A Crash Course in I Almost Died

A couple of days ago, I was on my way to Costco in my wife’s car to fill it up for her. To get there, I have to take the highway and get off the highway in about 3 miles. Make a left, make another left, and Costco is right there.

Only it could have easily been the last time I go to Costco. Hell, I didn’t even make it into the parking lot or gas pumps.

You Can Never Be Too Careful

As I was turning into the shopping center that is Costco, the main street you run off of is currently under construction. I had my own left turn lane that was made of traffic cones and there was a car behind me, as well as who knows how many other cars behind me.

The oncoming side of the street has 3 lanes to it. The closest one to me left a gap so that I could pass. It then becomes a social contract if middle lane guy wants to also leave room for me to turn or be deemed an asshole by his lane brethren, so he obliges also. In the picture below of the intersection, I am where the X is.

Since lanes 1 and 2 gave me their blessing to go, I go, and I go fast. What I was not able to see is the guy in the SUV hauling ass in lane 3. I make it through the intersection unscathed, but it almost easily could have ended in catastrophe.

I honked when I got through, out of anger. And later, as I ruminate over what had just happened, I realized that it would have been my fault. I should have waited for all 3 lanes to be either stopped, or clear. Just because I got the go ahead from lanes 1 and 2 didn’t give me the right of way to go through.

The side of the car that would have taken the impact would have been where my son’s car seat is. Luckily, it was just me in the car. But all kinds of scenarios went through my mind. Because this happened on a sunny day, with everything else otherwise going well. I had good music on the radio, and then it could have all just ended. Ended forever.

The other guy was moving at about 50mph, and even if he had seen me and decided to stop for me, he would not have had enough room. In an hour from all of this, we were to go to my son’s new school to meet his teachers and get a feel for how it’ll be when he starts there. And it could have been a situation where the first responders call her to tell her there has been an accident.

Why do I mention this? I’m still rattled by it and it gave me a sense of gratitude from the “other side.” Like when we went to his school, I was envisioning in real time what was going on, as what would be played to me in the great beyond as to how the rest of the day would have been like. Like some It’s a Wonderful Life shit.

It did also occur to me how devastated the other family would have been. I don’t think they would have walked away unscathed. It’s not like they signed up for it.

A Timeline Avoided

So as you go about your day, keep in mind that though this didn’t happen to you, it happens to a lot of us on the daily, like some Final Destination shit also if we are to keep mentioning movies.

Be careful out there. Don’t get too comfortable behind the wheel, because it can all end like (snaps fingers). I’m grateful as fuck to still be alive and have my family, and that it was only a scare.

GratefulAF