Last night, while driving home from a food swap and cookbook signing in Scranton, PA, I nearly hit another car. I was on 76 East, so close to home, when a car suddenly pulled off the right shoulder and into my lane. I had to break suddenly and aggressively, slowing from a speedy 65 to right around 35 miles per hour in just a few seconds so that I didn’t crash into his bumper.
Everything from the backseat clattered into the footwells. I leaned on the horn and yelled. The other driver placidly moved into the left-hand lane and offered a casual wave while my adrenaline pumped and throbbed in my head.
Lately, I’ve been finding myself maddened by people as my life makes brief contact with theirs in the process of city living (this may have been the closest and most maddening call yet). Not my friends, family and acquaintances, but the strangers who fill this town. I don’t know if it’s the heat, the fact that I spend so much time by myself or simply that it’s my 11th summer in Philadelphia and the novelty of this aging east coast city is beginning to show cracks.
Last night, I didn’t see the car until I was right on top of him. He hadn’t signaled his intention to rejoin traffic, he just moved into my path. Once the panic subsided, I could see that there was a lesson tucked into my near-miss. A reminder to pay attention. To remember that I can’t control everything. That all I can truly manage are my responses to the events of life. I’m tired of feeling so inflamed and bristly, like a cat that has its hair raised in preparation for a fight. It’s time to try another way.
I can so understand and relate to your situation and emotions. I live just outside Washington and am astounded daily at the ignorance, lack of consideration, aggressiveness, and downright stupidity of my fellow drivers. I’ve just returned from a week’s vacation visiting my daughter in Asheville. While I can’t vouch that the traffic situation is any better there (we encountered plenty of aggressive and impatient drivers, and, for a small city, it’s got plenty of traffic), the proximity to the mountains and all that fresh air and just a slower pace all ’round certainly made me think that I too am ready for a change…Take a trip down there; you might like what you see. ; -)
Glad you’re safe. I was in Philly for the flower show and saw the Van Gogh exhibit. Leaving the museum a driver missed his turn and decided to throw the SUV into reverse. I had to turn into a lane and missed a car behind me and the SUV backing into me. Talk about hair raising.
Totally off topic, you made the front page of the Food Section of the Syracuse Post Standard today 7/16/12. You are also coming to my home town for iCan2012.
Congrats on all your success. Also safe travels.
Yikes, sounds like it was a close call for you! And thanks for letting me know about the Syracuse paper, I’ll have to look for that!
Do you want me to mail it to you?
here’s the link http://tinyurl.com/6pghjom
Hey Jim! So sorry I didn’t reply to this. No need to mail it to me, the link is plenty! Thank you!
I’m contemplating a move to the west coast after 17 years in Baltimore…
Ah. Then you know of what I speak.
Greetings from the other side of the state! I just came upon your blogs today, as my husband and I are contemplating canning. We have had a garden for a few years but are just now expanding beyond freezing. Glad that you are ok after the traffic incident. As a former city dweller (Miami of all places), we are loving our country home in southwest PA. i look forward to reading and learning more from you! Today I’m making zucchini shreds for bread and such. That and a batch of soap to provide for my customers will keep me busy!
I’m so glad you’re ok. That could happen anywhere. You always have to assume the other drivers are going to do something crazy and drive defensively. Please don’t leave us!
Im still pretty new to your canning blog, but enjoying it! I get it, those traffic incidents are terrifying! It happens to me a lot when I visit my parents in northern GA where they moved about 15 years ago. Drivers there do the most unbelievable things and driving drunk is commonplace where there is no such thing as public transit or taxis. So i guess it really could happen anywhere. Actually, I feel better in the city where we don’t have to drive as often as most people. I also get sick of Philly by August. It’s hot and smelly and full of weeds and anyone with the means or sense to gets out of town for sure. Still, by the time the weather cools off and mellows, I typically lose any desire to uproot. Autumn is so lovely and city life at Christmas is really nice. And Philly is getting younger every day.
So glad you’re OK! It really is a difficult experience.
I see that you’re a fan of Dansk too! So beautiful.
Love the pan.