Shakey Experience

Tonight, on my way home from the K-State Hale Library after working on a project due this weekend, I almost killed someone. Literally. Ok, it would not have been on purpose and I really don't know if they would have died. WOW! I am so shaken by this it is hard to type.

At around 10:15, while driving through a construction zone on Tuttle Creek Blvd, an older model, light colored car pulled out directly in front of me. There were a line of cars behind me. I slammed on my breaks and the horn and stopped within three feet of the car, if that. The problem was not only did the person pull out in front of me (IDIOT MOVE!) , they were trying to make a left turn at a spot you can NOT turn left! The road is currently two lanes in this area, at the intersection of Walters and Tuttle Creek. There is NO turning left. And then to just pull out in front of on-coming traffic like that! What were they thinking?

As far as I could tell there was only one person in the vehichle- the driver. I didn't have time to notice anyone else. I was going 50-55 mph and they were going maybe 5. I have no idea if the person was otherwise distracted (cell phone?) because my lights were reflecting back at me. All I saw was the person. I, on the other hand, was on my cell phone. Shaun had requested that I call to tell him I was on my way out of the library because it was late and dark and he worries about my being on campus at night. I also do not like to drive at night because I'm sensitive to light and the light/dark stuff gets to me. I can drive fine in the dark on split highways and in the country because there are no lights shining at me.

I try not to talk and drive much anymore because I don't like to do so. In fact I normally have my phone on my lap and set to speakerphone in case I get a call from Shaun. At the moment of near impact the phone was held up to my ear- so Shaun should have heard my reaction to the near-death experience. All he heard (I didn't cuss!) was "I ALMOST JUST HIT SOMEONE WHO PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME!" after I slammed on my breaks and hit the horn. I'm surprised I'm so talented, if you want to call it that. I am amazed that I had such a quick reaction time because of the lights around me and the fact that I was, in fact, on my phone. I quickly got off the phone while watching the person in front of me back out of the street. Good move on their part.

When I got home I was shaking so much that I sat down for a moment to tell Shaun what had just happened and then went straight to bed to get myself calmed down. I was in such shock that I couldn't think of anything but laying still and being away from noise. I wanted to be quiet, and still, and I wanted to pray because I was so greatful that I had not just been in a terrible, and most likely tragic, accident. Of course in my house that didn't last long as the older two boys were still awake, even though they should have been sound asleep. Shaun is not good at getting them to bed at a decent time if I am not there. That's my job. ARGH! Something that lasted less than a minute has really disturbed me and my stress level is way too high at the moment.

So, here I am, able to type this post, while still shaking, but alive, unharmed, and extremely greatful. Now let's see how long it takes to settle down some more so that I can get some desparately needed sleep.