This afternoon I was heading North up Hwy 27 towards Rockwood TN in my company van (AT&T), as I was coming up a hill with a left hand curve, doing 55mph a small car with two women and two kids in the back seat where coming the opposite direction, up hill and into the same curve/hill to the right. There was no way we could see each other, and at the top of the hill there was a store/gas station on my side.
Right at the apex of the hill, just as we both popped into each other's vision, she turned left directly in front of me and came to an almost complete stop in my lane. This was a four lane Hwy and I was in the far right lane. It happened so fast it was unreal. I was pretty sure I had the left lane clear, hadn't noticed anyone in the mirror, but I didn't have time to check it, I barely had time to hit the brakes and yank the wheel to the left.
I ended up going across the left lane and into the oncoming lane on top of a blind curve on a hill. I cut back to the right and the van started the dreaded 'shakes', knocked everything loose from my shelves in the back and tossed the stuff (that I shouldn't have had) in the front all over. I got it under control luckily without losing it.
I mean it was so close, if I had checked the mirror, or had had my eyes anywhere but on the road or hit the horn instead of going for the brakes and wheel; checking cell phone, daydreaming, looking at the woods, we would have been toast, i would have hit them perfectly broadside.
As it was I barely cleared the rear-end of their car, couldn't have been by a foot or so. The last sight picture I had of them was 4 faces with wide open mouths and eyes, just staring at me bearing down on them.
I drive alot during my job and try to be as vigilante as I can be, I've taken several defensive driving courses, but never really thought about them, this time it paid off, things worked out in my favor (and theirs), if one thing had ticked into the wrong place it would have been bad beyond description. A car next to me, another oncoming car, anything else.
I haven't had an adrenaline rush like that in years, don't want another.
Whatever you all do, pay attention when you drive. One little distraction would probably have meant the difference in life an death on that one. I really would not want to go on knowing I had inadvertantly killed kids in the back of a car.
On the way back out of town, down the same road going in the direction they had been travelling I got back to that spot and realized just how bad a place that was to put a store, I mean right at the top of a hill, in the middle of a blind curve, there was no way she saw me coming, and I sure didn't see her untill she made that turn.
Counting my blesssing here in SE Tenn. tonite!
RD

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Got a Phd from Hard Knocks U

Scary! Glad everyone was okay. You definitely need to be aware at all times. I recently had a guy sideswipe my car because he didn't properly check his mirrors. I was in the right lane, he was in the left and decided to pass the guy in front of him without seeing if there were other cars on the road.

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- The Federalist #46 -

RD, glad to hear you came through alright. Sounds like a nice piece of driving by a very alert driver. Every time I see some moron on a cell phone behind the wheel I cringe. The way I see it, nothing you have to say is worth someone's life. The myth that "some" people can multi task is pure BS and killing people every day. Rant off for now and "Good on ya!"

I was on 27 today too, about a hunderd miles north of you in Somerset, KY.

Glad everyone was OK! God was smiling on you.

In the immortal words of George Carlin...

That wasn't a near miss, it was a near hit!

Scary one, glad it turned out ok. Be safe.

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Fast is fine;accurate is final

Speaking of folks on the cell phone when they're driving, it really amazes me how long a string of oncoming cars I pass before I see one where the driver is not on the cell phone or worse yet texting. I'm with the poster who said that no phone call is worth my life or anyone elses.

This stuff happens. A couple of years ago, a sleepy nurse who'd just worked a 12-hour shift (she said) ran a red light in a big Mercedes and almost t-boned my Corolla in an intersection. I have excellent peripheral vision and saw her run the light and stomped on my brakes. She LEFT WHITE PAINT on my front bumper! A split second later, she'd have probably killed me. She not only ran the light; she was speeding!

I chalked that escape up to a probable miracle, and I'm serious. It still chills me to the bone when I recall that incident.

I sometimes wonder what medical mishaps occur because nurses or docs are on duty for too long a shift.

T-Star

I'm glad everyone is ok! That could have been a real disaster if you hadn't reacted as quickly as you did.

Close call for YOU but imagine the situation if someone had been behind you!!!!! YOU swerve and miss, but the car behind you doesn't/can't and slams the car YOU missed!!!!

That's how my close call played out a couple of weeks ago on a 4 lane, uncontrolled access highway here in NC. There wasn't a blind curve, the IDIOT just turned in front of me to make a left turn. I swerved into the left lane/median to miss him and the car behind me hit them broadside!!!!!

All people involved (4) were injured but no fatalities, thank God!!!!! Both cars were DOA at the scene. Got my blood (and other bodily functions) rushing as well.........

smithhound;
Sounds to me like you must be a good driver all the time. Your
reflexes and experience really paid off.
I drive for a living now, but I've quit even caring about bad drivers.
I see so many, all the time, that I'm always expecting the worst.
That was good driving, and I'm glad you're okay. Them, too. TACC1

I had a seriously close one last week, really gets the ol "have I hugged my family today" thoughts going. What could have been a t-bone to my door from a Dodge Ram truck going about 60 in a 30 turned into a clipped my rear bumper due to some serious swerving. Was down here in Texas, no cell phone but "no speakee the english"

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Let go...Let Gun

Glad all are ok ,but i have a rant for cell phone users.Why in the heck do they buy $500.00 phones but no 40.00 ear pieces/ear buds.Or even the jupiter jack or something close to that.

I think people just want to see them as being important.It's **** and people don't care who they are talking to.My wife and i both have cell phone and ear pieces and we use them almost constantly.I love mine because i can cook,clean,change diapers,pay bills and anything else that takes 2 hands.Infact i can lay my cell phone down in the kitchen and walk all over the house while talking and doing what ever else need s to be done.

People please get up to date,you already have more than modern cell phones now get more than modern ear pieces.

Rant over

Good for you, Sir! And that's a pair of underwear I'd have to be throwing out tonight!

My pet peeve is when folks who are taking turns in front of you, just about stop in the travel lane to make their turn, and don't use the breakdown lane to execute the turn. Drives me bonkers.

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NICK-SWCA-NRA BENEFACTOR LIFE

Around here 'driving on the shoulder' is illegal.

Lots of folks in this world that shouldn't Drive or Vote.

Rule 303

Come on down to Florida, the snowbirds are back! I had one stop in the right lane on Tamiami Trail just to sightsee, I guess. Had to bail out in the breakdown lane with the horn blaring. Had another one pull out in front of my F350 dually a few days ago, never even turned her head to look in my direction.

The Q-tips are very unpredictable this time of year. Is there a season on snowbirds?

It is not just a Florida problem. Here in Tucson they are flocking back, earlier than usual, due to the inclement weather the rest of the nation seems to be getting early. Arrrrg!

They've all left the Poconos with the last leaf. You can have them back!