Reflections From a Country Girl

I was driving back from Charleston early this morning.  I would say it was just the usual uneventful drive back after a very pleasant weekend.  That is, until something on the car started sounding different. 

Different really was not the word for it.  It was a shrilling sound of metal hitting metal when I put on my breaks and I knew I was in a little trouble. 

I slowed down as best I could and, when I needed to, I geared down to 2^nd and then 1^st just enough to slow myself down.  I had also put my cruise control on and used the button to slow the car down as well. In addition took the car out of overdrive several times for additional slowing down. 

While I’m sure most mechanics would tell you to get off the road with breaks like this, I had just enough spunk in me to try getting home and to my own trusty mechanics.  After all, there weren’t many drivers out that time of the morning and I thought it would be better to just drive to Columbia rather than wait and take my chances with a mechanic in Charleston I didn’t even know.

All in all, the trip went just fine.  I made sure I kept my distance from other vehicles and, since we adjusted to daylight savings time, I also watched extra careful for deer in my headlights.  Yes, it was almost two hours home and mostly in the dark or early dusk. 

I had some achy breaks that needed some tender loving care. 

Since I have the mechanics from heaven, I made sure I called on the cell as soon as they opened to see if they could fit me in.  Thank goodness they were able to.

I’ll go pick up my car in a bit with those new breaks.  I think my car may ride a bit more safely now. It will probably cost me a pretty penny, but at least I didn’t wind up in the back fender of someone. I do know this, when you don’t ride with the metal hitting metal, you likely don’t have to replace rotors.  In my case, I did find out I wouldn’t have to.

While I don’t suggest you do this if your breaks give out, you may want to consider that strategy for emergencies.  I suspect you could also try your emergency breaks as well.

My wish for you today is that you never lose you breaks.  If you do, I hope you are in a place where you don’t run into anyone or anything and that you remember these strategies I tried as a possibility.  Considering all your resources can help out in times like these.

Happy and safe driving!

~ Joellen

This entry was posted on Monday, March 12th, 2007 at 5:40:pm and is filed under Life & Events, Safety, Teens. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.