My Dad (bless him, I love him to distraction) is forever sending me emails about how we are all going to be killed in our sleep, how margarine is actually plastic and those random stories of scary strange things that happen to people. I usually scan through these mails, but don’t really take them seriously.
Until Saturday night.
He recently sent me an email about the modus operandi of guys that walk in the middle of the road just outside Meerendal at night and how they basically force people off the road, but I wasn’t really paying attention. I did find the location a bit close to home though. When I see these things I always think in my head ‘how stupid are these people, why do they slow down?’
Well. On Saturday night we were visiting friends in Melkbos and I was on drive duty. I knew I was good to drive and we smugly drove past the roadblock that was set up on the other side of the N7 for traffic going towards Malmesbury. I’m comfortable driving at night as I did so for a long long time when I was working shifts in the hotel industry. I regard myself as a pretty good driver and I’m confident on the road.
As we approached the Durbanville/Table View turnoff, just where the street lights begin, there was a car pulled off on the left shoulder of the 2 lane road. There were 2 guys that looked like they were crossing the highway and we saw them and commented on how someone was going to run them over. I kept an eye on them and they made me nervous so guess what I did?
I slowed down.
As we got closer the one guy ducked and the other guy, in the middle of the right-hand line threw something at my car that went DOOF on my bonnet, but because my Dad has drilled it into me my entire life that you never ever stop if you aren’t sure, I accelerated and kept going.
Etienne and I were SO shocked, it took us a couple of minutes to really comprehend that some asshole threw a rock at our car. We couldn’t believe it. All I know is that, if I was going any faster that rock would have been through the windscreen of the car.
The kids were asleep in the back of the car and I didn’t scream or anything, so they slept through the whole thing and know nothing about it, but still.
By the time we got home I had a little bit of the shakes, but mostly I was really, really pissed off. There’s quite a ding in the bonnet so it must have been quite a rock.
How dare some idiot fuck around on a highway in the middle of the night and endanger the lives of 5 people, 3 of which are MY children?
How dare they?
Ps. I tweeted Helen Zille last night asking who I could contact and she put me in contact with someone whom I am now in conversation with. Never underestimate the power of twitter
OMW, how dreadful for you! I’m so glad that you got through this ordeal relatively unscathed but your nerves must be shattered! Good for you for having the presence of mind to slow down and then not stop. Hope the culprits are caught and prosecuted before they harm anyone else. I don’t understand why this sort of thing is allowed to continue. If police know their m.o. and where they strike, why don’t they arrest them?! Hope Helen Zille’s contact gets something done.
Flip this is scary.
Hope Helen Zille can help get this sorted for you guys.
Glad you are all ok
That is soooo unbelievable! I feel sick to my stomache!!! Glad you and yours are ok’ish. Love u!
Wow, that is so scary! Just so glad you are all fine
Yoh! How scary 🙁 Things like that really do shake you especially with your kids in the car!
Sjoe. That is so scary! I would be totally freaked so can totally understand you having the shakes! Thank goodness you are all OK. Bastards!