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A mummy-hand holding, (former) biker gang affiliating, hippie influenced semi crunchy granola mom's ramblings and reminisings on an off-kilter life

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Grinding metal

Have you ever had an unfounded fear, one that makes you say, "this is how I am going to die?"

Sure, it is a morose thought, a thought I shove down inside and try to ignore.

I am talking about car accidents. I read the Highway Patrol reports and local news about "TCs" or traffic collisions, I notice the burnt rubber marks across lanes and the crosses decorating my winding road. I go through days where I refuse to drive myself anywhere, the fear gripping me and crippling me. I get convinced, especially with my horrid vision problems, that I will meet my demise by a horrifying car accident. When I am okay with driving myself,I am hyper vigilant and notice cars too close behind me, on their cell phone, weaving, or looking tired. It's nerve wracking.

It wasn't so bad many years ago; when I finally got my license and car at age 22, I could not stay put! I once drove over an hour to the ocean just to say I had been to the beach, and I took weekly trips to the ethnic enclaves of Los Angeles, or the bustling clubs of Hollywood just because I could. I would sacrifice my measly food budget, subsiding off of ramen and cereal just to have gas money, to be a college nomad in the concrete jungle of California.

One day, I was on the Ten Freeway and there was a semi truck to my left and one to the right and they both tried to merge into my lane with me in it. I slammed down on the accelerator and watched them nearly hit one another, just inches from my tail lights. I pulled off the freeway and sat there and cried. A panic attack overcame me as I realized I was not invincible, that cars were deadly weapons.

A year later, I went to run errands and then meet my fiancé for coffee. We had taken separate cars, and I had finished my coffee too quickly and was ready to head home and make sure our puppy hadn't eaten the couch or my shoes or the cat. My fiancé stayed to finish his coffee and off I went.

I was driving up the boulevard in my nearly new car when it happened. To my right was a street that bisected the boulevard, a stop sign was there for them to stop since the boulevard was through traffic with a high speed limit. Approaching the stop sign was an older maroon car that sure didn't look like it was going to stop. I didn't know what to do. I was going 45mph and he sure looked to be doing the same, but I couldn't slam on my breaks at 45 with traffic behind me. So I sped up. I remember crossing into the opposing lane, hoping no one would hit me head on, hoping the guy would stop. He didn't.

I didn't hear a sound when he hit me on the passenger side. I don't know if I screamed. All I know is I was propelled far into opposing traffic. I knew that all sound had stopped and time had slowed. I slowly pushed the brakes an nothing happened. I tried to jerk the wheel away from oncoming traffic but noting happened. I slowly spun out of control for what seemed like hours, silently whirling out of control. I was in a panic, my car would not work at all, like that nightmare where your legs won't run but worse. Whatever happened, I could not stop it.

I spun into a driveway where my car's momentum slowed and stopped. I numbly jumped out of the car, the airbag not even deployed but my entire passenger side crumpled. I saw the maroon car and said, "ambulance, call an ambulance that f@cker hit me", except I was crying and shaking furiously, stuttering and pacing in circles. I didn't realize the maroon car was the f@cker for a moment. When I finally did, I wanted to scream, cuss him out, strangle him and kick him in the nuts for not stopping and actually hitting me. But all I could muster were choked sobs and crazy lady muttering. I couldn't even think straight to give him my name and insurance information.

I don't know if an ambulance came or not. I was so shaken up, all I remember is calling my fiancé and sobbing,"accident. Hurry" as my stupid cell lost reception. He supposedly drove well over the speed limit, not sure if I were dead or alive. I don't recall getting in his car. I don't recall speaking to the police. It all went kind of blank.

I ended up un-injured, my car completely totaled. Therefore, it seemed to be a happy ending but it has marred me for life. I now know how quickly things can happen, how if even the slightest thing changed, I could have been killed. How it could happen again. In a split of a second, the last sound you might ever hear would be the grinding of metal or the odd silence of tragedy.


16 comments:

  1. Oh, honey -- no wonder you're so scared! I would be too...

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  2. Wow. I'm glad you're okay. As okay as you can be.

    http://truthfully.ca

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  3. Oh my, I am SO glad you are ok! This is one of my biggest fears too. I'm super paranoid, especially around trucks. My son starts driving on a permit next week and I'm terrified. So scary how dangerous cars are.

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  4. I'm so sorry. When you started talking about car accidents, I had to stop reading because I still have PTSD from a fatal car accident I was in eleven years ago. Sorry I had to pass this post by. But, it's a reflection of your words that you invoked such emotion in me so promptly.

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  5. I can see why you would be a little paranoid, anxious about driving with the near encounter you had and that accident. I am very thankful I work at home so I'm spared the commute on the Southern California freeways; it truly is a jungle out there and people seem to be less careful with their driving, not stopping at stop signs but rolling through them, going through red lights, etc.

    betty

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  6. Wow. I can't even imagine what that felt like. I was hit by a car while walking once, and I truly didn't know what hit me. I consider it a blessing that I was walking one moment, staring up at the stars from the asphalt the next, and have no memory of what happened in between.

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  7. What a horrible thing to happen! Your writing is so vivid. It's amazing how a split second can change everything.

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  8. Whoa! You brought some emotion to a past gone by.
    I am glad you are here to tell about it.

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  9. Everyone should take driving more seriously, no question. I'm horrified by the people I see texting, talking and putting on makeup as they drive!

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  10. Ughhh how incredibly scary! Glad you were alright (physically)

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  11. I've been in two car accidents (both hit from behind) well over 12 years ago and I still have anxiety about it happening again when I drive. So glad to hear you were okay, but I don't think it's something you ever get completely over. Those flash moments seem to creep in every now and then.

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  12. My goodness you told that story very well. I've been involved in a fender bender but not anything like this. I'm glad you were ok. I can only imagine how you must sometimes feel casually driving down the street.

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  13. I remember when this happened; that was so long ago now!

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  14. I have this fear all the time. Your ending to this post is so powerful: "the odd silence of tragedy".

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  15. SO SCARY. My dad always impressed upon us that cars are huge pieces of metal that weigh tons and go at ridiculous speeds - deadly weapons, as you say. I often think of how close we come, all the time, to grievous bodily harm... Really well-written post, but it's awful that you went through that.

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