This won't even be of interest to myself as of tomorrow....
But I just had a harrowing adventure. I decided against my better judgement to go out tonight in a potential ice storm then acted surprised as I drove into my hill dominated neighborhood and started slipping all over the place just after midnight. I figured I could slowly, very very slowly ease my car down my hill to my house, but just as I had that thought and took my car our of gear I started sliding again and almost hit a parked car. Instead I narrowed in on the nearest curb parking spot and slid in there using my master ice driving skills learned at Portland skid school (it's real you should take a course). I then turned my wheels to the curb, put on my parking break and took my foot of the brake. The car continued to slide, I panicked (which is not what they teach in skid school) and punched the brake which locked the tires and made the slide worse. I eased up and slowly applied the brake and came to a stop.
What do you think my next move was?
You're right I called my dad at 12:30 in the morning and woke him up. He told me to put the car in reverse and ease off the brake again. This worked but I was still nervous. What if I shifted my body weight wrong? What if my body weight was the only thing keeping the car grounded? Dad talked me into getting out of the car in order to look for rocks or a place I could anchor my car too using a tow chain. I had no luck with either of these and instead said a prayer that my neighbors would not wake to find my Mazda smashed into their garage. Oh...I forgot to mention that by the time my car had stopped sliding it was half blocking my neighbors driveway and was no longer resting against a curb, but just the dip to their garage.
I walked gingerly and slowly down the rest of the hill to my street at which point I slipped and fell. When I landed I didn't stop moving, my momentum carried me almost entirely down my steep hill to my house at the bottom. I used my right arm as a paddle towards the end and stood up when I reached my mailbox.
My butt is frozen and I've learned my lesson. I will undoubtedly double learn my lesson if my car moves of it own volition during the night and surprises my neighbors.
4 comments:
This was funny to picture in my mind. hehe. Reminded me of many days in Rexburg. That skid school has saved my butt a few times as well.
Wait, is there really a Portland Skid School?
Yep. They put you in a tiny civic that can be programmed to sit up on two castor wheels instead of regular wheels so that if you make any sudden driving moves it throws you into a spin. Then you have to drive in and out of orange cones until they're happy with your progress.
I am secretly hopin some captured this event on video and put it on youtube. Why did I take this skid class if you and Aud id?
Post a Comment