As my former colleague Dave found out, it was a very messy morning indeed. Not three cars ahead of me, going over a bridge that forms an overpass over the train route near our house, some bozo decided that there was really no reason to exercise any caution due to the icy conditions. He took off in his pickup truck at the traffic signal before the bridge when the light turned green, and promptly spun out across the bridge, finally stopping with the tailgate buried in the fence that runs along the perimeter of the bridge, the headlights illuminating the opposite lanes of the bridge. The car that had been tailgating him T-boned the driver’s side door — albeit at a very low speed, so I doubt there was any injury involved to either party.
Those of us in the other lane, apparently having a bit more sense, had started over the bridge at a much more reasonable if pitifully slow rate of about ten or fifteen miles an hour. We were able to safely pass the site of the accident. I heard sirens from the surrounding areas throughout my drive to work. My normally 25 or 30 minute commute was more like 45 minutes this morning. (Sorry, Dave, don’t mean to rub it in.)
My favorite part of the WTOP article Dave linked about the terrible tragedy involving the FedEx truck near the Dulles Toll Road:
All of the packages from the FedEx truck are strewn along the hillside. A spokesman for FedEx tells WTOP the spilled packages will be retrieved and sent on to their destinations.
Well, it’s good we have our priorities straight. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that FedEx is protecting its customers’ interests, but was it really necessary for WTOP to ask? Did anyone actually think they would just leave the packages there? Maybe I’m a bit sensitive this morning, I just thought this was really an unnecessary cheapening of the situation. I mean, someone died, and we’re worried about whether that extra fruitcake will make it Aunt Ethel’s house in time to be ignored at the Christmas party?
Hmm, apparently I need a listen of Mr. Blue Sky this morning too. Incidentally, I have been a big fan of ELO for a long time — my mom used to have a couple of their records, and one of the first CDs I ever bought was “A New World Record.” Instead, this morning I’m listening to Damien Rice and Death Cab For Cutie… Time to lighten the mood a little, methinks!
That damn truck was still there when I tried to get on the Beltway this afternoon. And, even with no ice, this afternoon’s commute was no better than this mornings. Just good music to keep me company! 🙂
I agree; it Ps me O that WTOP had to add the blurb re: packages being retrieved and delivered. Yes, there are some very insensitive and/or stupid people out there, but let’s not dumb down the reporting to incorporate their queries.
I had a brush with black ice earlier this month. It nearly totaled the wife’s Honda and me as well. The hand of God was on me, as it happened in the midst of traffic with no other casualties but the muffler, LF wheel, rear bumper cover, and LR tail light… all from a trip around a couple times and into the ditch.