Nearly racked up my car yesterday

[cbdallas]

Headed out to work yesterday morning in my car (instead of on my motorcycle), because it was 26 degrees outside. In the center lane of a 6-lane divided secondary road (FM544 / Plano Pkwy, just west of Murphy for you locals), a Maxima gets in my lane ahead of me and proceeds to start hitting the brakes. I see nobody ahead of her, and there were no other cars around. Instead of joining her insanity, I changed to the left lane and began to pass. It's then I notice that we're both driving on a sheet of ice. My next thought is "typical Texas driver sees ice, and slams the brakes". We round a slight corner as I get about 1/2 car length ahead of her, when I notice a PT Cruiser sitting sideways in my lane, motionless. Realizing I'm on ice, I start out gently applying brakes....nothing. As the PT Cruiser is getting bigger and bigger, I slam the brakes, but ABS continued to keep all 4 wheels turning, so there's basically NO braking going on. At this point, I'm neck-and-neck with the Maxima, who I hope realizes what's happening and will be kind enough to move to the right lane. I see her SLOWLY move to the far-right side of her lane, and I inexplicably managed to thread the needle between the back end of the PT Cruiser and the side of her car. I was expecting some sort of impact, but none ever came. It was so close that, upon arrival at work, I actually did a visual inspection of my car for any scrapes, scratches, etc. Nothing. I remember seeing the ass-end of that PT Cruiser pass within inches of my mirror, and there was no airspace between my car and the Maxima.

Had I decided I was tough enough to ride the bike in 26-degree weather, I'd probably be dead.

I'd like to offer a special thanks to the City of Plano for neglecting to turn off the median sprinklers before a forecasted freeze. It's of utmost importance that we keep that brown, dormant grass watered.

That patch of ice made it on the local radio, with several accidents being reported. Thankfully, I wasn't one of them. Thank you to God, and to my Focus for being the capable, ABS-equipped car that it is. :-)

[Sponsor]

[05focusST91]

Good thing you got through safely, i know how slippery roads can get especially during the winter.

[mainest]

What an awful, helpless feeling! Props to you for driving out of it instead of resigning yourself to the "inevitable", and riding the ABS into the back of the PT. how long after the near miss before your heart began beating again?

[cbdallas]

I think I remember performing CPR on myself when I pulled into the parking garage at work.

[sbc17]

I am so thankful that I have never been in a situation like that.

Glad to hear your ok. Drive safe!

-sbc

[seventystangfan]

Congratulations on surviving a near catastrophic incident! Don't you find it interesting how caught up people get in having a "pretty" lawn? I say it would be cheaper to just have it be dirt and weeds, maybe trees (for erosion purposes) but piping that much water into the grass (and onto the road) is such a waste.

[cbdallas]

What's really interesting is that all the cities in the Dallas metroplex initiate water restrictions starting in April, which run far into winter, and here THEY are watering dormant grass to the point that the water runs out into the streets. In this instance, it wasn't a household needlessly wasting water..it was the friggin' City of Plano. I dislike overly-litigious people, but in a small way, I hope the folks involved in accidents on that patch of ice find a way to sue the city.

[blackraven456]

A patch of ice made the news? Ha. Glad you're ok, but as someone who regularly drives in ice and snow every winter this is funny. I suggest a good skid control school opens up in your area.

[CajunR]

I know the area well, and I left my motorcycle home for the exact same reason. I don't mind the cold, but sprinkler induced ice gives me the willies. Glad you made it unscathed! (No doubt your SEEing skills helped! )

[Merrigan]

Downshifting is your friend on snow and ice. Saved my poor old sunfire more than once. I've noticed that the abs on my focus on snow and ice almost seems to be to quick working. I've braked on some light snow just to slow down a little for a turn or a merge and I have felt the abs do its thing.

Sent from your mom's house.