Driving back down C470 this morning, after running an errand, I slowed a bit as I passed the University overpass. Traffic often slows there, unexpectedly (or expectedly, I guess, since I was expecting it). And, sure enough, things began to slow.
I mean, just slow. Not slam on the brakes stop, or anything like that. Not even much in the way of brake lights. Just … slowing.
At which point I noticed the black SUV behind me. And noticed it not slowing. And noticed it not slowing. And noticed it … slamming on its brakes at the last second and the alarm on the driver’s face as she started swerving left into the median to keep from HITTING ME …
And found myself in the right-hand lane, alarmed and looking over my shoulder to see if she had crashed into the car in front of me, or into other traffic or something. Mercifully, she was okay (she waved apologetically at me (“Yeah, sure, no prob!”)), as was the surrounding traffic, at least for the moment.
It was … an invigorating trip home.
Lucky bastard. ;P
All of my rear-endings have been just like that…except that the realize that I am not moving at like 3′ off the back end of my car.
All of those accidents except one have happened at Red Lights and the one was in a traffic jam and the guy who hit me was on a cell phone and didn’t realize that I was not moving.
I was helped by still moving forward at a decent speed, so I could maneuver out of the way (had I not, yes, I would have been hit, fairly hard, and would likely have hit the person in front of me). Brrrrr.
I’ve been rear-ended and rear-ended others. Never any fun, even without injuries taking place.
Glad you’re still here!
I was stopped at a train crossing once, first in line, waiting for freight train to pass. Young woman in Old Cutlass Siera rear-ended me, crushing the grille and hood against the steel rear bumper of my van. I was slightly hurt, the bumper was twisted a bit, her car was totalled.
Always wondered what she’d have done if I hadn’t been there? Hit the train? Would have been a lot less forgiving than my van.
Lately, ever time I find myself the victim of another driver’s inattention, I see that they’re talking on a cell phone. “Drive now, talk later,” that’s my philosphy.
This person was, so far as I could see, not.
We actually have a very firm company policy (being a safety-oriented engineering firm) forbidding cell phone use, even “hands-free,” while on company time. That’s extended to “being on phone calls while commuting to and from work,” which is both greatly inconvenient and a marvelous excuse (not to mention safer).
I read somewhere that cell phone conversations are more distracting than others in the car (which are distracting enough) because according to the study, the half-second delay of packet reassembly from the other end in digital conversation is enough to trigger a huge amount of attention from the brain.
Lesson learned: do not drive while on a conference call with Luna or even the ISS. The time-delay will cause an accident.
That’s actually very interesting. Hmmm.