For the Want of a Dashcam

Earlier today, Sylvia and I headed to Leduc to help Mom with some gardening and return her leaf blower. To avoid construction on the southwest leg of Anthony Henday Drive, we drove north instead, figuring it would be faster to drive all the way around the city than wait for the inevitable backlog through the construction zone. 

That choice could have gone very badly for us. Just a few minutes into the drive, we rounded a gentle curve and discovered an upside-down kayak was blocking the entire middle lane--the one we were using. I barely had time to shoulder check and maneuver into the left lane to dodge the obstacle. 

Fortunately, the kayak was bright green-yellow and I spotted it instantly. Had we hit it, at the very least the kayak would have ruined our front end and undercarriage; at worst, I might have lost control of the vehicle. 

Our car was the first to nearly collide with the kayak; while all this was happening, I caught sight of a man getting out of a pickup truck and getting out his cell phone, presumably to call emergency services. Several vehicles behind us had to swerve clear of the kayak as well, and as I lost sight of the man with the cell phone, I hoped we wouldn't get himself killed trying to drag the kayak to the shoulder. 

Everything happened in just a couple of seconds. It was a good reminder to stay alert when you're driving.