I'm not sure who took a dump in Mother Nature's corn flakes this morning, but she's pissed.
Last week we had a couple days at 70 degrees up here in NJ. Tonight, driving home from NYC temperatures hit freezing. I'm still on my summer tires, so I was driving extremely carefully. I was on an on-ramp behind another car, speeding up slowly and cautiously (knowing fully that my tires won't agree with this weather. Plus, I couldn't even accelerate quickly if I wanted to due to the car in front), and all of a sudden exactly what I was mulling over in my head and fearing happened.
I lose traction and swerve right. I assume I hit a patch of ice or even just a puddle, so try and correct myself slowly without braking to not make matters worse, but the car doesn't agree with me and swerves left over 3 lanes. At this point I'm braking full force but it doesn't matter because my tires have no traction in this cold weather, and I go over the median and end up facing oncoming traffic on the grassy patch.
I don't get out of the car, but the cops come and say I must have batman reflexes because there is no damage to the car and I am inches away from the median barrier! They stop traffic momentarily and let me get on my way without so much as taking my name. However, I noticed there was some vibration in the steering wheel at moderate speeds, so I stop the car and notice a piece of my front rim is missing and mud is everywhere. That was the only damage to the car (insert likeaboss.jpg).
Anyway, moral of the story is that we are in for some freaky weather. On Saturday there's actually a chance for snow in the NYC area. Before Halloween.. and last week I was still wearing shorts and flip-flops.
Be careful out there, guys! You never know when something out of your control will happen. It looks like a season for early winter tire mounting.
BTW, this is the damage:
