Ouch!!! Did I do that? Today I am in a reflective mood, Its Labour day no work and it being a Tuesday makes it totally useless since I can't do much rather than lounge in the house and reflect on my experiences over the last year. One experience that has stood up in my recent past is when I was struck by the ghost of bad luck and ended up raming my precious auto on a stuborn tree.
The Red Circle indicates where my house is.Around 20 Metres from my driveway I veered slightly off the middle of the murram road leading to my house and suddenly I felt the tyres near the edge of the road begin to spin on the loose surface, because of the unequal traction on the left and right wheels the car started swinging uncontrollable as I tried to correct the direction with the steering wheel. I know from prior experience that applying emergency brakes on such a loose surface or when in a skid is a recipe for disaster so I had to try and regain control. Unfortunately on both sides of the road were closely spaced rows of trees and before I knew it I had collided head first with one of those trees. I think this all happened in all of 2 seconds. Fortunately I was moving at fairly slow speed not more than 20 KPH since I was already inside the company premises and I managed to escape unscathed just slighly shaken (Thank god for Airbags). The car on the other had ended up with a thoroughly disfigured front end which actually looked much worse than it actually was.
Front end in desparate need of a 'Nose job'
As I reflect on this mishap which is the closest I have ever come to meeting my maker I made a few observations.
- You don't have to be drunk to cause accidents; It annoys me to no end when people rush to assume that when you have an accident that you must have been drunk, In this instance I was as sober as judge which is what I ussually am whenever I drive long distances.
- You don't have to drive fast to have an accident; Another assumption people make is that you have to be speeding to loose control I will have you know that a half tone saloon moving at 20 KPH will do untold damage when in comes across an immovable object such as a tree or wall if it meets you head on at that speed trust me we shall be discussing you in past tense.
- Accidents don't always happen far away; I was only 20 metres from my house I find it amusing when people tell you that they only need to wear seat belts on long journeys, Kwani it's OK to die when you are near home? Nowadays even when going for a packet of milk at the duka I belt up.
- Insurance Pays; I was always skeptical about the need to pay insurance and agreed with those who said that 'Insurance is like an umbrella on a sunny day which is taken away when it's raing' well I was forced to eat my words since I had only just paid my first premium on that car and yet they were able to finance the total repair on the car and it actually looks better than new.
- Automatic transmission is crap on offroad; I was all praise for my automatic transmission until this mishap although I have no way of proving it I'm pretty sure that if I had my trusty stick shift I would have been able to bring the beast under control.
- Murram is a whole different ball game; when you driving surface resembles small ball bearings anything you try and do with your steering will be like running on an Ice rink with high heeled shoes.
- Nose Jobs don't only refer to plastic surgery; while consulting with my mechanics on the repairs I learnt new terminologies such as Nose-cuts, Half-cuts which are not the preserve of cosmetic surgeons but refer to the art of removing the entire front of the car and replacing it leaving your car looking like new. It will now take a very meticulous fella to detect that my car had such a disfiguring accident.
I hope now after this reflection I can now look back at this incident and be able to laugh.
Now on to more pressing matters. Man U tomorrow meet up with AC Milan for Semi of the Champions league. Now that we almost have the league sawn up I a have kazaad my butt for the game cos if we do it will probably set up the momentum for the treble I can hardly wait. Good luck to the Liverpool tonight and lots of Luck to Arsenal on Sunday as you can see I am in generous spirits even though there is a glimmer of selfishness inherent (Hehehe...)
34 comments:
Kirima, you need to LOOK AHEAD when driving. Ogling at mamas on the other side of the road has been known to distract even the most meticulous of drivers!
I see you're really campaigning against Chelsea, eh? Wait, we'll shock you! Nyinyi kazeni madiaba ama kesho itakuwa ni kubaya!
@Kirima - So what team are you?
@Archer - I wonder what mamas on the other side of the road would be doing. Maybe working in the chamba?
Oh Archer! How I wish it were true the only mamas to ogle in this necks of the bundus are in my mind!
Nitakaza tu!
You are fortunate to have today off, unlike some of us. To be unique, these folks stateside celebrate theirs in September.
Anyway, your story reminds me of the tongue-in-cheek comment that asks why not move home farther than a few meters away if all accidents happen within a few meters of home.
You know I have had my share of accidents at home – one day a Nissan PSV rammed us from the back, I was very near seeing my maker.
Luckily no one was harmed not even a shocked mbuzi that was in the back. We roasted it later during the day to minimize it’s shock.
ManUseless will obviously lose to Milan and WE are going to take care of business against Liverpool today.
I remember that we did a test drive on this Corolla the last time we were together when you were trying to get rid of the yellow submarine. I did not think for a second that it would end up in a ditch.
BTW, this reminds me of the time Kero totalled the Datsun at RaceCourse after a night of serious rave - could the same factors have been at play here?
- Steve
@ egm: dammit you beat me to that "joke" ... and the way I'd grinned in anticipation!!
Leo, Chelsea watundu wanazibwa wapi ? Kwenye Archer anasema mkaze ...
Kesho, Man U, after sealing a glorious comeback and sealing the EPL title over the weekend will take that form to Milan: I call that game 1-1, with United meeting Liverpool in the final.
Chelsea rocks!
was in a car-crash too, it was a pile-up, the guy that caused it was text messaging :(
@ farm gal: i think you are on some leaves ... you see reality, but can't admit ... woii
@Bomseh, Man U of course. True its easier to be distracted by a mbuzi on the roadside around here.
@EGM, Moving home hmmm let me think about it.
@3N, Pole, I bet the Mbuzi did not have as many lives as you did!, You spoke to soon about Liverpool.
@Steve, The car is good as new now and NO the same factors were not at play this was just a freak accident. I still have happy memories of that Yellow Starlet never let me down.
