Nightmare In Japan (Based on real events)

Disclaimer: This event happen to me and some of the names were changed to disclose the identities. May the misfortune that fell upon us would not repeat in the future, and taken as a precaution on future events. It has been a while since this event happened, the information given might have changed to amplify the story or just plain forgotten by me.

Nightmare In Japan

Prologue

It was some time in December, and Fukui haven't started to snow yet. The guys wanted to go for a snowboard trip. They have mobilized all the vans in Fukui owned by the Malaysian students to go for the trip. However the number of students who is in Fukui is far greater than the number of seats available. A fact stated that some couldn't follow for the snowboard trip. The guys ask for confirmation who were sure that they really wanted to go would be going for tomorrow's trip.

The trip was planned in the middle of the night, and some have confirmed going. The drivers were informed. It's a common thing here that if we were going for a snow trip the drivers would stay awake the whole niter to make sure they were up for the early morning trip. There wasn't much snowfall in Fukui so the guys planned to go to Gifu which is one and a half hour trip from Fukui. The road is a secluded road with curve and what we call a drifter heaven's road.

Chapter 1

I was only invited bout 2 am in the morning. Naturally my answer to snowboard is always yes! I am here its a waste to not go for snowboarding. I have spent a huge amount on money on the gears and even though it is quite expensive to go snowboarding, I cant ever go snowboarding back in Malaysia. So every trip is worth the money spent. I wasn't included in preparing the guys for the trip. All I did was prepare my car that morning, and I even had to catch up with them about 15 minutes later at a checkpoint called Kuzuryu station. This is an important station which h is a ghost station in a ghost town at the edge of nowhere and theres a big dam here. Its also the middle point from Fukui to Gifu. Beyond this town there isn't any house, any phone, and even the coverage of our mobile phone isn't available. Its also the last place we could refuel before heading on the road to Gifu.
So I arrived there about 15 minutes behind from the guys in my MR2. Its a sport car with only 2 seats. But unlike some other sports cars its moving in the snow, complete with snow tires. Its because I didn't want to lower the height of the car. Even though this car is portrayed as a selfish car bought at a time when people of Fukui desperately needed seats to go from A to B. I tend to see it the other way around. Being selfish isnt just because I bought a 2 seater... But its more on how a person uses their resources to help others. It may be a two seater... But this car helps more people than it should have. Its a life-line vehicle and its just damn cool heheheh.
The road to Kuzuryu was already snowing, not heavily but it started to form a nice soft layer of snow. Usually this is the most dangerous type of snow. Already Ive spotted one car hitting the railing. Wasn't a good sign.
We meet and all was good, every one was ready. Some where out there playing in the snow. But the drivers were ready. All powered up to go snowboarding. So we headed out. Towards the path up hill going through the beautiful scenery of the dam. We kept close spacing between each other. We were 3 vans and 1 car. All were in good conditions, or so I taught. To me It really didn't bother me because I had to take good care of my car. This is the car I'm going to bring back to Malaysia just a few month from now. So I don't want anything bad to happen to my car.
Leading them, I noticed one car was slower, and we pulled aside to wait for them. It seems that I was 10 minutes in front of them. I was too fast. I had driven this path for the 7th time with different cars, but the others were my juniors and some were driving on snow the first time. Which I didn't remember until afterwards.
Then when we continued I decided to drive behind, letting one car in front. This is to make sure that I could see the junior car which was moving slowly through the snow in my rear view mirror. Suddenly, on one turn I didn't see my Juniors van. Instead some one has overtook him. Then another have over took him. I felt that some thing was wrong... I gave a high beam to the front car to signal him to slow down, but I guest he didn't see it. I made a 180 degree turn on the snowy slopes and headed back downhill to see whats wrong with the van.
To my surprise, the van skidded into the railings. And thank god that the railings were there to save them from the cliff. Every one was ok and the van had a few scratches but other wise it was ok. The driver was traumatize because that's the first time he skidded and didn't know what to do. We got the van out and changed drivers. Silently I said to my self "That was close, its the second accident I saw today".
I found out that the tires for this van wasnt as good as the others. Its old and most of the patterns were worn out. It worried me since we are going to climb alot more after this. But I kept the positive taught in my mind. I usually don't do this. I am critical about safety. But just now was a close call.
We continued the trip. All went well and we were almost to there at the snowboard resort. Until the news came.

