May 15 2008
Positive 3 We are alive! But almost weren’t
I again am preempting my scheduled post. (tomorrow I will post it: a wonderful letter written to a Hospice worker by my friend, printed with her permission) Why? Because we almost became part of the interstate this morning. So, my current positive post is:
Thank you to the powers looking after us, but ALSO, thank you Leon for remaining calm after the semi side-swiped us and turned us sideways and pushed us up on two wheels. Leon saved our lives by thinking instantly and remaining in control of the car.
We were in the right lane. The semi was behind other cars in the lane to our left. A small car changed from the third lane I was told (I didn’t see that tiny bit, Leon and the truck driver did.) He didn’t really have room, I guess. The bottom line, I looked over just before that car hit the car in front of him (looked like more of a tap), but by his pulling in front of the truck and then having to slow down so fast, the truck driver was essentially screwed (sorry, but that is my word of choice today). I can only say that I didn’t feel it go on two wheels, but Leon did and the truck driver saw it.
All I know is we got bumped in Leon’s door and back wheel by the semi as the semi tried to avoid plowing those other two cars across who knows how many lanes — and I saw us heading crossways across the interstate toward all the other lanes, Leon calmly steered us back (by not panicking or overcorrecting!!!!) and got us off to the side of the road. So that is where he gets credit. Those looking out for us get credit because of two things: The truck driver remained in control apparently for the most part, and whoever was behind us managed not to hit us!!!!! And with the number of cars out there and the speed… it is a miracle, plain and simple. We are ALL thankful.
We don’t know if the car and the car it hit initially knew the havoc caused or not, they kept going apparently. When we got to the side, the semi pulled in behind us and one of them got out before us. I asked him if everyone else was OK and he said yes. At that time I thought the other cars had stopped behind them, but that wouldn’t have made sense would it? They were ahead of us as we got hit. Anyway, my shoulder is bothering me, but I am not sure it is from that.
And the truck drivers, the Florida Highway Patrol (phone and in person), and AAA (phone and in person), and our son (it was HIS car, our A/C had gone and we were on the way to pick it up) were all decent to deal with.
The worst part: Waiting on the side of the interstate for way too long with ALL those cars and semis flying by above the speed limit instead of slowing down or changing lanes… We came to a stop toward the top of the overpass and if I could have gotten down that hill - trust me, I would have.
