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I have this highly rational phobia of a train hitting me as I'm driving over its tracks. But, that's why that guard thingee is there, right? But what if it breaks? I mean, how high-tech can that guard thingee really be?
But of course as the weather's grown colder I've noticed my preoccupation with this phobia getting worse. There's just something about the cold flooding my body, tickling my brain to spit out spasmodic scenarios. If I'm stuck behind a van that creeps across the tracks, I know my car will stall, and I start to categorically panic. If I can see a stoplight just ahead of tracks with the possibility of turning red and stopping ten cars at once and I'm suddenly stuck on the tracks and the high tech guard thingee slaps down, smashing my car in half, I begin to panic. And if my children wish to see a train, I know said wish will draw the trains closer, converging two trains upon me, and wouldn't you know--I begin to panic.
So then I can rationally blame the cold for slightly altering my driving techniques. Instead of inching over the tracks to cause the easiest journey for all my passengers, I always zoom over the tracks, turning my head infinitesimally to the left, then right, varyfing that said train isn't en route to chop us in half. And this result has caused a very pleasing reaction from my children. They love to fly over the railroad tracks with mom and my littlest always shouts "Wo-ah!" Pure glee, ecstasy, delight.
To think we live near three sets of tracks... who would've thought with all this finesse-like driving I get woozy every time I leave the house?
Any phobias lately? Any plans to curb them in the new year? Or might we tickle your brain to establish the most tranquil of scenarios?
I'm afraid of going over tracks as well. I always look both ways, and I wait until the car ahead of me has enough space behind it before I go over. I bet the chances of being hit are slim but I worry anyways. I'm also afraid of spiders, the dark, and edits...
ReplyDeleteGood thing you were not with me the other day. I was headed for the tracks by the DMV on Godwin and the lights were on but the bar had not come down yet and cars were still going across. I looked at it as one of the long VA Yellow lights and made the decision that I had time to cross, until my DD screamed "Train, Mom what are you thinking, the lights are flashing". I hesitated just long enough to know then I would not make it and slammed on my brakes as the arm was coming down. The car that was just behind my right shoulder zoomed on ahead and crossed. "See I could of made it, I am sorry for scaring you" I calmly said, as I came to a complete stop. The train was not very long luckily and so all is well.
ReplyDeleteWhenever we go on vacation I am afraid the house is going to burn down while we are away.
I'm with you, Aubrie, with being scared of edits, but know they are good for me. Trains are not good for me.
ReplyDeleteYes, good thing I wasn't with you Delilas. I would have frozen, not spoken to you for at least thirty minutes and you would have thought I was mad at you!
I stop and look at train tracks even when the gates are up--just to be sure. My biggest phobia is heights. I won't even allow my kids get near the railing to look down at the first floor of the mall. It makes me queasy.
ReplyDeleteI don't like heights and I am scared of zucchini pie. And I fear wuss rock.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful description all over this post, Mary. Well done.
ReplyDeleteMy phobias? You really want me to embarrass myself in front of the entire inter-spidey-web? Okay, I have an irrational fear of heights and a slightly more rational fear of the dark. Which I also love. Yes, I'm crazy.
lol i want to know what david considers wuss rock. i definitely have some bands in mind....
ReplyDeletei'm scared of everything. ;) spiders, camping trailers, heights, closed in spaces, and any jigsaw-like character.
I'm terrified of driving across a certain very high bridge in Texas! I don't know why that particular bridge scares me, I'm usually not afraid of bridges or heights. It just goes straight up, single-lane, and then veers drastically to the left. It's not like I have a habit of driving off the road on random shoulders, but on this bridge, I turn off the radio, scream at the kids long before we start the ascent to be silent, then white knuckle grip the steering wheel at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock while holding my breath. I can NOT look left or right, merely straight ahead. UGH, I'm my palms are sweating while I write this!
ReplyDeleteMary, You shoulda been a bus driver, since you HAVE to stop and look both ways before proceeding.