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The Drive In
Oct. 4th, 2007 11:27 amMost of the folks who read this journal know that I have a viciously long drive in to work; close to 100km (65 miles) each way. It takes a while and I get lots of opportunity to think and to observe the natural world (if you can call living in a city that) on the way.
Today, I was driving through some pretty awesome cloud banks; they were a couple of kilometres wide and when I was inside it was like the whole world was cloudy, and when outside it was like the whole world was sunny and blue. Kind of as if someone had dropped some really enormous cotton balls on the highway here and there and nowhere else. It was pretty neat, and had me thinking about how that was like dealing with manic depression. I was musing this over as I was cruising up to my last major highway cutover when I saw the truck ahead of me put on his brakes and start moving over into the emergency lane.
From behind him, it looked very controlled and planned. I assumed he had a blowout or flat or something and just moved up on him. He was still slowing, and as I got closer (which at 140 km/hr 90 mph happens in a hurry) I heard his airhorn going. His brakes locked, smoke freaking *pouring* from his tires, but still, the truck was totally in control. I blasted past him, and only when I was even with the cab did I see the car in front of him, that was shuddering to a stop.
The car had some kind of a problem - possibly a sick driver or some such. In any case, this car had swerved across two lanes of traffic, slowing down. I had seen a shadow up ahead when it happened but hadn't really processed what it was; I figured it was a shadow from an overhead plane. (Remember how fast *my* lane was going!) The truck had pulled to the side initially to avoid hitting the car, and as the car continued to move in front of him had found himself with nowhere to go and with a very small car *right* in front of him.
Somehow, this driver had managed to keep control of his truck, brake successfully without diving into traffic, and *SOMEHOW* gotten the truck to match the braking characteristics of the car. When I passed, the truck had come to a complete stop... about three inches from the car's bumper. The driver of the car had his head out the door, throwing up. No *kidding*, man! I'd have been sick to my stomach at that close call too!
I know the truck driver will *very* likely never read this, and so will never see that someone noticed what he accomplished, but I want to say it anyway.
Dude. Nice driving!
Today, I was driving through some pretty awesome cloud banks; they were a couple of kilometres wide and when I was inside it was like the whole world was cloudy, and when outside it was like the whole world was sunny and blue. Kind of as if someone had dropped some really enormous cotton balls on the highway here and there and nowhere else. It was pretty neat, and had me thinking about how that was like dealing with manic depression. I was musing this over as I was cruising up to my last major highway cutover when I saw the truck ahead of me put on his brakes and start moving over into the emergency lane.
From behind him, it looked very controlled and planned. I assumed he had a blowout or flat or something and just moved up on him. He was still slowing, and as I got closer (which at 140 km/hr 90 mph happens in a hurry) I heard his airhorn going. His brakes locked, smoke freaking *pouring* from his tires, but still, the truck was totally in control. I blasted past him, and only when I was even with the cab did I see the car in front of him, that was shuddering to a stop.
The car had some kind of a problem - possibly a sick driver or some such. In any case, this car had swerved across two lanes of traffic, slowing down. I had seen a shadow up ahead when it happened but hadn't really processed what it was; I figured it was a shadow from an overhead plane. (Remember how fast *my* lane was going!) The truck had pulled to the side initially to avoid hitting the car, and as the car continued to move in front of him had found himself with nowhere to go and with a very small car *right* in front of him.
Somehow, this driver had managed to keep control of his truck, brake successfully without diving into traffic, and *SOMEHOW* gotten the truck to match the braking characteristics of the car. When I passed, the truck had come to a complete stop... about three inches from the car's bumper. The driver of the car had his head out the door, throwing up. No *kidding*, man! I'd have been sick to my stomach at that close call too!
I know the truck driver will *very* likely never read this, and so will never see that someone noticed what he accomplished, but I want to say it anyway.
Dude. Nice driving!
