shatto
01-30-2011, 09:11 PM
"A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage - but had the potential to do so. Only a fortunate break in the chain of events prevented an injury, fatality or damage."
I heard the four cylinder engine, straining to manufacture horsepower at full throttle, before I saw the Subaru coming into view from the right of my rear-view mirror headed left at break-neck speed. Cruising along at 55 MPH in the far right lane of the freeway in my Tundra; 'Clyde The Ride' I realized instantly that he had 'punched it' as he accelerated around the curve and onto the on-ramp to my right and.....lost it. He was going sideways coming from my 5 o'clock and narrowly missed me, perhaps because I had begun moving left, fishtailed a few times then 'T-boned' a Suburban right in the door which caused him to lose control and smash, head-on into the freeway sound wall.
Well...
Last week I was in Petaluma, "The egg capitol of the World" headed south from Santa Rosa and took the off-ramp off the 101 Freeway to go to Vallejo (Va-lay-ho unless you really speak Espanol and say Vi-yay-ho) but I digressed; I would be turning into the setting sun so I had the visor full down and my polarized sunglasses on. I was set. Ready. Prepared.
It is an old-time off-ramp. It did have a long slow down lane that ends in a 90 degree right then a short, maybe 8-car long run to the traffic light. Nobody in front of me as I slowed to ten miles per hour and less, to make the sharp left turn. Looking back and forth I was almost at the intersection, made my final check left, then right and was ready to begin accelerating when RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME WAS A BICYCLIST!
Good thing I brake with the left foot and my foot was already on the pedal. How close? My hood blocked out his wheels.
I don't think he ever knew I was there.
I heard the four cylinder engine, straining to manufacture horsepower at full throttle, before I saw the Subaru coming into view from the right of my rear-view mirror headed left at break-neck speed. Cruising along at 55 MPH in the far right lane of the freeway in my Tundra; 'Clyde The Ride' I realized instantly that he had 'punched it' as he accelerated around the curve and onto the on-ramp to my right and.....lost it. He was going sideways coming from my 5 o'clock and narrowly missed me, perhaps because I had begun moving left, fishtailed a few times then 'T-boned' a Suburban right in the door which caused him to lose control and smash, head-on into the freeway sound wall.
Well...
Last week I was in Petaluma, "The egg capitol of the World" headed south from Santa Rosa and took the off-ramp off the 101 Freeway to go to Vallejo (Va-lay-ho unless you really speak Espanol and say Vi-yay-ho) but I digressed; I would be turning into the setting sun so I had the visor full down and my polarized sunglasses on. I was set. Ready. Prepared.
It is an old-time off-ramp. It did have a long slow down lane that ends in a 90 degree right then a short, maybe 8-car long run to the traffic light. Nobody in front of me as I slowed to ten miles per hour and less, to make the sharp left turn. Looking back and forth I was almost at the intersection, made my final check left, then right and was ready to begin accelerating when RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME WAS A BICYCLIST!
Good thing I brake with the left foot and my foot was already on the pedal. How close? My hood blocked out his wheels.
I don't think he ever knew I was there.