Less Than 30 Seconds

By Maxwell Priore

Some struggles happen over hours, some over days, and some go on for years. My struggle happened in less than 30 seconds.

I was going seventy miles per hour on a highway in the left lane. I felt something was wrong - a jolting from the ground. After a few seconds, it stopped, leaving only a grating sound. Then, I saw it: A tire rolling ahead of me; the vagueness in the steering; the leaning of the car. My rear left tire separated from the rim and was no longer attached to my car.

Knowledge is key in any intense and immediate situation. When you don’t have time to plan, your acquired knowledge becomes your plan. 

My car is rear-heavy and is prone to spin at high speeds with low grip. I knew this, so I began countersteering. It was not enough, though, as soon I was looking toward the wall of the highway. 

Adaptability can be the difference between life and death, or coming close to it. Being able to know what to do in a thousandth of a second can change the course of years. 

I chose to hit the gas. This put more weight on the rear, which directed my car to a more stable position. Maneuvering to the right lane away from any cars, the car stabilized. I managed to pull it to the side of the highway after regaining control. The car was stopped; I was safe.

The ability to deal with stress during intense situations is an uncommon but vital skill to navigate acute challenges.

I narrowly avoided a possibly fatal car crash and involuntarily tested my own capabilities. I came to the realization that I am capable of traversing stressful and intense situations using my knowledge, adaptability, and control over stress.