I might be a bit dramatic, but I made a stupid mistake that could have gone worse than it did.
I took a short nap in my car with the windows rolled halfway down, at the edge of a parking lot on a hill. We are in between rainstorms at the moment and there was a cool but wet breeze gently blowing. Peaceful.
Since lots need to be fairly level, there is a 10' retaining wall between the lot and the next street below, and as I dozed a city maintenance crew assembled to repave the street below the wall, directly next to my car. Due to the line of sight, there was no way the crew could see the lot or who was there.
I knew a crew was working by the sounds, but I didn't realize it was for resurfacing.
Anyway, about 15 minutes into my little nap, a large dump truck poured a block's worth of slurry directly next to my car, maybe a dozen feet away. A giant plume of hot ash and fumes rose up the wall and into my car. With the windows only half rolled down, the car interior flooded with toxic air and stayed there.
I woke in a panic, unable to breathe, struggled to open the door and stumble out, only to find the cloud of smoke all around the car as well.
I ran, coughing and choking for 30 feet or so until I could escape the worst of it.
I might be a bit dramatic, but I made a stupid mistake that could have gone worse than it did.
I took a short nap in my car with the windows rolled halfway down, at the edge of a parking lot on a hill. We are in between rainstorms at the moment and there was a cool but wet breeze gently blowing. Peaceful.
Since lots need to be fairly level, there is a 10' retaining wall between the lot and the next street below, and as I dozed a city maintenance crew assembled to repave the street below the wall, directly next to my car. Due to the line of sight, there was no way the crew could see the lot or who was there.
I knew a crew was working by the sounds, but I didn't realize it was for resurfacing.
Anyway, about 15 minutes into my little nap, a large dump truck poured a block's worth of slurry directly next to my car, maybe a dozen feet away. A giant plume of hot ash and fumes rose up the wall and into my car. With the windows only half rolled down, the car interior flooded with toxic air and stayed there.
I woke in a panic, unable to breathe, struggled to open the door and stumble out, only to find the cloud of smoke all around the car as well.
I ran, coughing and choking for 30 feet or so until I could escape the worst of it.
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