dinsdag 22 november 2011

30 seconds between my car and the one that got hit

Yesterday, it was a serious foggy day in Belgium visibility was maybe 50 metres.
I was driving home from the carpool, around 6:15 PM, as I was halfway on the highway I was driving on when I noticed signs on the side of the road. Traffic works expect delays.

I slowed down and at the moment I saw the upcoming traffic jam emerge from the mist, I started breaking and switching on indicators so all 4 flash. Normally these are meant for when you car broke down on the road or you were hit. But down here we allso use the to signal traffic jam to the trafic behind us.

I slowed down and joined the traffic jam, cars behind me didn't slow down and went left and right from me. At the time I was at a exit of the highway, a few moment later a S.U.V. joined the que behind me. I was relieved no longer was I primary at risk of being hit, so I turned my eyes forward from the rear view mirror.

Less then 30 seconds later it happened, I heard the screaming of tires, the sound of metal chrashing. Which was followed by my car jolting forward 10-30 cm. A foul smell imediatlly filled my car (I recognised it as burning rubber), and I both was panicking and crying. My car, my pride and joy, had been hit or so I thought.I immediatly put my car of the highway onto the emergency lane. Then I noticed on the left off me the S.U.V had skimmed by me, a quarter of its backside was gone, on the right of me I saw VW van doing a few 360's before slamming into the guardrail.

Making sure I was on the emergency lane, I got out of my car and quickly checked my car. Miracously my car had no damage, but broken glass of the S.U.V lay all over my roof and even on my hood. One of the taillights of the S.U.V even lay in front of me.

I ran toward the VW van checking the driver, he was unresponsive so I dialed 100 on my cell (100 is our 911), but had to turn it off when I realised that due to the schock I had no idea where I was. I knew the highway number but my mind went completly blank on the exit number or the town it was for.Luckely somebody else had stopped and called them already.

I called my dad to come and get me since I was to spooked to continue, he off course was no help. I tried explaining where I was but he couldn't understand where I was,so after asking permission to leave from the people  already on the scene, I drove a few metres backward and exited the highway severly spooked.

It took me another 45 minutes to get home on the slowpoke speed I dared at, at home I was a bit angry at my dad, cause I was panicking and shocked when it all hapened and he expected me to give him a better explanation. The anger didn't last,but last night I couldn't sleep or really relax.

No fog  today, but I when I passed the place it happened this morning I became a bit nervous though.

Geen opmerkingen:

Een reactie posten