Purely Whimsical

This past week we got a very warm front of weather in which melted the snow and generally made everything quite sloppy. My subaru was one of the few cars on the road not slipping around in the slush, which was actually kind of fun!

Then we got a cold snap - with wind. You may know what that means already, but basically what happened is that the cold made all of the water and slush freeze. The wind smoothed it all out like a knife across frosting, so that it was so slick that even the subaru had trouble stopping.

I’ve been glad a couple of times for the really good tires, and for the anti-lock brakes plus the all wheel drive. That subaru is an extremely safe vehicle to drive.

Then, two days ago it warmed up enough to snow on top of the wind-slicked ice. Again, you may already know what that means. A layer of snow over slick ice in warm weather (warm enough to snow) is like grease on pavement. No one has any traction!

Of course that’s a day I’m running errands. So I’m driving carefully down a four lane road (two in each direction), with another car not even one whole car length in front of me in the right hand lane while I’m in the left. I’ve been watching this car because it had Louisiana plates, I was wondering if I should pass it or if I should wait until it turned away. We have some military bases here and the military just loves to send southern kids up north and quite often those who have never driven on ice and snow just have no idea how bad it can be. So I’m keeping a weather eye out for anything stupid.

Well, dear readers, when the stupid finally happened, it took my breath away. We’re going a careful 15-20 miles per hour or so on a normally 35 mph four lane road, when suddenly that car (a gold cadillac) makes a U-turn from the right hand lane (remember, I’m in the left less than a car length behind him). I slammed on the brakes and just prayed that they’d work. Thank goodness that the subaru stopped like I had driven nails into the road, there was at least 4 feet of clearance for the idiot car to turn around me.

Yes, I honked my horn. A lot. Yes, I said some extremely accurate phrases about the mental state and ability of the driver. I may have even impugned his mother. I was shaking so much that I finally had to turn off the road and park to sit and collect myself.

An accident would have been his fault for making an illegal u-turn, but I still would have been out a car. And that stunt isn’t safe even on dry pavement! Much less in a winter storm with the roads slicker than snot! If I hadn’t had such good tires with antilock brakes, I never would have stopped in time. And that really freaked me out, because I would have t-boned that car, right into the driver’s side. That’s how people can get killed.

Whew! Sorry, just had to get that one off my chest. Here’s to hoping YOU don’t meet up with any stupid drivers.