14. How scary! It's true you have to watch out for the other drivers - many of them are idiots! Thank God the kids were uninjured, and that you have recovered!

    I pray that people will not drink and drive this New Year's - it's a tragic combination.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh HOW scary Diane!! Thank god you weren't hurt worse and the kids were okay!
    I am the WORST passenger! I slam my hand against the passenger door in fear everytime I get scared and end up SCARING the beejeebees out of the driver!
    I have also been in a few accidents and It scares me so much!
    lately, i feel the drivers out there are just SO SO ridiculously distracted! it makes driving more risky than ever.

    ReplyDelete
  16. the last time I drove, I brought the kids on back seat all were asleep. suddenly from the mirror I saw Ar was about to fall. instead of keep driving, I turned my body back and tried to keep Ar from falling from the seat.

    result: I turned me steer, and my car, the same way I turned my body. it climbed up a park and tore up the left front wheel.

    I quit driving ever since.

    ReplyDelete

I love comments! Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails