History of my weather-induced driving paranoia Pt. 2

I've already hit a pole in an ice storm, and been rear ended in a parking garage while waiting at a stop sign. Maybe I was feeling invincible? Perhaps looking for a thrill? Nah. Just ignoring my instincts, which never turns out well.

This is my second winter in upstate NY and I must say...it is wildly unfortunate. The small difference in temperature and precipitation between here and say, Westchester is significant enough to make me hate the season. I try not to hate, too much negative energy expelled...but there is no doubt that I absolutely DESPISE winter here.

It was the first snow of the season that surpassed simple flurry action. I currently live in an apartment complex and was afraid they'd tow my car if I left it there for the workday. I cleared off my vehicle as it slowly warmed up. By the time I'd finished, there was already a fresh layer waiting to be brushed off again.

I got inside and started my ten minute journey to work. This isn't so bad, I prematurely mused while exiting the parking lot. My tune changed rather quickly as I almost wiped out going around a traffic circle. I am unsure what road engineer decided that mitigating speed in the form of confusing and obnoxious traffic circles was reasonable for upstate, but I'd like to personally tell them they had a TERRIBLE idea.

I quickly start to panic after my almost-incident. I should turn around, my practical side urged. An SUV is driving behind me close enough to hop into my trunk. This makes me uncomfortable so I drive at an even slower pace. Suddenly my car jumps off the road into a small ditch. Seconds later I hear a "smack" as this SUV plows into me. I look in my rear view mirror and see a young woman only a few years older than I on the phone. So let's get this straight, she was tailgating AND on her cell phone during a snow storm. I get out of the car as she continues to talk on the phone.

She finally climbs out and we exchange the typical niceties. "Are you OK?" etc. She waits for her husband to arrive and apparently has a toddler in the car. They push and prod my car out of the snowy canal. The damage is so minimal we go on our separate ways.

Looking back, I should have called the police because a small crack in the bumper is still a small crack in the bumper that I did not cause. Perhaps I was just thrilled my bumper did not fall off completely as it did during the parking garage incident. Whatever the case, I recently purchased some new tires but am trying my damndest not to drive during any severe weather...ever again.