|
Had to go to Tampa yesterday to pick up my brother. I hit the interstate and it started pouring down buckets. It was dark and windy and the visability was maybe 10 ft. There was atleast a 6 - 8 inches of standing water on the interstate. Traffic was 15 - 20 miles an hour for about 10 miles or so. Anyway we get out of this and it looks like the rain is letting up a bit so traffic speeds up. I get up to about 55 mph but the car feels likes is hydroplaning a bit so i back off down to 50 mph or so. Soon the traffic thins out enough so people start speeding up a bit. Rain lets off a bit too. I'm still doing 50 - 55 in the middle lane. As we are approaching a bridge over the interstate i see a car approaching in my left (fast lane) going about 65 - 70 mph (spped limit). He passes me just about when i go under the bridge. As soon was we cross the bridge, it feels like someone just dropped buckets of water on the road. Visibility is 0. My car starts hydroplaning a bit. The guy that just passed me hits the brakes - BAD move. His rear comes out on him, the nose of his car pitches into my lane. He is only 15 ft or so ahead of me. I instinctively try to switch lanes to my right without getting on the brakes. Too late, my back end swings out. I'm in the right most lane but sideways going down the interstate. I apply full opposite lock but thats no good the car come around completely. I'm like ohh God don't let me hit this guy. I go sideways off the road . The front wheels catch the grass and it feels like i've taken off. I'm sliding FAST towards a ditch. I hit the ditch at about 120 degrees from straight ahead. The car slides thru the ditch and comes to rest against a grass embankment. Car is still running, my airbags didn't blow, Crystal Methord is still playing - ok i'm alive. I look over behind me and the other guy has slid backward up the embankment but his car is stuck at a wierd angle. It looks ok from where i am. I open my door and water comes pouring in. There is about a foot of water outside. I shut of the motor, jump out of the car and start running thu the water to get to the other car. When i reached the other car i realised the extent of the damage. Looks like he hit the embankment much harder than me. His rear quarter was smashed in and the passenger side door was stuck. Both occupants seemed ok and the driver was getting out by himself. We tried to get the passenger out but the door was jammed so we had her get out thru the driver side door. Both were unhurt. Meanwhile some the cars that were following us had stopped and we had a couple of guys running to help us. They had apparently called 911 already. Once we made sure that the people in the other car were ok i got the 2 guys to push my car while i put it in reverse and tried to get it unstuck. I was surprised at how easily i got it out of the ditch. Back to the other car. The guy was trying to get his car to start and it wouldn't so we just waited for 911 for 5 minutes or so. They showed up really fast. The cop that showed up said there were lots of crashes due to the rain. Luckily for me he just checked to see that there was no damage to my car and just took a statement from me. 15 minutes later i was on my way. I was unhurt but i'm sore, have a couple of black marks from the seatbelt on my left shoulder and a mark on my chest from where i assume i hit the steering wheel. Too much excitement for me :). My car is stuffed full of grass and the SRS light is on. Ohh well could have been worse. Harry
" If it doesn't make it faster, i don't care "  
|
