I brought my kids to Merced for the weekend. It gives them a chance to spend time with their grandparents. My wife asked me to drive carefully — she is not a worrier by nature. I understand the feeling of seeing the rest of your immediate family drive off in a car on a road trip. Accidents do happen.

As one did while we drove through Livermore.

Heavy traffic, moving quickly. In the fast lane. Workers on the shoulder picking up debris. Traffic slows ahead. I slow and nearly stop. One of those times when you have to brake hard making sure that you don’t hit nor get hit. No problem for me. No problem for the white car behiind. A red car darts onto the shoulder. Luckily, no workers here. Red car comes along side and veers into my lane. I move to the right (staying in the lane) and narrowly avoid getting hit. At the same time I hear a crash behind me (not my car). Red car falls behind and hits the white car. Another crash. Look behind and see the front-end of the white car crushed. The red car is back there too but I didn’t get a good look at it.

I don’t know how many cars were involved nor if anyone was hurt.

We are fortunate tonight. I hope, perhaps in vain, that no one was hurt.