I was getting a little stir crazy last night so I ventured out to the grocery store to grab some dinner, check out the roads, etc.
The drive was fine until I chose an alternate route home, whereupon I found myself on a sheet of black ice, on a small 100yd hill. With tires spinning, my momentum carried me to within literally 5 feet of dry pavement.....then I stopped and began sliding backward.
Luckily the crown of the road guided my car into the gutter and my back right tire into the grass, stopping my slide, rather than careening back down the hill into a crash.
I thought about abandoning my car and hiking home but it would have taken at least 45 minutes, with groceries, in 19F weather, in the dark. Wisely I called my friend Darrell instead.
Darrell and his son Charlie showed up a little while later in their big 4WD Dodge Hemi PowerWagon and pulled me the final 5 feet onto dry pavement. (Man, I gotta get me one of those)
It's noteworthy that I saw people in 3 different houses peek out their window at me sitting on the ice unable to move and not one of them came out to ask if I was ok, maybe make a call for me, or offer a warm beverage......what is wrong with you people?
So I'd like to thank Darrell Vines and his son Charlie who left their warm home and rescued me last night. That was cool.
2 comments:
Ed, simply physics. If the coefficient of friction is low enough it doesn't matter how many wheels are "driving". Glad yo made it home safely and with minimal embarrassment.
I knew but there was no point braking once on the black ice and because the road was straight and a very low-grade hill, I quickly calculated that I might have the momentum to make it across to dry pavement without the assistance of tire traction. Sadly I miscalculated by 5 feet.
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