Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Snow Squall Plus Nighttime Driving Equal T-E-R-R-O-R



The day had been busy and fairly productive.

A couple of times, a thank you went up to Martin Luther King for the "free" day. 

About 8 p.m., we had to drive a friend home to a fairly remote area of the county, kind of at the top of a steep incline.  My hubs agreed to come with me, which turned out to be a very good thing, indeed.

After dropping our friend off, we began the trek home. Boy, it turned out to be a terrifying trek.

At first, random raindrops pelted the car windshield.  Then, snow started coming down, hard and furious.  

 Squinting my eyes, it was getting harder and harder to see in front of us. Wind whipped snow from small banks along the deserted road.  Gusts hit the sides of our car like frozen ghosts.

We were in the middle of a major snow squall and it was N-O-T  P-L-E-A-S-A-N-T.




I gripped the steering wheel and shifted into second gear. All I could think of was driving off the road into some ravine in the forest.  Who would know where we were?  Would we be found? Would we freeze to death?

Yeah, see?  When facing a fearful situation, my thoughts fail to calm me down.

"Put on your high beams, your high beams," the hubs said. (Uh, rather loudly.) Putting on the high beams made visibility even more impossible. They just illuminated the millions of snowflakes filling the freezing winter night.

The trip down that mountain was one I would not want to ever repeat.  We finally inched back to civilization at 25 mph.  Seeing street lights, even clouded by snow, felt like winning the lottery.

By the time we crunched into our driveway, my blood pressure must have climbed to dangerous levels.

Stepping out of the car on rather shaky legs, I took a deep breath and the cold outside air actually felt good. It was quite a relief from the car heater that had been blasting the windshield.





Flannel sheets and a soft pillow sounded like a great idea. Then I could dream of spring and these:









ARE YOU AFRAID TO DRIVE IN WINTER?  

12 comments:

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Nope!
I can drive in just about anything and have for the past 33 years as hospitals don't give snow days off. I know how to drive in snow and ice and have had lots of experience in it but what makes me afraid are the people that do not know how to drive in it.
As for my hubby, I would never have him drive me in snow as he is a very nervous driver. I am more calm.
But I do anxiously wait for the day that I can sit and admire the snow from inside my house looking out my window!!LOL!!

Hugs,
Deb

Linda O'Connell said...

I refuse to drive on ice, as if anyone can. Glad you are ahome safe. Will you try my blog again?

Bookie said...

Sounds like a horror of a drive! Glad you got home safely. I hate t tell you it was near 70 here yesterday...our turn will come though!

The Old Parsonage said...

Oh Susan I'm soo sorry that you had to drive in that. I had a situation like that coming home from a wedding. It was pure ice and I was scared to death - it took over 2hrs to get home when normally it would have been about 25 minutes. Scary stuff.

Glad that you made it home safe and sound!

Leann

Linda @ A La Carte said...

We don't get much snow and ice here but when we do it shuts us down. I hate the stomp down rains that you can't see beyond your car....those scare the bejeebies out of me. So I understand completely! hugs, Linda

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

I have never lived in snow areas. But a couple of summers ago I drove in a torrential rainstorm from North Carolina and boy was I white knuckling the steering wheel all through the storm. Really does stress you out, big time. Glad you made it home safe and sound. Hope you are having a good day. Tammy

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

P.S. Me again! Do you visit Cheryl at Artsy Fartsy? If not, you should. Her post today is about the dollhouse she is decorating. Fun and creative. :)

http://cheryl-comfort.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

I am terrified of driving in these conditions. We are having them here today in Michigan and I have to drive to my doctors appointment. Yikes. I try to stay off of the roads when they are like this but Michigan is so unpredictable. I don't feel so alone and crazy knowing that there are others out there who it frightens too.
Hugs,
Mary

PS: Come over and enter my spring giveaway.....

diane stetson said...

I can't stand driving in a snow storm ...after doing a complete 380 when i was in college I'll try never to drive in snow and ice again. It really freaked me out.

Chatty Crone said...

I am not afraid because we don't get snow here and if we do - every thing closes. HOWEVER, if I lived where you do then Y E S !

That looked horrible - but the flowers helped me calm back down.

sandie

Anonymous said...

I was right there with ya driving my girls home from a movie at the Beacon. My girlfriend and I decided to stop for a bite in front of the Dakota's warming fire, and when we came out it was like a frozen hell, petrifying experience! Anyway glad we all made it home safe and all is well...
Love your spring blooms, very cheery!
Xo Janel

Patrícia Ventura said...

My city is hot, i do not now what to do in this case...My english is bad...I am sensibility with your post about the winter...Bye bye...Kisses, see you...

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