I took the children down to the March for Life this year and it was a great experience. It's too bad we all nearly died.
And by nearly I don't mean kinda' close. I mean we were in a really bad situation where really really bad things seemed at least as likely as anything neutral occurring.
The snow fell in Washington D.C. right near the end of the march. Honestly, the weather wasn't too bad. But I think that D.C., Maryland, and Delaware were so ready for it they started dumping beaches of sand everywhere.
We were traveling home and about the time it was getting dark out I noticed a number of cars pulling over to the side of the road on the freeway with their hazards flashing. Hmmm. Didn't think it was that bad but maybe they're just wimps, I thought. You see, there were many cars and trucks on the road kicking up dirty snow, ice, and sand on the windshield and every few minutes I had to use the windshield wiper fluid to clear it off. Well, at about 7 p.m. I was traveling down the freeway in the left lane and the windshield got a bit dirty so I twisted the knob to spray the windshield. But nothing came out. But the wipers still turned on and smeared the windshield up something terrible.
Stupidly, I tried it again and the wipers just smeared up the windshield worse. It looked like someone spread fluff across the windshield. I was in the left lane traveling almost 60 miles per hour and I couldn't see a thing. I'm not kidding. Not a thing. My thirteen year old looked at me and asked if I could see anything because she couldn't.
Uhm no. Not really. I quickly glanced in the rear view and there seemed to be a car up pretty close behind me and there was a car on my right. I was pretty sure that if I hit the brakes I would've caused a major pile up. But I had no idea what was in front of me. I opened my driver's side window and stuck my head out like a dog to see the road. I needed to get over. Fast. I asked my daughter if the car on my right was still there and she told me to slow down a bit. I did and she told me I could get over. Now. I turned on the directional and moved to the middle lane real easy because I wanted to give people plenty of notice I was moving. Finally, I was in the middle lane. Well, I've got to tell you, as dangerous as the left lane seemed the middle lane felt a lot more dangerous. Now I had a truck behind me and a car on both sides of me.
So there I am with my head out the window hurtling along. I asked my daughter again to tell me when I could get over and she said "Not yet. Not yet. Not yet. Now!"
So I eased over to the right. My eyes were tearing from the cold air in my unblinking eyes so I brought my head back into the van. I was flying completely blind at this point. I looked to the right to see if there was a shoulder where I could pull over. Finally, I pulled over to the right. I was deathly afraid that I would pull too far over and we'd crash down an embankment or a guardrail or a tree. Thank God, I was able to stop on the side of the road. And then we all just sat there for about a minute. I thought to myself that based on the silence from the van, the children clearly understood how perilous our situation had been. I finally looked behind me and saw that they were all asleep. But not my five year old who saw me looking at her and said, "Can you change this stinking song on the radio?"
I told her that I sure could.
My thirteen year old said she was praying the entire time.
We made our way to the next exit on the shoulder and when we got to the gas station they said they'd sold out of windshield wiper fluid. They directed me to another gas station which had also sold out. Finally, we were able to travel (slowly) to a third gas station which had some left. I bought two.
On the way home I noticed dozens of other cars pulling over. I saw a bus driver throwing snow at his windshield on the side of the road. It was bad.
I think next time the Supreme Court legalizes the death of millions of people forcing us to march, maybe they could do it during the summer. A nice 80 degree day in the summer sounds nice. And safe.
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So glad you all are safe. God bless you for your witness at the March.
I’m there with you Matt. I ran out of “blue juice” on I-95 just north of Baltimore. Luckily, the first gas station/convenient store I came to had some. But I did the “snowball treatment” on the highway to clean my windshield, it seems that you were unaware of that technique of cleaning your windshield. Perhaps it is a DC/MD/DE phenomena. We’re glad you are safe.
Thank God you’re safe!
Here in Michigan, we’ve learned: always carry extra washer and radiator fluid in your car on long trips because you never know when you’ll need it.
That said, is there any reason they can’t hold the MFL in the spring or early fall? Sometime when it’s cool, but not freezing? There’d probably be an even bigger turnout, and if not, at least there’d be more tourists around to see the march.
Sounds like the best driver’s ed lesson your 13-year-old will ever get. Glad it had a happy ending!
Glad to hear that you and the family made it home safe. Your guardian angel surely had its hands full that day.
Get-there-itis can be a deadly disease. Know the signs…
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2008-04-27/news/myword27_1_cyclists-itis-dangerous
I am glad you are all safe.
