Now You’re here, Now You’re Not

If someone were to ask me what kind of a summer I am having I would have to say that as of last week I am having the luckiest one yet. The weather hasn’t any part in
this nor have the normal things that we do in the summer months. It is just the
fact that I am still here to write about what did happen to bring this on.

We were bored one day last week and decided that we would like to go for a short car
ride somewhere nearby just to look at something different. The French River Trading
Post was our choice and off we went for the day.

All was well until we got into that construction zone down highway 69 where they are
working on the new highway section. There was quite a bit of traffic heading down
that road with us. Signs were posted to warn drivers of the obvious construction
area. We went on our way in a relaxed manner as we usually did on a day trip.

A huge dump truck was ahead of us. Suddenly it stopped. Then the signal blinked
that it was making a left turn. No warning! It was just there in front of us
stopped waiting to turn. My husband concentrated on making sure that we could stop
safely behind him in the space we had left. That got done safely but all of a
sudden a white half-ton truck went whizzing past me on the shoulder the road. He
didn’t have the room to stop; neither did the transport behind him. Immediately my
eyes were focused on the side view mirror and fear like I had never felt before
gripped me. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

Barrelling down the road towards us was a huge and very heavy red transport truck.
I recognized it from further back as we had passed it in the four lanes. It
reminded me of the huge ore trucks that are all over our roadways in the Sudbury
area.

The noise of screeching tires filled the air and the smoke from the burning rubber
billowed out on both sides as all wheels locked. The transport was still coming at
us. I braced for the impact I knew was coming as the smell of burnt rubber
permeated my senses. I remember having a quick realization that this was how I was
going to die.

Later my husband would tell me that he was watching in the rear view mirror and
thinking similar thoughts as he watched that huge machine veer down on us.

Luckily our grandson was oblivious to all that was going on around us. He was
interested in his I-Pod and was absorbed in his music as he sat looking at a CD
cover in the seat behind his Grandpa.

When I did open my eyes our car was filled with smoke. I thought I was dead and
pinched myself. I looked over towards my grandson and there it was. The front of
that transport has stopped just beside his window in the oncoming lane. It had
missed crushing us against that dump truck by only inches.

The rest of that day we were shaken up and every once in awhile I would lose my
composure as I replayed the incident in my head. I felt upset as I remembered very
clearly that the driver of the dump truck did not signal that turn until after he
was stopped. I know that the traffic behind us must have been following too closely
as well but there was absolutely no indication that the truck driver ahead of us
knew what he was going to do.

I am telling you what happed to us on that road so that if you happen to find
yourself on it that you will be very aware of how unsafe it actually is. Accidents
happen quickly but in my mind’s eye this could have turned out to be one of those
disasters that hits our news and is written about in our local newspapers. It was so
close.

It was with great sadness and shock that I read about another accident a few days
later. This time it took the lives of three occupants in the car. It happened near
the golf course on that highway, very close to where we had our close call.

So do I feel lucky and blessed this summer? You bet I do. Will you find me out on
the road in that particular area any time soon? Not on your Nelly! I intend to
settle now and watch the fall season set in for another year. The experience we
went through this summer puts our life into proper perspective because we are lucky
to still be here.

Drive safely everyone no matter what time of the year it is. Do follow the rules of
the road like signalling well ahead of your turn and don’t follow the bumper of the
car ahead of you. That is just a recipe for disaster any time of the year. Be safe
and enjoy what’s left of our summer.

Jessica