Sade Teen Sec

After the previous skid incident (click the link if u have not read it) and couple of good advises from my well wishers & advisers I began driving carefully and more importantly started following all the traffic rule in the rules book. I began to slow down on yellow signal (my friend told me that Yellow means slow down, I thought it was speed up & pass before it turns red) . Now I come to stand still at the stop signal, look at all three mirrors before making turns etc etc. The rule book also said that on "FREE ways" one needs to maintain 3 sec distance from the car ahead of you. I being extra cautious keep 3.5 sec gap. If you keep 4 sec or more gap then some else would sneak into the gap. So you go to be optimal.

Just like dual nature of light wave and particle I-101 FREE way exhibits "particle" nature in off peak hrs and "wave" nature in peek hrs. You actually move like a wave during 8 - 9 am. Some times you wonder whether it's a moving parking lot or what.

One fine day I started at 9 am just to beat the traffic, slowed on the ramp, and merged onto the FREE way. It felt so good driving on 101 after 9 am, experiencing the "particle" nature, constantly hitting 70 miles, keeping 3.5 sec gap. After 9 am car pool lane rule no longer exist, I moved to it, driving on smooth car pool lanes in Camry makes it a touch smoother.

There was this Accord car traveling ahead which stopped suddenly, yea I mean sudden stop for some reason (I remembered similar situation with my friend) . I was at 70 mph applied sudden breaks, 3.5 sec gap rule worked wonders for me as I ended 6 feet away from the car. Bang the car make to stand still, I had cricket bat, cereals bars, soda cans etc in my trunk which hit each other and there was a bang sound. Seat belts made sure that I didn't crash onto the glass.

Just before I recovered from this mentally, I heard another bang sound. And this time I moved towards the steering almost my head hitting the glass. Just came out to see an accord car bumped onto my car. Apparently he hadn't kept 3 sec gap and on top of it was phoning. Out he came sorry with his hands folded "I am from Japan I am sorry I am sorry". He was a 5 ft guy looked like a 10 std guy. I saw his front bumper in really bad shape. Just saw my rear bumper, little bit of scratch and bit of silver paint stuck on it. Still wondering was it a miracle or some thing (Yea I am still wondering). Fortunately nothing serious had happened, after settling matter with him (you know what I mean) I resumed listening to song from the movie Lakshya wowing that I will never drive on 101 again.

Haan yehi rasta hai tera, tune ab jaana hai

    Haan yehi sapna hai tera, tune pehchaana hai

Mushkil koyi, aajaaye toh, parbat koyi, takraaye toh

 Kya dooriyaan kya faasle, manzil lage aake gale

Lakshya toh har haal mein paana hai
This song made me feel better.
Ever since before breaking I look once in the rear mirrors and pray god that
the person behind me keeps 3 sec gap.

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Skid Skad Skud

My friend PK mentioned about 3 inevitable things in life -- Tax, Traffic and Death. After volunteering for the first two, I twice came close to volunteering the third.

There is a saying in kannada "mutti noda beda, Illa nekki nodtini". Which translates to Wise men listen to what people say, but wiser people experience it. Pass me a comment if u didn't get it.

Finally it began to rain in bay area when it was snowing in most part of North US. As usual I started my car towards office, I remembered reading in the DMV book that roads would slippery after the first rain, but when I began driving it seemed fine. I told myself these American's are always too over cautious unnecessarily. When the signal turned Red to Green I accelerated along with a Benz, and a Porsche car. Both over took me cutting my way into the ramp towards the "freeway". I followed them into the ramp making a right turn at good pace.

No sooner I entered the ramp I saw a pile of cars, backed up all the way from highway. Benz and the Porsche were standing ahead of me. Since the inner side of the ramp had cement plastering, when I applied breaks to avoid bumping into Porsche, wheels lost grip on the road and skid skad skud. Yea u read it right "skid skad skud" car turned right and another right.

When finally the car stopped it found myself in the car U turned "actual U" standing on the mud on the side. Just peeped over to my left saw a rift of 10 feet below. Those 3 - 4 secs my mind was blocked, heart was beating at may be 150 or 200. I fews secs didn't know what to do. Then finally put myself on the ramp making another U turn and drove towards the office.

While driving I remembered my friend giving me positive comment "maga ninu U turn sakkatagi togontiya " (man you take good U turns). To which I had replied "In life U turn is the easiest man and I always love it". Well this was the best U turn of my life.


to be continued.....

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