DO NOT Run Over a Grocery Bag with Your Car - It is a Trap...or just Physics

In the beginning there was nothing, 

which exploded.

~ Terry Pratchett, Lords and Ladies

It was a dark and stormy night....

Actually, it was bright sunshine and 3:00 in the afternoon. The pavement was dry. And a grocery bag floated aimlessly in the gentle breeze....right in front of my car.

I hit it.

That should be the end of the post followed by lovely photos of egrets and herons,* but no....now comes "physics." Now, I never studied physics. I understand gravity all too well. And um...momentum...there are probably a few other concepts I get...and that thing about energy....

I hit the plastic bag and because of the way it had landed before my car struck it the air was caught in the bag (like a giant bubble in bubble wrap!) and the bag EXPLODED transferring that energy up under my car and "taking out" some stuff.

It sounded very loud and weird. But I kept  driving. There was a high pitched eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
from the left front side of my car. Then what looked like a shredded tire was flapping up pounding the side of the car.

I figured the tire blew, but the car handled fine as I pulled over to the shoulder of the tollway and flipped on the EMERGENCY FLASHERS. At this part of the tollway there is a good shoulder and a 25 foot drop beyond it. I debated driving to the exit maybe 50 yards up the road (dang it - it was MY EXIT. I was almost there!), but realized I'd be ruining the rim. I stopped.

18 wheelers zipped past me.

NOW what do I do? There was no way I was going out on that road to change a tire. I was going to need a tow.

So, I checked the phone for tire stores in this town. Since I didn't know any of them, I decide to call my people** about 30 miles back up the highway.  In two shakes of a lamb's tail RM got on the phone and said, "Where are you? Can you wait until I get there? I'll be there in 30." Well, I could wait - where would I go?

He called me a couple of times from the road*** - "When I get there, don't get out of the car. I'll look around and see what we  need to do." and "I'm almost there."

It didn't take 30 minutes before I saw the truck and flatbed in my mirror. He pulled over got out and looked. He pulled up a mass of black rubber too flimsy to be my tire. He looked all around the car and kept picking up these pieces of rubber.

"Did you hit something?" he asked. "Yes," I replied, but how was I going to say I hit a plastic bag? That was going to require me to think a while before I figured out it was PHYSICS and that stupid plastic bag really was capable of being the cause of the damage.

He described what it sounded like as things started falling apart and explained it was some kind of liner - bumper, fender - something. I don't know much about cars except where to buy one, how to put gas in one, how often to service it, but most importantly, when you find a good shop STICK WITH THEM.

"You did the right thing. Your tires are fine. Drive over to the exit and stop."

So we drove over to the exit and stopped in the blocked tollway pay station and talked. He asked how the car drove, said he would order the part, but that I should probably go on to my meeting if I wasn't too late.**** I thanked him and took his photo (it's a hero thing).

I know I don't usually post faces here, but this guy is a business man and in the public and I think people need a to celebrate folks who go the extra mile (or 30) to take care of customers - and friends.

There you go:

Rick Miller of M & B Auto Repair, 6th Avenue, Belton, Texas (you might need 'em some day)

About 10 miles from home as I drove north on another highway I saw a plastic bag lazily blow across the lanes of traffic. I slowed down and gave it the right-of-way.


NOTES:

*I was on my way to a meeting about youth programs for the coming year, but I have a new camera and planned to practice with it at Mankins Crossing on the way home.

** M & B Auto Repair, corner of 6th Avenue and Cori Drive, Belton, Texas - we have been their customers almost 30 years - they have taken great care of us and our kids, oh, and our cars. I figured they would know someone in Georgetown I could call. [Normally I would just get out and change the tire, but this was not in my wheelhouse today. I needed consultation.]

***He asked more details about my location. There are times I might not know exactly where I am, but that time I was on top of things - 130 Tollway almost to the exit for State 29.

****I loved that. I could have missed that meeting, but I went and did get a little bit done. Mostly I calmed down and relaxed enough to get back on the road to go home - but first a stop.



FINAL NOTE: A few birds were waiting at the crossing. I did not stay long. Here you go:

Snowy Egret - see the flesh-colored feet.

Killdeer

Is this another Snowy? Yes. Yes, it is.