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.