Ka-thunk! (And other words not to say)

I mentioned earlier than my friend and I took a trip to Oregon over spring break one year (30 Sept 09). We weren’t use to the coastal road and didn’t feel comfortable going the speed limit through the curves. (At this point we knew that the shoulder was non-existent at some points.)

At one point there was a fellow tailgating us and my friend found a place to pull off to the side so the annoyance behind us could pass. From my perspective in the passenger seat, I saw there was a six inch difference between the road and the shoulder. The only word that came to mind as she pulled off was “Ka-thunk!”
Continuing to pull off she asked, “What?”
Ka-thunk!
“Oh.”

Apparently my sound effect of what was going to happen wasn’t a good thing to say in warning. Although, between the two of us, that works just fine. If one of us says ka-thunk while the other is driving we know what is going to happen.

I must be bad luck. People tend to run red lights when I am in the car. Because of the multiple experiences I’ve had I have learned a few things not to say when warning people of red lights.

Main Street, two in the morning.
Me: “Um. . .”
Driver: “Hmm?”
Me, as we pass under the red light: “That was red.”
Driver: “Whoops.”

First East, night.
Me, pointing wildly: “Ahh, ahh, ahh”
Driver: “What?”
Me, as we pass under the red light: “That was red.”

Center Street, night.
Me: “Red. Red.”
Driver: “Red?”
Me, as we pass under the red light: “Red light.”
Driver, slamming on the breaks: “Shucks.”

Fourteen North, early evening.
Me: “Red light, red light.”
Driver: “Where?”
Me and driver as we see a bus coming into the intersection: “Oh dear.”
Me and driver coming out of intersection, unharmed: “gulp”

First west, afternoon.
Me: “Stop. Red light.”
Driver: “Oh. Thanks.”

It only took five times to get it right. Now I know and I am passing on that valuable information to you. Say stop.