I never got to say thankyou

--- This was originally posted as a comment on my blog here ---

A few years ago I was leaving the airport doing 80kays on the access road and suddenly the traffic just stopped, literally. I managed to stop under full emergency braking with maybe half an inch between me and the car in front but after that realisation I glanced at the rear view mirror and I could tell the cab that was bearing down on me was never going to stop. Not in time.

The next few moments were spent glancing at the car in front praying he would move up even the tiniest bit so I could also move up and maybe just maybe it would be enough and looking back at the mirror and the cab that was about to run straight thru me. Of course this all took a fraction of a second and then he came flying past me on the left in the breakdown lane.

He stopped under full emergency braking exactly in line with the front of my car. Had he not had the presence of mind to dive left at the last second I would have been sucking my Christmas dinner thru a straw in intensive care. If I lived at all. It was Christmas eve.

My greatest regret is I never got his number and as a result never got the chance to meet him, shake his hand and thank him for being on the ball when it mattered the most.