Published on the 7/7/07. A day with all the sevens. Some consider this a good luck omen, others, not. Will today be a day of unspeakable atrocity by terrorists, or will it pass quietly and without incident. We'll see! One thing is clear, however, life has become one giant crapshoot, a lottery. El Gordo! If you lose, you lose all! Read on.......
The warnings on every pack of cigarettes sold here in Spain could not be clearer: Smoking Kills! I think that this means if you inhale the tar and nicotine contained in cigarettes, that eventually they may very well impact your health to the extent that your life expectancy may be shortened. That would be something that happened over time.
Cigarette smoking came very close to ending my life in one blinding second, and I don’t smoke.
While driving along a two-way country road I rounded a bend that opened onto a straight section of road, only to be faced by an oncoming car that was already over the middle line and heading directly for me on head-on collision course. The driver had his head inclined slightly to the right and looking down while he was in the act of lighting a cigarette from the car lighter.
With no time to spare I could not afford to panic. I simply hit the horn hard and veered as far to the right as I could go. To his credit the driver reacted immediately by veering to his right. As he brought his head up the cigarette flew from his mouth, and the stricken look on his face told the whole story.
As for me, I got that metallic taste in my mouth that comes just before certain calamity. If there was time for even a fleeting thought it would have been, “This is it! I’m going in.” But there was no time at all to think, just time to react.
As we passed each other we were so close we certainly could have shook hands. Maybe it’s just my imagination but the picture that is stuck in my mind is one of the driver with his eyes bugged right out of his head and the cigarette falling from his lips.
Of course I have replayed the scene over and over again in my head. I have concluded that what we had was a case of two motorists in the act of two separate activities. One was in the process of complete abandonment of vigilance; the other was practising anticipation and paying appropriate attention.
I travel that stretch of road regularly, and I know to be on the lookout for very large lorries that leave very little room for other traffic. Also, as it is a country road, early morning and toward sunset the chance of slow-moving tractors up ahead is a particular hazard.
Added to that, many other drivers see this as a speedway, more or less un-policed, and they drive like madmen. Especially, it seems the high-end makes get put through their paces. There have been numerous crashes along that road, the VP-6116 between Villamarchante and Pedralba, that traveses between massive orange fields. It would seem that the farmers are also growing a very curious crop of car bumpers.
I wonder why the parts of the cars that fall off are not collected, but rather left to add to the other garbage. I only wish that drivers would take a warning from it, but no, they appear only too happy to add their own car parts to the mess.
I have had some very narrow and close calls in my time. I would like to think that I have cheated death owning to my skill, calmness under duress, and readiness for all eventualities. The truth is probably that it simply has not been my time to go. There must be some purpose yet for me to fulfil. In this latest incident we were both travelling at between 60 to 80 km/h. It’s almost certain that the way the cars were lined up, with each driver directly facing the other, certain death would have come to both of us.
Had that happened, there would at least have been an argument in the hereafter about it.
So, what’s the moral of the story?
Our cars are not our living rooms.
When in charge of a vehicle our full attention is demanded at all times.
Lighting up of cigarettes is a no-no, and is the main reason the legislature is considering banning smoking while driving.
Holding a telephone up to one’s ear while trying to concentrate on traffic is an impossible task. Only women have the slightest chance because of their multi-tasking skills, but this is even beyond their capabilities.
Even talking on hands-free mobile units takes away too much concentration to be considered safe. Let it ring!
Drinking anything, while driving is not to be recommended, but drinking hot coffee is begging for trouble.
Anticipation is key to survival on the roads. If you can anticipate that something will happen, you can prepare for it to the best of circumstances. So, when you round a sharp bend and come face-to-face with an oversized vehicle, if you anticipated it might happen you would have slowed your speed and placed your car as far to the right as possible
When in charge of a vehicle you are not allowed the luxury of panic. It is natural at first to panic, but we must regain control instantly. After it’s all over and you have survived, you can then go to pieces if you like. During the event. You must have the calm of an astronaut. “Ah! Houston, we have a problem!” You would use the same voice that you use to ask for an ice-cream.
Finally, I appeal to drivers to be especially careful of motorcyclists, many of whom are very young people who are gaining their own road experience on slow moving bikes. Remember, you were once young too, and you may have sons and daughters, or other young relatives. Be careful for other people’s young relatives in order to expect the same from your fellow motorists for your kith and kin.
Cyclists! Always wear a lime-green reflective “Gerry Jacket”. Be Seen to be Safe!
