Sliding into the new year
Dec. 31st, 2008 07:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fbhjrIt snowed a fair bit today. Given tomorrow is a holiday, my boss said I could go home early. The weather reports said the storm was supposed to let up after 2, so I waited until about 2:30 to head out.
By that time, my boss’ car was the only other one still in the parking lot at work.
The roads weren’t too bad getting home. A bit snowy, but I’ve driven in much worse.
The problem was when I got to our apartment complex.
The entrance is on route 9 and the driver behind me wasn’t big on that “give them extra room in the snow idea”. So, when I put on my directional and slowed down, they stayed on my bumper behind me. (Yes, there are two lanes. Don’t know why they insisted on staying behind me, but they did.)
Usually when it is snowing, I try and turn into the steep hill of the parking lot very slowly. But, because of the guy behind me, I was going a bit faster than I like. (Still less than 10 MPH mind you.)
So, when I hit the slick top of the parking lot, my wheels were pointed to the right, but the car kept going the direction it was pointed at the time.
The good news was, I hadn’t turned enough to be pointing at the cars in the lot, but had turned enough to be pointing off of the road.
There was a big snow drift.
It was fluffy snow.
My car stopped on top of it.
The other good news was the rear tires caught on the curb, so I didn’t hit the two cement filled posts protecting the fire hydrant. Or, go through them into the hydrant. That would have been something.
The bad news was, my tires had zero grip.
I called my wife and explained how I had almost made it home and was within sight of our apartment.
While she put on her coat, I dug as much snow out from under the car as possible. (The picture above is actually post digging.)
She put it in reverse and I used those cement filled posts to push against. It’s a good thing Saturns are light cars...
Once it hit the pavement of the parking lot, the front end slid on it’s own to point down the hill. I was glad to park it for the night and spend new years at home.
I’m glad my wife came to help. The other option would have been to try and push it in gear. Given how it slid once it hit the pavement, I’m not sure where it would have stopped if it had been in gear. I’m glad I didn’t have to find out.
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no subject
Date: 2009-01-01 02:00 am (UTC)I'm relieved to hear you are OK and were able to get out of the jam, and luckily avoided hitting other cars or the hydrant.
the person behind you should be cited in reckless endangerment / poor driving.
It happens all too often on that road at the entrance to your place, in all weather. If I had a nickel for each asshole who nearly rear-ended me into your complex, I could buy a new car.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-01 02:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-01 07:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-01 01:58 pm (UTC)15 years living here and this is the only time I've had this problem.
But, at least it happened where there weren't many other cars around.