The Violent Mist

This week in Socal is going to be of an insurance investigators bad dreams. A full week of 3 storms and record rain fall. This might not be news to you, but Southern Californians do not know how to drive in the rain.

Southern California can be described as Desert by the sea, because that is exactly what it is. The average rainfall is very low in this part of the country and "rain" described by the locals is really what my wife and I jokingly refer to as the Violent Mist. Overcast and drizzle is much of what falls from the sky in a typical winter with occasional rain storms.

So, people who have lived here their entire lives do not exactly freak out when it rains, in fact the problem is they don't do anything when it rains, they do not slow down, they do not avoid the roads, they do not look at a deep flooded intersection and think, hmm perhaps I should NOT drive my car into 3 feet of water and hope for the best.

Yesterday we had the first of 3 storms hit the Southern California area and in San Diego county alone there were 172 car accidents, most happening after 2pm when the worst of it hit. The news compared that number to 470 on the first real rain day of the season back in December. The difference in my opinion is that yesterday was Martin Luther King day, and many were not working, and the first rains seem to be the worst since all the oil and other non water soluble crap on the highways cause an extra slickness to the roads.

I was not fortunate enough to be at home yesterday, so when I checked the traffic maps after 4pm and saw mostly red in all directions on the freeways I was not excited. I was able to get out a bit early and on my way north I saw 4 accidents in the center divide on the northbound lanes, and about 4 or 5 southbound that were much worse with flashing reds everywhere. Some were just one moron and his car slammed into the cement barrier. The best was a 2 car accident between two trucks, one which was a pool cleaner whose supplies were strewn about on the shoulder and in the number 1 lane. I watched in horror as a women involved in the accident stepped into the number 1 lane about 5 cars ahead of me to remove some debris. I literally yelled out in horror thinking I was going to see some carnage. The cars ahead of me stopped just in time to avoid her.

So, lets review the facts, you are driving a truck with pool cleaning supplies which lead me to believe your line of business is cleaning pools. I know about 6 pool cleaners personally (happens to be a popular job down here) and I know for a fact they all stay home on rainy days. So why was this inchworm out in the rain? Secondly, you are involved in an accident on a major freeway and either you or a passenger in your vehicle decides to step into the road to start picking up your trash? Can we call up the Darwin award people cause I just found a runner up.

So after this is past I continue north and enter the express lanes and pay to drive without the traffic around me (see previous article). Near the end of these express lanes there are a few exit and entrance lanes to the expressway. As I was nearing the end of one entrance section I thought I was about to become the next victim of rainy day idiots.

Traveling in the number 1 lane of the 2 lane expressway I was passing a full size GMC truck. As i pulled along side him (I did not see the sex of the driver, just using the "him" as a descriptor) I noticed the vehicle begin to change lanes into me. I gave a quick honk and continued to pass as quickly as I could but braced for impact. My heart stopped, the adrenaline began to course through my veins, and nothing happened. As soon as I got ahead a bit I saw the GMC move back over as a vehicle entering the expresslane pulled behind the GMC.

It would seem rain and slippery or not, people have no idea how to merge.

So, two more storms and 25 million drivers in Socal for the rest of this week. If I live to post again see you next week.