Black Ice - What Lies Beneath

In the past, I've sometimes found writing this blog to be therapeutic and a viable way to work through whatever issues that may have been plaguing my thoughts at that particular time...
I hope this helps me, today....

Without revealing my chronological age, I can verify that I've been driving for quite some time.  Living in Canada, you learn to drive a vehicle in several different ways to successfully combat the several different road conditions you may encounter in any given season.  Springtime tends to bring a lot of rain, causing roads to be slick and wet during the day, only to turn icy at night when the mercury drops below zero ℃.  Summer isn't too bad, I've found, but as soon as the leaves turn colour and the snow begins to fly, that's when we, driver's need to be more weary.

Black ice is our worst enemy.  It's the thin layer of ice that blankets the road, which is nearly impossible to see with the naked eye, unless you're lucky enough to catch a faint glimmer of it.  A faint reflection of ice crystals catching the light at just the right angle, bouncing back to your pupil.  Most, sadly, ignore this and continue to drive just as they had been all summer long.  I've always credited myself as a better driver than these kinds of people.  I've always considered myself a better driver than most people, even on my worst day.  Last week, I had the absolute worst day of my driving career.

I'm not saying that I've never had an accident.  I've had a few misfortunes in my life.  I once lost control and crashed a small Chevrolet Chevette into a row of parked cars.  That was a terrible accident and I was severely injured at the time.  Most people, upon seeing the damage done to the car, questioned how I wasn't hurt more seriously.  It was a nasty one, I will admit, but afterward, I had no qualms about sitting behind the wheel.

This accident that I had on Thursday night/Friday morning, was unlike anything I've ever experienced.  I can say, beyond a reasonable doubt, that I'm afraid to drive.  I ventured out Sunday, but I was frightened by the aggressive drivers around me.  The big 4x4 trucks speeding up behind me.  I thought for sure, one of them were going to corral me into the ditch.  Last night I ventured out to buy some milk, which took me about four hours to get up the courage, as it'd been raining all day long.  The temperature was above zero℃, so there wasn't any icing issues, but it has snowed overnight and there are some errands that I sloughed off yesterday, that need to be done today.  As I look out the window, I can visibly see the ice and snow compiled on the city streets.  I don't know if I can go out in that...  Worse yet, I have to work tonight, which means venturing out in the cold winter night and driving that same route, passing that same corner where I lost complete control last week and slammed into the side of that silver GMC.

It took me about four hours to gain the courage to drive to the corner store for milk, yesterday.  I dread having to go to work, tonight...

I see on television, people who suffer severe anxiety following a terrible accident, and I've always mocked them.  Now I'm feeling about the same way.  I was feeling worthless before this occurred.  I feel even worse, now. 😣

I never found this to be therapeutic, this time 'round.
In fact, I feel a little worse off, now...

SMASHED

As a very small youngster, I recall my uncle teaching me how to ride a dirt bike he had on his farm.  It was a short lesson and I thought I'd caught on fairly quickly, but soon found myself hurling out of control on a gentle curve.  It was scary how quickly I had lost control, myself helpless upon a racing motorcycle whipping through shoulder height field of wheat.  After that, I would never attempt to ride a motorcycle again.  Over my adult life, I've always held a healthy respect for the two-wheeled vehicles, but have never mustered up the courage to tempt fate once more.

Whenever I've spoken with or to people who ride motorcycles, the number one complaint that is common with everyone is the fact that they seem to disappear in traffic.  Despite the loud exhaust rumbling out a throaty growl, most traffic don't actually see, motorcyclists.  This often results in mishaps where riders can be severely injured.

About ten years ago, I was driving home from work when I came upon a traffic accident.  There was a leather-clad motorcyclist visibly shaking on the boulevard, just a few feet from his motorcycle that had been sandwiched between two cars.  Judging from the twisted mess that was lying half underneath the car in front, it was lucky that he'd escaped with only a couple of abrasions.  The outcome had the potential to be a lot worse.

For the entirety of my adult driving life, I've taken special care whenever I encounter a motorcycle in traffic.  I realize that many people overlook their existence, so I take on the responsibility to buffer the zone between them and other traffic.  I don't tailgate or anything moronic like that, but I'll happily lose some time on my travels to ensure their safety in heavy traffic.

I know that not everyone on the road, today, is oblivious to motorcycles, but there are some who don't even think about them.  Add in the distractions that many have, their noses aimed at their cell phones, rather than concentrating on the road ahead, traffic can become a veritable mine field for some riders.

