I Almost Died Today

I was west bound on I-190 today. Well, for most of the time.

There was moderate traffic, nothing too congested and everyone was going fairly swiftly, about 60-70mph. I then realized that someone was getting really close to me on the right side. Right flush even almost.
Don’t you see me? I am electric blue for god’s sake!
I sat on the horn and braked to give them time to react.
Then I came to the realization that they were not stopping and I was about to be smushed.
In a big way.
At 70mph with lots of other cars.

Mistake #1:
I didn’t quite get the foot off the brake before steering into the lane next to me. So my car began fish-tailing severely. I couldn’t accelerate out of the fish-tail because there were cars in front and I knew I wouldn’t straighten up before I hit them. I kept driving as best I could but I then ended up facing east but still traveling west staring at all the other drivers trying to avoid me.
It is a very unsettling feeling; watching people coming at you, trying to avoid you, while still going away from them.

I decided that if I was going to get in a wreck, I wanted to be hit from behind or on the side, so I gave the wheel another tiny squeeze and 360 degrees later I was heading the right way on 190. Or would that be 540 degrees?

I finally regained control still going about 45mph in the far left lane. No one was hurt, and I have no idea how I missed everyone or how they missed me.
Amazing.

The one tension breaker occurred as I entered the highway again, having driven on the shoulder long enough to know my car was OK. I man in a ford 150 rolled down his window and gave me a VERY enthusiastic “thumbs up.”

I am so glad my near death experience was entertainment for someone.

He really enjoyed the show.

I have a new appreciation for how my car handles and how well put-together that little Subaru is. I think anything else would have flipped once it got sideways at 60mph. The all wheel drive is an attribute I will require from now on.

I love my car. I think in anything else, I would have been in a horrible wreck.

Let’s hope I don’t have to do that on my motorcycle.
Ever.