# Remembering 9/11 - a driver's perspective



## Pier2.0T (May 31, 2006)

Do you remember the car you were driving on that day and where you were heading? I'll never forget driving home in my Silver 01 New Beetle from Montvale, NJ (MBUSA's location). We were told to go home after the second tower was hit. I remember heading away from NYC on the I-80 expecting a traffic snarl-up of epic proportions. In stead, it was deserted - I felt as though I was the only soul on that road. The weather that day was idyllic - the direct opposite of what was happening to the east, behind me. I will always remember that drive in that car. Never again.


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## Giovanni (May 13, 2000)

*Re: Remembering 9/11 - a driver's perspective (Pier2.0T)*

I went to move my car for alternate side of the street parking as the first tower collasped. 
edit my car was a mk2 scirocco 8v, and I still have it.


_Modified by Giovanni at 2:03 PM 9-11-2007_


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## Skizzle1111 (Oct 21, 2001)

*Re: Remembering 9/11 - a driver's perspective (Pier2.0T)*

I and my little brother were driving to school in my '99 mkIII Jetta. It was my senior year and I remember a DJ on the station I was listening to refer to it as like something out of "Die Hard"


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## Big M (Feb 10, 2002)

My university was 10 blocks from my house, and as bad as parking was, I usually just walked to class. After finding out what happened while getting dressed (Howard Stern and Spanish TV was my main source of info) I listened to my Walkman to find out what I could.
Came home after my first class, and traffic was so light at school that I took my 1992 Jetta to my noon class, which ended up being cancelled anyway.


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## 2000JettaGLXVR6 (Oct 17, 2002)

*Re: (Big M)*

I woke up and saw and saw the second tower get hit, then fall. I drove to my 11th grade english class in my 2001 Silver Honda Civic DX listening to Howard Stern. Gives me chills just thinking about it.


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## jaredpgh (Jan 18, 2005)

*Re: (2000JettaGLXVR6)*

I woke up September 11th to CNN and was convinced that the pictures they were showing were happening in another country. Then I drove my 1991 S-10 Jimmy to pick up my gf who lived downtown. I know PGH is a tiny city (and therefore low on the terrorist's list) but nobody knew if there were more planes coming or what.
September 12th we went back to school, I was a second year ME student at pitt. I'll never forget my friend John coming in on that wednesday and saying, "Where was everyone yesterday? I showed up but nobody was here."


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## Turbio! (Feb 21, 2005)

Perhaps this would be most appropriate in the "remembering 9/11" forum that was opened for this very purpose.


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## 2001TurboGTI (Jul 8, 2000)

*Re: Remembering 9/11 - a driver's perspective (Pier2.0T)*

I was driving my 2000 Toyota Tacoma (ext. cab, V6 SR5, TRD, 4x4, 5mt) to court for a case in which I arrested a kid for stealing a razor scooter.







(I was a summer cop at the beach while in college)
I was getting the information via Howard Stern while driving 2 hours south just to find out all state offices were closed shortly before I arrived. I remember every detail of where I was and what I did that morning.


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## jeffTOTHEMAX (Apr 16, 2006)

*Re: Remembering 9/11 - a driver's perspective (2001TurboGTI)*

I was very grumpy on my way to school (mom was driving, 95 ford explorer), and I was perturbed that some crap newsflash thing kept covering up all my radio stations(I assumed it was something minor/didn't care at the time). I finally find a station that isnt having a news bulletin, get to school, think everything is normal. Find out what is happening, and our principal proceeds to make everybody watch CNN all day. Didn't let school out, but made us watch 7 periods of CNN.


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## JL_Fan (Nov 5, 2004)

I had just come home from basic training doing 031 infantry, driving my mom's 1991 Toyota Corolla, thinking "So, Afghanistan eh?"


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## GolfTango (Feb 15, 2001)

*Re: Remembering 9/11 - a driver's perspective (Pier2.0T)*

I was at work in downtown Hartford when the attacks occured. Work dismissed up about 12 pm and I drove to my mother's house in South Windsor which is only a few minutes from Hartford. I lived in Meriden at the time and didn't feel like driving in I-91 traffic. I was in my then new '01 Golf GLS 1.8t. I remember looking through the sunroof up at the sky and not seeing any vapor trails from airplanes and thinking that things would never be the same. I had actually cried over the day's events for the first time during that drive.


