I just had a scary incident

[Adam_W]

So, every Saturday or Sunday, I ride my scooter over to a friend's house over in the next town and spend the day there. It is normally about a 30min trip, but because the river is flooded, the normal route was impassable. So I had to drive in a big loop, passing through three other towns and approach the town from the other side, where there is no flood water. It becomes about an hour and a half drive. The last few days, it's been barely above 30deg during the day, and below 20deg at night. Going there late this morning, I was fine. I was pretty cold when I got there, but I just sat in front of the wood stove with a big warm fluffy cat in my lap, and I warmed right up. I left around 10 pm so it was pretty cold by then. I was driving along slowly because I was on an unlit country road at night, taking a route that I'm unfamiliar with, so I was already getting very cold. Then, in the middle of nowhere, the throttle on my scooter sticks open. the cable and the linkage had actually frozen. I had to hit the emergency kill switch so I could stop, but there was no way I could get in unstuck. By this time I was freezing so bad I felt like I was going to shake myself to death. I tried calling my friend who I had just left, but I couldn't reach him. I knew I was in a dangerous situation, so I had to call 911. Because I'm unfamiliar with the route and was driving by landmarks, I couldn't give an accurate description of where I was, and it took the police about an hour to find me. By the time they finally got to me, I was severely hypothermic. The cops took me to the closest town where there was an ambulance waiting, and I was then transported back to my town to the hospital there. They had me wrapped from head to toe in warm blankets and gave me warm IV fluid as well. After a couple hours, my core body temp was back to normal and they let me go home. I had no way to get home, but two local police officers volunteered to drive me home. My scooter was towed, and I'm going to have to pick that up later. I've always been able to handle the cold very well, but I learned tonight that ANYONE is vulnerable to extreme cold if you're out in it too long.

[billybags]

Wow that was so scary Adam, I am glad you had the sense to call 911 you could have died. Glad things turned out OK and for the police to take you home shows there are some nice people in the world.

[Darthvadar]

Yikes!,....

What a story!....

Don't think cold temps. and kidney failure make good companions... My mum freezes at the slightest chill...

Great that you're okay, and kudos to the police for looking after you so well...

Darth...

[okarol]

Oh man, that's scary! So glad you got through it ok! 

[kellyt]

Glad you're okay.  That would have terrified me.  You're brave to face the cold and take fon new routes, though.  Good for you on that account.

[boswife]

holly goodness!!!!!!!!!!  I hope that you wont do that again!!!  The staying out in the cold part of it...  That scarred me and i wasnt even there!!!!!!!!!!!!  Im so glad your ok and you called in time...      Hopen yhour warm and toasty now,,,