I’m glad you guys got out of it OK. I don’t know why they put so much salt on the roads. My windows were getting cloudy on my drive home from the March, too. And now, almost a week later, I’m still getting salty stuff all over my windshield whenever I drive! The salt is supposed to make the roads safer, not deadly!
So grateful your family is oK. Thank you for reminding me to buy some fluid for my windshield.
So thankful your family got home safely. So many of us who cannot go to the March do pray for all who do. We pray for your safety in travels and that your presence there will change hearts and minds. God bless all of you who attended the March.
Matt: Thank God you are safe too. Summer marches sounds like a good idea. The Supreme Court never gave the sovereign person in the womb the benefit of a doubt.
Reads like the Epistle of I-95. Got angels written all over it. Bless you all!
Good luck getting an 80 degree summer day in DC! God bless you!
Wow, sounds like you had Guardian Angels watching out over all of you!
SO glad you are all safe!!! Good job driving and praying!
Um, your thirteen year old rocks. Mine would’ve asked if she could change the stinking song on the radio. :/
Matt—having lived near DC for several years, I’m convinced the driver’s ed books there have a typo for measuring appropriate intervals. Instead of one car length for every 10 mpth, it’s one foot per 10 mph.
While I appreciate the desire for better weather, the Roe v Wade decision is the highest (non-)holy day in the Leftist calendar. Holding it on any other day (week) would reduce its impact, because there are events all through the year in DC—but only the MFL in the 4th week of January. It’s our chance to say “Look, this is how many of us showing we are appalled by this in the winter—imagine if it were summer how many of us you’d see.” I think we make the point just as well with the necessarily-reduced-because-of-the-winter-weather march.
The same thing happened to us many years ago in West Virginia in January. My then-fiance added water in desperation and it promptly froze. Thankfully we got out of our jam and thankfully, you all did too. I have a theory about why the MFL is better in January. There’s always an extra measure of suffering, an extra level of expiation.
It’s a little bit different and grosser in Rockport TX-near here it was almost 90 deg F this week. Our problem is not snow, it is insects. The last thing that goes thru their minds when they hit your windshield gets everywhere….and you will only be stupid enough once to turn on your wipers, because, even with the wiper fluid, you will have a gooey opaque mess and you will not be able to see. Only alternative: pull over and clean windshield by hand. Your 13 year old may have a vocation as a contemplative or crisis manager.God bless you all for your witness for the little ones and Deo Gratias for keeping you all safe in the palm of His hand. Have a full-of-wonder weekend.
ps: water can freeze? what is this “freeze”?
Be prepared!! You have learned a lesson, hopefully. Now remember that lesson for your life, We are here on earth, usually less than 100 yrs. THEN we go on to where we have chosen- heaven or hell for eternity. Make this life less important. for the life ahead!
OK…serious stuff but I do LOVE the response of the 5 year old. Made me laugh out loud. Safe in the hands of Dad. If we could only remember that we are also safe in the hands of our Father.
That exact same thing happened to me once when I was on a busy freeway in St. Paul. If the song “Jesus Take The Wheel” had been written yet I would’ve been singing it. Most terrifying moment of driving I’ve ever had. And I was alone in the car too. I had to pray that I wouldn’t broadside anyone as I eased over into the right lane, then onto the shoulder. My guardian angel was definitely guiding me, I know that.
And be careful on really cold days because your windshield wiper fluid can freeze and then you hope your defroster is up to the task of melting enough off to see through.
You may be interested to learn: That morning, before my 5 year old daughter left for school in the morning, she stopped in front of our picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and LED ME in a prayer. Together we specifically prayed for “All those traveling to and from the March for Life. That they will be protected and that their Guardian Angels will be especially watchful over them this day.” A short time later, my three year old son said that same prayer with me in the car.
I have NO doubt whatsoever, that God was especially watching over you and all those traveling that day, whether because of the heart-felt prayers of my sweet little ones, or from the many other prayers of the many others. For whatever the reason, I am truly grateful that He chose to spare you and your family.
Of and nice driving, boss! Kudos to your Navigator!
Yes, but you DIDN’T die, did you? But a child dies of malaria every 45 seconds in Africa.
Jimbo, who needs a checklist when the little ones and their guardian angels are around? Wonderful.