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## SuperchargedLSS (Nov 17, 2003)

*Re: Remembering 9/11 - a driver's perspective (Pier2.0T)*

I was 17. I was in school, junior year, in shop class - wrenching on a lawnmower.
I'd had my parents write me a note to be dismissed that day, after 3rd period, because my jetta was exhaust -less and i had to go to shine racing to pick up my new TT/borla stainless exhaust i'd ordered... i made it to shine racing, the exhaust did not. i was so antsy after watching TV all that morning in school, i pretty much took the entire afternoon to just drive around - hoping there wasn't anything else about to happen... i was scared, i didn't want to be near any large buildings or anything owned by this government i'll tell ya that much. i more or less drove out into the countryside, i guess - that's where i felt safe.. truth be told, that's where i was safe!
that's one day/week/month i won't ever forget.. talk about chaos


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## [email protected] (Feb 14, 2005)

*Re: Remembering 9/11 - a driver's perspective (SuperchargedLSS)*

I was in my first week of college (a Flight school none the less), and didn't turn on my TV that morning. Took a shower, and walked out to my 1992 GTI 16V, fired her up, and waited till the car came off high idle. 
I installed a 6CD changer in the trunk, so I wasn't listening to the radio, and pulled out of campus. Geez, it sure seems quiet for the early morning. Campus is usually slammed this time of the morning, with all the new kids leaving for the airport, and everyone running to class. 
I drove the three miles to the airport, and once again, didn't see too many cars on the road. Early AM is a really common time for new pilots to learn since the winds are calm, so the off ramp and road to our ramp usually is backed up. 
I got to the airport, and all of our airplanes are on the ground, and there aren't any planes in the traffice pattern.







I was dead tired, so I noticed it, but didn't really think about it. 
I walked into ground school and learned what happened, and we were instructed to go back home. 
There was a great set of corners that lead to the onramp to get back to campus, and usually I took it full tilt (three wheels) in my GTI. Hearing the news, and seeing the impact it had across the nation, killed any desire. 
Worst drive I've ever had in my 16V.


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## notMatt (Sep 7, 2007)

Ironically, 9-11-01 was the day I had my last driver's ed session, a refresher before I took the DMV test. I was in a yellow Ford Focus sedan, and the instructor had me pull into a parking lot while we listened to the President's speech around 5pm. Quite a day.


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## PassatB6 (May 5, 2007)

*Re: Remembering 9/11 - a driver's perspective (Pier2.0T)*

I remember quite vividly I was driving an M1114 as it was time to do the regular PMCS for all the vehicles in the motor pool. We never drove them very far so we just stayed on post....My life along with many others were changed forever that day. I'm proud to say that within two months of that day I was on a plane and had discovered what Afghanistan looked like.


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## FLank_Sinatra (Jan 25, 2004)

*Re: Remembering 9/11 - a driver's perspective (PassatB6)*

I was riding with my dad on my way to class in our Ford Escort ZX2.
I remember I turned on the radio right before the 2nd plane hit...they thought on the radio that it was a "instant replay" type of thing.
I cried all day that day and just thinking about it makes me tear up now.


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## wildcar (Dec 5, 2003)

I was at work at 8, shortly after my brother in law who was my press operator came up to me and said a plane hit the WTC. A little while later he came back and said another plane hit the other WTC and one hit the pentagon, Like two minuets later my supervisor came up to me and said I had a phone call in the office I had to take.
On the other end was somebody from my Army reserve unit who told me to pack my bags and report to my unit. I ended up in Egypt during the build up of troops going to Afganistan and other places that most people don't know about.
I will never forget that morning or later that night when I finally saw what happened to the towers and the pentagon.


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## JettaGT8V80 (Jun 12, 2003)

*Re: (wildcar)*

1997 Jetta GT
too many memories from that day


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## MissVeeDub (Sep 16, 2002)

*Re:*

I drove my brother to school in my 96 Golf....it's sold now.
got back home and started watching TV. Channel surfed from channel 53 all the way to 11 (morning news)and thought......"What a horrible movie, who would want to see the towers on fire" and went down one more channel, same picture....and thought "what the hell.....is this a mistake that both are playing the same sick movie?"...and then one more to channel 9 (also morning news) and then my heart sank.....i listened to see if they would show the date to confirm what I was afraid of, and then I saw the second plane............and then my TV was not turned off for what felt like months....


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