Last night we left a party about 11.30, my wife, the two girls and me. My wife was driving, and we entered the Princes Highway on a green light (having almost stopped before it changed, so we were still traveling slowly). In one of those odd moments where time almost stands still, I saw a car coming through the intersection from our right, and managed to say "It's not going to stop." My wife managed to stop our car within the left-most of the three lanes. It was odd how for just a moment there was this silence, and I sat there with enough time to think that maybe the driver would miss us. It felt like a minute, but must have been less than a second. Then the most awful sound and I closed my eyes - I knew that if we'd been hit square on (which seemed likely) my wife and one of the little ones.. - well, the thoughts in my mind were something I wish I could erase today.
I had all of the air knocked out of my lungs - my wife thought I was having a heart attack! I struggled out, and the other driver came over - a woman, all apologies. Then one of the little ones screaming from the back about her eye. So I climbed back in, she was bleeding. The other driver was continuing to apologise and I realised that she was less than sober. I couldn't remember what number you called for emergencies! My wife reminded me it was "000". The other driver was belligerent with the police, and refused a breath test (not surprised). Good - that automatic minimum one year will be a minimum two. Gosh, the police were just so supportive of us, and one of them looked like he was about to smack the other driver when she started complaining that her dog was bleeding from its foot! Luckily the little one's eye wasn't hurt - looks like her Nintendo DS hit her just below the eye. Looks pretty bad today from the bruising, but she's just so calm about it. The other little one is really upset and steadfastly refusing to get in the new car if we buy a black one again.
We were less than a second away from something tragic - had my wife not stopped the car as quickly as she did (good driver, ABS, AWD - thank you Mr Subaru) it would have not be the engine bay sitting sideways now. Guys and gals, give the family a hug for me today will you?
