Spinout

I have observed more Interstate accidents lately than I would care to. I was coming home from my mom's a day or two back and was following a two door Honda Civic with a young lady at the wheel. It had just begun to rain here and it had not rained since Katrina back in August.

When it has not rained, oils from leaking crankcases, transmissions, and diesel fuel now coat the interstate with a deadly film. I have the advantage of years of professional driving and know this where most young drivers have no idea about this very dangerous film on all the roads. The car in front of me turned on her right turn indicators and she started into the northbound ramp leading to I459 from I20.

I was slowing, letting the cars transmission slow my car into this anticipated turn. The first thing I noticed ahead of me was her brake lights coming on as she entered the on ramp. The Honda's rear wheels lost traction and the car began to spin, turning around 1 1/2 times, coming to rest in the grass off to my right.

I stopped as did the car behind me and both of us went to help the driver of the car still sitting behind the wheel of the car. She was maybe 17 or 18 and not hurt but shaken from this experience. She was lucky as the rear wheels ended about 2 feet from the concrete drainage ditch that borders the on ramp. I got her out of the car and the lady behind me got behind the wheel of the Honda Civic and with it's front wheel drive, it came out of the grass and onto the ramp on the edge of the on ramp.

The car was covered with grass and debris but otherwise unhurt. I talked to the young lady, and told her what I thought happened and she was have her dad check the tires and told me she wish someone had told her about these road conditions when it has not rained for a time. She was real lucky and hugged both of us for stopping and helping her. The other lady and I talked a minute or two, then we too headed up onto I459 and home. Just call her LUCKY!/Jeff