I was going to work, and a guy ran a red light in front of me. Since I’m in Charleston, there was no way I could avoid him. I hit him straight in the side of his huge Toyota SUV at 20mph. My airbags went off, my windshield cracked, my hood buckled, my headlights were hanging out of the front of the car, and my horn was stuck on. My front doors crunched when I opened them. He drove home with little more than a white smudge down the side of his car.
The guy swore his light was green, but two separate witnesses gave a statement to the police officer that I had the green. I thanked them profusely. He was at fault, and I’m fairly certain my car was totaled. No one was hurt.
Be nice to yourself: emotions run high after an event like that; you may feel like you’re riding a roller coaster for the next several days. It’ll pass.
People who drive cars often forget how dangerous it really is: you’re moving in excessive speeds in little metal boxes which come literally inches or feet from other speeding metal boxes. There are bound to be accidents. I’m glad you weren’t hurt.
Yeah, I’m a bit dazed, at the moment. A bit like walking underwater. But I think I’ll be okay.
Charleston = blind corners and narrow streets. He talked me up, asked me about school, told stories about his kids, then tried to throw me under the bus when the policeman came. It was a big SUV.
Thanks for all the kind words. Everything is working out, so far. It’s a little weird when one moment I’m worried about getting all my reading done for class on Monday, and when am I going to write that paper, and I’m going to have to do laundry soon, then suddenly my car’s torn to pieces and being towed by a lady with one eye and a mullet (seriously). A bit surreal.
Running red lights is one of the leading causes of fatal accidents. After all that, you walked away without injuries. Thank God for seatbelts, airbags, crunch zones, etc.
That’s terrible. Just be glad that you are ok, everything else is ultimately replaceable and is just stuff.
I know how you feel because I’m still waiting on my mail car -been at the shop for starting on the second week now…(they can’t seem to remember that the parts they order must fit a right hand drive Wrangler…
I was hit by a 17yr old who totaled his own car , broke my axle, bent the wheel rim and a little dint in the fender. He did a reverse T-bone, turning sideways on a gravel road, sliding into me and came within an inch of knocking me over a cliff.
For your sake, it would be faster if your car is totaled. Waiting for repairs takes forever.
I had a very similar experience (guy ran a red light on a low-visibility corner & I ended up hitting him) years ago. Right down to him swearing he had a green light (actually, 2 green lights - he had to run TWO reds to get where he was) but the witnesses calling him on it.
“Underwater” is good description of how I felt, too. I’m glad to hear that you’re OK, if a bit shaken - being confronted with your own mortality like that is an unsettling experience. You’ve got me beaten on surreality, though - my tow truck driver was a more-or-less conventional looking burly guy.
Try not to let it throw you too much off-course. Life happens, sometimes.
He talked me up, asked me about school, told stories about his kids, then tried to throw me under the bus when the policeman came.
A rabbi and a priest get into a car accident and it’s a bad one. Both cars are totally demolished, but, amazingly, neither of the clerics is hurt. After they crawl out of their cars, the rabbi sees the priest’s collar and says, “So you’re a priest. I’m a rabbi. Just look at our cars. There’s nothing left, but we are unhurt. This must be a sign from God. God must have meant that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace the rest of our days.”
The priest replies, “I agree with you completely. This must be a sign from God.”
The rabbi continues, “And look at this. Here’s another miracle. My car is completely demolished but this bottle of Mogen David wine didn’t break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune.” Then he hands the bottle to the priest.
The priest agrees, takes a few big swigs, and hands the bottle back to the rabbi. The rabbi takes the bottle, immediately puts the cap on, and hands it back to the priest. The priest asks, “Aren’t you having any?”
The rabbi replies, “No…I think I’ll wait for the police.”
People are nuts. No one wants to stop for yellows, and far too many are so damn determined not to have to stop that running reds is routine. I’m nervous everytime I slow down for a yellow if there’s anyone visible behind me. I’ve been rear-ended for stopping. No damage, fortunately.
REALLY glad you’re OK. Things can be replaced, people (or body parts) cannot. And thank God for witnesses who stick around with you till the cops get there. Been hit a couple times by people who swore they never saw me–and I was driving a BIG pickup with a matcing camper top, looks like a big ole suburban. Once you come up for air (from underwater) you’re liable to be PO’d…go ahead and cuss a blue streak. It doesn’t help a whole lot, but it beats trying to bottle it up.
I don’t know what it is with people running reds, but there have been 2 fatalities in 2 months at the intersection down the road–AND IT’S THE ONLY FRIGGIN’ STOPLIGHT IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY! (I kid you not–this place is so rural that we have more milk cows, deer, or dogs than people any day of the week. There have been deer hit a block from the courthouse in the center of town, and I have seen snapping turtles sunning themselves in the DQ parking lot or stomping down the sidewalks.)
Does it seem to anyone else that common sense and personal responsibility have gone the way of the manatee? (endangered to point of near extinction).
Ouch, that sucks. I went through the same thing a few years ago, but this guy didn’t have insurance. Did you get yourself checked out? It’s probably worth doing just in case, even if you feel fine. You’ll want to find out if you are dinged up quick so you can file it on their insurance.
As much as this sucks, it will work out in the end, and you walked away, which is better than the alternative. A guy in our office was in an accident last week and is in the ICU. Broken femur, torn abdominal muscles, the works. He’s going to be a long time recovering.
, broke my axle, bent the wheel rim and a little dint in the fender. He did a reverse T-bone, turning sideways on a gravel road, sliding into me and came within an inch of knocking me over a cliff.