Close call....One of many!
Generally, this is the car I was driving at the time...But Dark Navy Blue. 1998 or so Mazda Miata.
Close calls eh? I’ll give you a close call!
Back in 2001 my cousin Heather came to visit me at my home in West Knoxville, TN. She was staying about 20 miles South West of me at her Mother’s home in Lenoir City. Since it had been a long time between meetings she and I, along with a few other cousins, headed out for a night of Karaoke....Well, they sang, and I sat there enjoying the show. Well, we closed the place down around 2am and I drove her home to her Mom’s place. After saying goodnight I headed home around 2:45 or so. I was traveling on I-40 East just past the Lovell Road exit when things started to get interesting. I was in the far left lane going about 70, just cruzin’ down the highway, when I came upon a semi truck hauling fuel in the middle lane (3 lanes total). He was going the typical 60 or so when I approached him. Ready, here it comes now....I was quite tired at that point and fell asleep at the wheel. The last thing I remember was having my car about to pass him in the left lane. The next thing I know I hear this loud “brrrrrrrrrt!” sound along with a complete rumbling of the car. I woke up, looked around, grabbed the wheel and jerked it to the left to get back into the FAR RIGHT lane! I was so confused I didn’t know what the heck was going on. I noticed that the semi truck was on my left side now and about 50 yards ahead of me still in his original middle lane.
I had fallen asleep, continued to pass the semi, drifted across the front of his truck and crossed 3 lanes of highway to wake up on the rumble strip on the far right lane! If it were not for the rumble strip I certainly would have gone right off the side and done much more damage to me, my car and property. WOW! That was a close one.
Needless to say, I had NO trouble staying wake for the next 5 minutes it took for me to get home safely!
Lesson: Pull over and take a 10-15 minute power nap if you need to but DO NOT drive when you’re tired!
JC
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Comments 4
You mean we almost lost you? I've been working on that for years and you almost did it for me. Just kidding!!! I don't know many people who have not had a similar experience which is pretty scary when you think of how many cars are on the road. It's so easy to think you can beat the intense power of the need to sleep. It's incredible.Knowing you are not much of a drinker is comforting because there are even more people driving drunk and then losing all ability to fend of the sleep urge. Your great grandmother was killed at the hands of a drunk driver. We're glad you learned a lesson without losing your life or that of another. It's amazing what a 10 minute nap will do for you on the side of the road.
Wow! And to think that you were asleep and missed the excitement of your "playing" with the semi. I'll be that kept the driver of the semi awake for a while, as well! When the body says enough is enough, it is impossible to stay awake--and I've been aware of too many accidents in the mountainous area of Highway 6, a few miles from Spanish Fork, Utah that have resulted in fatalities for that very reason. That was my worry when you left Utah last month for Tennessee. I'm glad you woke up when the rumble lane clued you in. Take care, my friend.
Holy COW!!!!!!! That was a "K for close" as Papa would say, one! I knew you were part cat, which life was this?!
Love ya, Mom
be care full about how much info you let the public know. One of our future members may be a local policeman watching for for you leaning on your left hand. anyway I'm really glad you woke up in time
