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These things do happen from time to time. The most recent one I remember involved me driving home from work with a carload of friends when a bigass SUV merged into my lane without looking (I had just moved into her blind spot, preparatory to passing her). I'm thankful that there was no oncoming traffic and that I therefore had somewhere to go, and also that my reflexes are fast enough that I was able to react in time. My friends were suitably impressed with my automotive prowess.
The funny thing about it isn't the event itself (as far as collisions go, it would've been pretty minor) or my reaction (the window was narrow, but not so much so; anyone who had reasonably quick reflexes and wasn't prone to panic could've done the same thing), but that I'm paranoid about being in people's blind spots. I know a lot of drivers don't bother to check their blind spots when they're changing lanes and I don't want to get in an accident because of it, so I deliberately stay out of blindspots except for the brief moment when I have to pass. This was just one of those freak occasions where that moment and the moment the woman in the SUV decided to change lines lined up.
There's also the time I ditched my car. I consider it a close call because even though I went off the road, I didn't go into oncoming traffic when I lost control. It could've been a lot worse than it was. It also gave me the unique perspective of watching the road pass by as I was sliding sideways beside it; this is a perspective I hope never to have again.
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I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said
- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame
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