Chapter 2

We reach the parking toll and headed uphill to the parking lot. Even though we have reached here, its the last and steepest hill to climb. I was leading them up the hill followed by two other vans. My friend dared me to drift uphill in the snow. Since we were going uphill seems ok to drift so I drifted. Making 2 nice S curve up hill going only 40Km but doing that sideways was all to fun! Until, A red car was coming down! almost hitting our car, but I manage to drift to the side we could see it in slow motion... that driver was shock in aww looking at us drifting by him uphill. After we cleared my friend yelled "Saikou!" and we laughed. That was close. A few seconds later we reached the car park and I noticed only 2 vans got up here. We unload our stuff and got a call, "Indra, the van can't come up its stuck at the bottom and needs help". I said "okay, unload the van carrying the snowboards and ask them to park their vans down there and we pick them up later". We got a move on to unload the van. And in seconds the van went back down the hill. For a split second I noticed that that van was driving on the fast side especially in snowy condition. I didn't bother much about it.

It was less than a minute later. We got the call. "Indra, the van had an accident! Its serious, it hit another car".

There it was. The news came like a swift bat to the back if my head.
Its serious when we the aliens in Japan are involved in an accident with another driver because theres a lot of legal issues to be address.
It doesn't help knowing we have one van already parked in the snow unable to move.
It doesn't help now to ask if the drivers are used to drive in snow or at least keep slow moving in snow especially when we go down hill. Something must have happened. But what?
It is also a fact that I was the highest in command at that time. I was the eldest senior, the rest were far juniors then me. But nothing could prepare me for whats going to happen next.
Lastly all we know is that our friend the driver was conscious enough to make a call, but he could be in serious injury. Can that van still move to bring us home?

Chapter 3

I didn't waste time. It was cold, and the freezing snow got up to my fingers. I heard one of us said "What else could go wrong?". I swiftly replied "Don't ask for it. Our troubles just started". Knowing that time is off the essence, I drove my car down hill to see how bad is the situation.

I reach the first curve downhill as soon as I got there I could see the tire marks made in snow. It seems that the van lost control. As I passed by the scene, I could see green liquid coming out of the engine. The engine was gone. It cant be moved. I parked beside the other van that was already waiting down hill. Told them what was going on and asked them to park near me as well. Then I asked them to join the others uphill.

I got to the scene again and took a look at the scene. First thing first I checked on my friend, he was clearly standing, I asked him to turn the engine off and call the insurance agent as fast as possible. I checked on the other vehicle and asked if they were alright. I asked them to notify the police. A few seconds after that two guys from the ski resort came to handle the traffic. Last thing we need is another car crashing on us while we are here.

The van was totaled. We had to call for a tow truck. Luckily there was no sign of leaking petrol. But we stayed out in the snow waiting for the police to come. I asked my friend to brief me on what actually happened.

As he said to me, He was coming down when he stepped on the brakes and the wheels didn't respond, he hit the incoming van head on. He complains of some waist pains, and said other than that he was good.

I look back at the scene. The van was already on the railing. To my honest opinion, he could have easily fallen into the ravine if he had not hit the incoming van. The speed he was going was too fast. And being on snow didn't help control of the van. He also didnt know what to do when skidding occurs.

Best thing to do is to release the breaks and pressed again, but in the first place, he should have slowed down, especially going down hill. Thats why I know that at that speed, He could have easily broke the railings and fallen into that ravine. Either way, I m glad that didnt happen.

And the police came and got the testimonials from my friend and the other van he hit. I was looking at them and suddenly I went pale. I had to throw up. Just to get a grip of the situation. We are being pressured to move the van, file the report, call the insurance agent, and all that but the problem now is the location of the ski resort is so far up, nothing can be done on time for me to go snowboarding. So I told the others they should go while me and the the driver would handle the legal matters. We will communicate through the mobile phones. Which was another problem waiting to happen.


... To be continued