One Way to Find Out
There is only one way to know how you will react in an emergency situation and you know darn well what that is. You have to be smack in the midst of one. There is no simulator or little futuristic Viewmaster-thingy to put on and truly experience your response. It is an experiential test.
It was dark and foggy on a mountain highway. Around the bend came an 18-wheeler borrowing half our lane to make the curve. Did I mention this is western Cackalacky and we have no shoulders? In this particular locale, no guardrail was present either for added security. She dropped both the front and rear right-hand wheels onto the three feet of grass just past the white edge-line. She kept going straight, no swerve or panic. Then put it back on the pavement. A perfect response.
Afterwards, we shook off our tingles in the silence of the realization of all the what-ifs. Turned the station and sang out loudly to some old 80’s song.
2019