Speaking of being safe....
About three years ago as I was trying to go to sleep I had a premonition I would die on hwy 15 between Houston and Pontotoc, Mississippi. I drive all over but that's what the image that flashed in my mind told me. I figured there must be some mistake because I've known since a teen that I will die between the two pear trees in my side yard. It sort of sat in the back of my mind though. As such I drive slower on that road.
A couple of weeks ago I had my front two tires changed out because the belt in one of them was showing. I never seem to have time to do anything but stop gap measures though and did not change out the back ones which were fairly worn as well. I would get around to it soon I told myself. Today it was raining, not hard but steady, and there was a little wind but hardly gale force. Nowhere near as bad as I have driven in. Hell, I drove from Saint Louis to Memphis on a solid sheet of slick ice jammed in with a packed line of eighteen wheelers. I've driven every day for over thirty years from ten to maybe five or six in the evening. I drive hard most of the time pushing the limit of what I can get away with knowing every minute adds up. I've seen a lot on the road, had lots of close calls, I always thought I took just enough care though.
Today I was on the road between Houston and Pontotoc. It was raining, not hard, just steady like I said, and had been since yesterday. I had felt my wheels skip over some rain channels in the road like usual earlier. You just stay out of the deeper channels and ride more toward the middle line which isn't as beaten down. Well this road didn't even have a channel so no worries right? The rain wasn't pooling. No problem. I was doing 55 mph anyway. I came over a small rise and as the road leveled again my rear wheels began to slip. It was as if someone had pushed on my rear bumper but I couldn't tell there was that much wind. Odd. I let off expecting it to correct as it always does. It didn't. I turned into the skid which works most all of the time. It didn't this time.
The problem with turning into a skid is that as long as it corrects you are golden but when it doesn't by the time your rear end is sideways you are in a spin as the front wheels are turned just perfect for that. After the first full revolution I thought this was it. This is when I die. After the second I thought no. I'm slowing some, not much but maybe enough if that oncoming car sees me and slows too. I calmed right down. On the third revolution I knew I was going to be okay, maybe beat up some, but alive. The premonition wasn't true unless I hit the culvert and started flipping. By the fourth I could see where I was going to end up and there was a large oak tree there. By the fifth I had missed the culvert and with my wheels straightened slowing further. By the sixth I was off the road but the leaves and mud were too slick. No way I would stop before I hit that tree but maybe it wouldn't be too bad. One more full turn and I could see it wouldn't hit my door which was good. No broken glass all over and cold invading. I hit on my bed side just ahead of the rear wheel. I was buckled and the jolt yanked me hard against the belt. Not bad. Not great but not bad.
It was the perfect place to hit if you had to pick. It didn't damage the door or wheel. Maybe with enough pedal I could back out even. Wouldn't that be great? No dice. With the rear wheels slick and in slick mud no dice. I got out. The woman who pulled over was worried. A sweet and professionally dressed young black woman. I'm okay. Really. It just looked bad. I finally convinced her it was okay to leave. Just call the highway patrol for me. She did. The sheriff got there first. Old Toccopola boy. I gave him my business card and a synopsis of the wreck and he said he would get a chain. The highway patrol came by while he was gone and I gave him the same along with my drivers license. I was glad that when I got out the first time I saw a beer bottle nearby and had kicked it into the woods just in case somebody might think it belonged to me. Paperwork then the sheriff came back and pulled me out. Not so bad of a dent. I might even be able to push it out. Mostly.
Overall not too bad a stroke of luck. Luck it was though. I've had some experience spinning in circles on the road and maybe I'll tell a story or two of that in my thread but not now. I know it could have gone much worse. I drove on home. There was one more stop I was supposed to make but I just didn't think I had enough luck left today. I'm getting new rear tires tomorrow. Right now I'm having a Jack and coke.