@Mwangi, Your predictions came true lets wait for today's game I also predict a tight score.
@Farmgal, You must be feeling like crawling under that rock today eh?
@Majonzi, Ati text messaging I cannot even begin to imagine how he pulled it off, pole lakini.
@Mwangi, Easy on Farmgal it must suck right now
Rolling in at number 300! Aki i will murder someone at Africaonline. How dare they curtail my efforts at being number one on every post? Tsk! Tsk! Sorry about that accident. Had one of mine last year, was going much faster than you but used some collision avoidance/ramming techniques to minimize damage on my car, the other dude though, on his mobile phone, his car was trashed. He had it towed from the scene. Now eyes ahead both hands on the wheel wits about you. My rules. I love shags for the reasons of pulling off advanced car control techniques on the treacherous gravel lots of fun, lots of space in my shaggs unlike where you are at so even if you miscalculate you end up at worst running over shrubs. :-) Ok i am off to do my own post.... oh! and man U **wetu** na hao wengine what was the score?
What's with all you people working on labour day? kwani I was where! haya at number 301,
Poleni chelsea. Man U I support you but you are going down! mumechoka na mumechosha!
Oooh, pole for the gari..Whats its name By the way?
Wow! Olepolos?? I love dat place sweet Memories!
Mine the jamaa drivin was drunk n was drivin so fast, bt luckly no one got seriously drunk!Bt that was da last time 2 be driven by avisibly drunk person!
@Archer..Ogglin @ what?? LOL
@3n..Poor Mbuzi ati minimisin it's shock..
@Farmgal..Pole Chelsea Lost!
Pole for that accident, what a relief that you didn't get hurt. And that insurance paid for repairs.
Mwangi wewe! sawa tu..
Pole for the akisdent.
remind me of this time i backed into a packed Lorry with Mbuyu's Mathree.... That semester my allowance was cut by 50%..:-0
I said it & will say it again... Chelsea is just a team of pensioners.... after 90 min all their tongues were hanging out...
@Methu, I am not much on the advanced driving but I can handle myself quite well in muddy situations, just can't get the hang of automatics yet.
@HnH, Don't give up on ManU, they deliver, Hmm on the car's name youve got me thinking of something watch this space.
@Klara, I just love Maasailand and the beauty of the Rift. I don't like drunk driving either.
@Girl next Door, Thank God for small mercies even if we are not worthy.
@Inexes, I will reserve my comments on Chelsea now till FA cup finals thats when they will be relevant again.
The Hour is nigh now off to watch some REAL soccer.
Blessings that you're OK.
"Unstoppable Force" meet "Immovable Object" might be a good title here too. I always remember being told that most accidents happen less than 1/2 hour from home...and are 90% preventable...but that was just what I've been told, it doesn't mean it's true.
your humble servant,
ancient clown
P.S. Thought I'd backtrack to share some poetic humour with you...I hit "NEXT BLOG" at the top of your page 'just cause', and it took me to here. It made me laugh.
your humble servant,
ancient clown
Oooooi, umeamka?
Dont want to say I told you so, But I told you so!
And then there was Two! I think we better start cheering Arsenal (shudders)
Pole Ndugu.
Have you called in sick today?
3 - 0?
@Ancient Clown, Thanks for visiting and for the link.
@HnH, Wish I didn't wake up, but kweli we played terribly and were deservedly whipped. :-(
@Inexes, Asante, Hell no! win some loose some, ces't la vie. we still have 2 cups to chase
Pole about the accident. Olepolos??? my mouth's awatering :-)
Oh my, eventually. Something @ google/blogger always prevented me from commenting. *grrr*
Olepolos and an accident in the same day? Aii...and how did your car manage to climbe the "road" to Ole? Last time I was there that path was more of a joke!
Embu, nice :-) Me i like!
Kirima my dear friend 20 os not ur lucky number or any number thats strt with a 2...
20 kph...
20 metres..
2 sec...
wolololo!! pole lakini.
Kirima, I won't mention anything about the THREE NIL THRASHING at the San Siro. I won't even mention how badly your team played.
But let's have a beer to mourn both our losses.
We are down
We are not out
Coz we are UNITED
Come on you reds!!
COME ON MILAAAN!!
@Chatterly, Thanx for your concern, you need to go to olepolos soon to quench that deisire.
@JKE, Karibu sana, sorry about Blogger woes, Yes the road to up to Olepolos is still a minefield.
@Unyc, Thanks acually 20 is not my unlucky number its just coincidence.
@Archer, Thanks for not grinding it in although I accepted the verdict long ago and moved on.
@Mwangi, True we are not done yet, By the way today I am committing team infidelity by supporting Arsenal.
United !! Brilliant ... God bless the freakin' gooners!!
Was here last week but couldn't comment then. I still have nightmares from the accident I had last month. Hard to comprehend how someone sitted next to you can sustain such serious injuries/lose his life and you remain without even a scar to show for it.
I can't believe a guy actually died...it was only a few seconds and his whole arm was smashed n' dislodged at the shoulder. We had to carry him out of the car but he bled too much and passed on. A young family lost a daddy just like that.
Then there was this guy who was reading his book from so far and I was admiring him coz I always hold mine so close. Sad thing is he lost his right eye in the accident...I've learnt to appreciate small things.
@Komi, Pole sana for the horrible experience you had to remember, your experience makes mine look like a walk in the park indeed. I went through a period of denial and disappointment but I am glad I can now look back at the incident and draw some lessons. I'm sure that in time you will use your experience in a positive way.
No accident is a walk in the park and yours was a bad experience as well. Am glad you came out of it okay. I just saw the car we had in the jam...life goes on. We survived.
Pole about the accident!! Glad you came away unscathed!!
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