Of Mileage and Fatalities

Currently I drive about 6000 miles a month. That's an insanely high number. My daily record is around 600 but only once. I will never drive that much in one day again. Car seats are just not that friendly for the long term.

One of the worst things about driving so much is that I have to be tortured with the smell of dead animals significantly more often than the average American. There is no smell I hate worse and sometimes I pass 3 or 4 in one trip (one way so that makes 6-8 in one day). Ewww! Thankfully my daddy taught me a trick to get the smell away quickly so I don't have to try and hold my breath. 

The major downside to all of this driving is that it increases my chances of being involved in some sort of accident. I try to be extra careful when I'm driving because of this reason and I don't do the pre-requisite 5 over like almost everyone does around here. I set my cruise control and just coast on through. The people who want to drive like maniacs or too fast can go right ahead and pass me, I won't be offended.


I was driving home today in just such a manner when I noticed there was suddenly no traffic along the other side of the interstate. That was really weird for that time of day near Abingdon, VA. It had been steady just moments before. Then I noticed 2 state troopers racing down that same side of the interstate with their lights flashing. So I got concerned and by this time traffic on my side of the interstate had slowed significantly.

Then I saw it. The life flight helicopter blocking both lanes on the other side of the interstate. I could see the commotion but not enough to know what was going on. Then I saw several people running alongside a gurney where a body was completely covered with a white sheet and strapped down. That was a very scary and heart wrenching site to see. As I got closer I saw a motorcycle strapped down on the back of a flatbed tow truck. It brought back horrible memories of a friend who died from irresponsible motorcycle driving. My only consolation was that life flight was still there so this person had to be alive.

These things are never easy to see. Thankfully this was the first I've ever had to see and hopefully it will be the last.

Have you ever seen the life flight helicopters in action?