I’m paranoid about getting rear ended. Not long after I got my license we were on a family road trip. Dad had me driving. We were heading out of some small town, the speed limit had gone from 30 to 60. However, there were a line of cars stopped because some one was waiting to turn left off the highway. I was stopped, but checking my rear view mirror. Suddenly I realized that a Cadillac was flying up on me without slowing down. I started pumping my brakes to flash my headlights saying, “Daddy? Daddy?” Oh, it scared the shit out of me and there was nothing I could do. Suddenly the Caddy slammed on his brakes. He came to a stop just inches behind me, tires screeching, smoking…...I will never forget that. My family’s life was in my hands and there was nothing I could do.
My dad said, “If you ever find your self in a situation like that again, you just throw your car into the ditch! Just get off the road, any way you can!”
To that end, to this day, when I stop behind cars, I make sure there is enough room between me and the car in front of me so I can throw myself off the road in a heart beat.