Several years ago I was in the same situation with the wipers on my way home. I learned a trick from a GENTLEMAN that worked at Advanced Auto in West Virginia. He told me to put a couple of drops of rubbing alcohol in the washer fluid reservoir. I bought the rubbing alcohol and put it in the reservoir and the water instantly unfroze and stayed that way. I now carry a bottle of alcohol in my car at all times. I am happy that God brought you through the danger and safely home.
“I now carry a bottle of alcohol in my car at all times.” Hey me too. But different ;)
I used to think that the MFL would be better and larger if held in the
spring ( NEVER in summer…too hot and humid ) but then somone wiser pointed out that the REASON for this is the anniversary of passing of Roe v Wade. It is then we need to remind the Country of this disasterous law and I also think, as said here, no pain, no gain. The enthusiam of those
that march in the bleakest and worst weather is not lost on the populace or at least it should not be overlooked. The crowd might be larger and more comfortable in spring, but their witness would be no more impressive. Invest in a warm down coat, hat, boots and gloves and join
the crowd.
PS….I hope you gave praise and honor for the gift of your Guardian angels. Next time I am sure you will go better prepared for road emergencies like this. We all live and learn!
Praise God you all got home safe to talk about the MFL. I’m sure if you go next year you will be totally prepared in case the same thing would happen again. Hope not. But, as said above, the reason they have the March in January is because that is the anniversary of the Roe V Wade situation. Someday, it will be reversed, maybe not by legislation from the White House, but by the people themselves. We just have to keep chipping away at it till abortion is no more. So everyone, hang in there, our efforts will pay off in God’s own way and time, but we cant give up. God bless!!
Maybe marching is not the only way to show our support for that baby in the womb. The next time a friend, relative, acquaintance, whoever…says she has an unplanned pregnancy, volunteer to adopt her child, or help her find a good family looking for a baby to adopt.I know one family who has adopted 3(American babies) thru their church. It will let her know that there is another & better option.
We can no longer look to Russia for babies, and waiting lists in the USA take an incredibly long time for people eager to have a child(ren). We need to save these babies from abortion! God,please show us the best way to help the moms in these situations. Help us to be courageous enough to step up and somehow save the babies.
Thanks for your presence at the MFL. We left coasters are very fortunate to have the mild climate of San Francisco for our WFL. But your tale of woe was intriguing to me because I was mostly unaware of the particular hazard caused by road salt in the East. The West Coast states have abandoned salt usage for a variety of good reasons and so, even if we drive into ice-risk areas, we don’t encounter the type of windshield coating that you describe, and I wouldn’t necessarily have prepared myself for such if I ever, heaven forbid, found myself on the East Coast during the dead of winter. In fact, I’ve had my car more than two years and have never had a need to re-fill the windshield fluid tank. So, thanks for the heads up, a big WTG to your family’s guardian angels.
In such circumstances the safest, and perfectly legal, procedure, is to gradually come to a complete stop in the middle of the road. This might annoy drivers behind, but if done properly they will also slow down at about the same rate you do. Remember, the ones following are always responsible for being able to slow down or stop no matter what happens in front of them.
What a sacrifice to make to drive in such treacherous weather to the March for Life. I think a lot of reparatory acts and intentions were offered that day (and the night before and the night after), for the intentions of ending abortion. Being from Northern Virginia, and taking a bus sponsored by our parish prolife commitee, our transport to and from the march was pretty non-eventful. God Bless everyone who came to the march that day, and made little acts of reparation in enduring the snow and cold!
And how about that Benedictine College!!!! Coming all the way from Atchison, Kansas with 7 full busloads of the pro-life generation!!!! God bless them! Way to go Ravens!
Just a heads up, I have been advised you should always have a bottle of windshield soap in the car. Yes, I have heard snow will work in a pinch. Since the March coincides with the Decision, I don’t think it can be changed to summer-just pray for good weather.
Ok lets get this straight u REALLY made me PO-ed cuz no 1 forced u 2 go… REALTY CHECK… U WENT your SELF!!! I chose 2 go…. no oppresive government “forced me 2 go”
it was the WHETHER that “almost killed you” and dont complain NO 1 wnts 2 hear IT
If you are ever stuck and the station doesn’t have the blue stuff buy lots of bottles of rubbing alcohol. That’s what’s in the blue stuff to keep it from freezing. It smells but at least you have something until you do get the blue stuff.
Hey!
I did not go to the March, but my kids were there with big tour bus full of folks from here- I knew the weather was going to be bad and I was praying for people leaving the March and having to travel in that…. glad to know the Lord was happy to oblige in your case!
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