Given the challenges that motorcyclists have maneuvering safely in traffic, it baffles me why some riders think themselves invincible by drinking and driving.  Driving under the influence is challenging as it is, behind the wheel of a four-wheeled vehicle.  Minus two tires and add balance to the equation, equals a bad situation by my count.

Earlier this evening, the police responded to a single motorcycle accident where the rider lost control of his bike, striking a post and dying on scene.  Investigators suspect speed and alcohol were likely contributing factors.  I know the intersection where this accident occurred and it can be a little challenging sober, in a car traveling at the legal speed limit.  Racing on what is most likely a Japanese rocket, this poor drunk fool didn't stand a chance.

I doubt this was his first day riding a motorcycle.  I would imagine that he experienced all the same challenges as the motorcycle enthusiasts that I've spoken with, have.  So why add alcohol?

I'm no angel.  I'm not going to point and wag my finger like I'm holier than thou.  I've driven drunk.  Twice.  The first time scared the living shit out of me and I swore I'd never do it again.  The second time, I was high from marijuana, and that ended with someone stealing my car after I got home, ultimately f*cking with my memory and I've never done it since.  I got off lucky in both instances, but things could've been different.  Given all the distractions and outside interference, we, as a society, don't need to drink and drive.  That's just f*cking stupid.

I'm not writing this with any hidden message.  We're all adults.  We can take responsibility for our own actions.  I just got off Twitter after reading about this accident and it left me scratching my head and asking WHY?

The F*cking Idiot Defense

I recall, about a year ago, a visit to Costco.  The parking lot there is made up of one ways.  Traffic travels in one direction to access parking, then travel in the opposite direction the next lane over to do the same.  I happened to be trolling up one of the lanes looking for a vacant spot, when I was greeted halfway down by a car travelling in the opposite direction.  I honked my horn to get the driver's attention, rolling down my window in the process.  

"You're going in the wrong direction!" I called out.  Each lane is clearly marked, so her response to my comment was completely unexpected, and pretty f*cking stupid, might I add.

"I'm from out of town," she said, "So I didn't know."

Stupidity is not a f*cking excuse.  If a person held a loaded gun up to someone and squeezed the trigger, thus shooting that someone in the face, the excuse of "I'm from out of town, so I didn't know the gun would go off..." is not valid.  Although, that being said, I wonder why more people don't try to use the "F*cking Idiot Defense" when on trial.  (*It'd be pretty entertaining to see CNN's Nancy Grace's response to this.)

Fast forward to tonight.  I just happened to catch some of the local news, which reported on the Train vs Vehicle accident that occurred south of the city.  Apparently, a couple of women, also from out of town, were travelling to a horse show in a rural community.  They were heading south when they approached a railroad which dissected the road on which they were travelling.  According to the news report, the driver never noticed the train fast approaching until it blew it's horn.  Instead of slowing to a stop, she instead opted to press down hard on the gas, in a desperate attempt to beat the train.  A stunt which her pick-up truck lost, as the train struck the rear of the box, sending the truck into the air.  As if that weren't bad enough, what I've not yet mentioned is, they had a horse trailer in-tow, which did not fair as well as the truck did.

Two horses were inside the trailer.  One, thankfully, died on impact, while the second, lived for several minutes after the accident, with broken legs and in, no doubt, agonizing pain.  It's one thing to put your own safety at risk for an unbelievably stupid stunt, but when you put others, is just blatantly insane.  The horses, according to the news reporter, were described as "best friends", "pets", and "family members".  The combined value of the two horses approach $100K.

I'm no advocate for horses.  I don't find them to be the beautiful creatures that everyone touts them to be, but at the same time, they are living creatures that deserve to expire in a more gracious and graceful manner.

It was mentioned that "unfamiliarity with the area" may have been a factor in the accident, but before the news report concluded, the camera flashed on the railroad crossing sign, which also sported a stop sign, similar to the one pictured above.  So I question the "unfamiliarity with the area" defense.  No matter where you go in this country, the signs pretty much all look alike.  Even the ones in Quebec, which are obscured with that f*cked up language of french, are the same.  This is why they use different shapes and illustrations on the signs.  I would even dare to go as far as to say, anywhere in the world, the signs are pretty much alike.  So once more, being from out of town isn't a valid excuse, here.  I hope that the RCMP who are investigating the incident, throws every fathomable charge at the driver.  The "F*cking Idiot Defense" should not play a factor in her escaping prosecution.