I’m safe and sound in central NJ at my friend’s apartment, but there was a pretty scary moment on I-95 today. It’s funny, I had a bad feeling about the drive all morning.
I hit traffic as soon as I got off the Beltway and onto 95. I was trying to decide whether to take 301 all the way up, and Sarah convinced me that 95 wouldn’t be too bad. It was around Baltimore, though. But after some miles of truly aggravating stop-and-then-do-65 mph, I finally cleared Baltimore, and cleared all the traffic, and all three lanes were doing about 75. I was in the left-hand lane, doing 74 (I always stay that one mile under the ten miles over, for points and dollars’ sake). All of a sudden, and I do mean all of a sudden, EVERYONE slammed on their brakes. Apparently, only moments before, some idiots got into a crash and wound up blocking the left and center lanes. It happened so quickly that I could see the police car backing up from the shoulder on the southbound side. But that was after I slammed on the brakes, my car swerved onto the shoulder, I turned the wheel into the swerve (and think I must have moved the steering wheel leftward out of sheer self-protection, though I did stop before coming in contact with the car in front of me), and saw that the car behind me had also gone on the shoulder, and thought, “Asshole, why are you following me? You’re going to hit me!”). Luckily, he didn’t.
Anyway. We were very, very fortunate. There were no other crashes, and it didn’t look like the two cars involved in the accident sustained much damage, either. I was wondering if it was the schmuck in the silver sedan that I saw cut someone off earlier.
I was literally gasping like I’d run a mile, that much adrenaline got pumped into my veins. Took me a long time to calm down.
I am so glad I wasn’t talking on the cell, or changing a tape, or grabbing something out of the cooler at that moment. I am very thankful to have missed a big one.
Of course, when Mom asked me how was the drive: “Oh, the usual. No real problems.”
I learned a long time ago not to tell her things like this.
Shabbat Shalom.
Whew. Thank goodness you’re OK.
Doesn’t your mom read your blog?
Nope, she doesn’t. Not unless I tell her to, and trust me, I won’t tell her about this one.
But wait until you hear the next story. My mother and I almost met via car at an intersection near my brother’s house. And no, it wasn’t going to be my fault.
74 on MD’s I-95? You are still driving like you live in NJ. Baruch Hashem, you and your family are OK.
chsw
Woah. Thank God you’re all right.
Scary story…glad to hear you suffered nothing more than an adrenaline rush.
Talking on a cell phone while driving – even with hands-free equipment – is extremely distracting and dangerous. After doing a study in which they found that cell phone usage had the same effect as a couple of stiff drinks, my company banned all cell phone use while driving on Company business. It’s far more distracting than other things like eating, adjusting the radio, or talking to companions in the car. I’ve completely stopped doing it…and I would suggest you do the same.