Wednesday, November 03, 2010
So I am driving down Congress Street, just west of the bridge over hte dry Santa Cruz River, and there is a bus picking up passengers in the right land. I am in the left land, as usual, and as I drive along at 25 or 30 miles an hour, a big white SUV darts out in front of the bus, attempting to make a left turn onto Congress. I have time to say out loud, "Oh shit!" and smash into the front of the SUV. No time to hit the brakes.
There must have been some sound but all I remember is the cloud of talcum powder-like dust from the airbags filling the car. I sat stunned for a moment, and all I could think was, "Oh my Saturn is ruined." The car was filled with dust. My glasses had come off. A man appeared at my window and asked me if I was alright. Is aid, "Yes, I guess so." I was shaking. I undo the seat belt and get out. The young couple in the SUV have gotten out and he asks me if I am alright and I say yes. The front of my car is crushed, the hood smashed down (I think his SUV was on top of my car for a moment), hte bumper only a few inches off of the ground and all these fluids making a mess. The engine is still running and the man who appeared tries several times before he can turn it off.
The inside of my car is a mess. I had been out to the old ranch site that morning and collected about fifty bricks from a chimney they had taken down and were discarding. I had collected them for a walkway. All of them hurtled through the back seat, tearing it out, and about six or eight flew into the front passenger seat. Three hit the windshield and another batch landed on my work laptop and my green LL Bean bag, in which I had put four antique plates to hang up on my kitchen wall. The computer and one plate were smashed.
So the police finally came. The nice police officer gave the other guy a ticket. A towtruck came to take Saturn away. Patrick came over and brought me home, where the middle knuckle of my right hand swelled up from where one of the bricks hit it. I have scrapes from where I hit the steering wheel and seat belt (like I have said before, always wear your seatbelt!), but I am lucky I wasn't hurt worse.
The accident happened at 5:03 or so. By 7:00 GEICO insurance was calling me (the other driver's insurance) and offered to settle with me for the bluebook value of my car. I was polite and told them htat first I would be talking to my insurance agent and that I needed to go see the doctor just in case. I was kind of amazed that they would be so aggressive while my hands were literally still shaking.
And now I get to buy some new or newish car and I wasn't planning on making car payments and I really don't have the spare money lying around.
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There must have been some sound but all I remember is the cloud of talcum powder-like dust from the airbags filling the car. I sat stunned for a moment, and all I could think was, "Oh my Saturn is ruined." The car was filled with dust. My glasses had come off. A man appeared at my window and asked me if I was alright. Is aid, "Yes, I guess so." I was shaking. I undo the seat belt and get out. The young couple in the SUV have gotten out and he asks me if I am alright and I say yes. The front of my car is crushed, the hood smashed down (I think his SUV was on top of my car for a moment), hte bumper only a few inches off of the ground and all these fluids making a mess. The engine is still running and the man who appeared tries several times before he can turn it off.
The inside of my car is a mess. I had been out to the old ranch site that morning and collected about fifty bricks from a chimney they had taken down and were discarding. I had collected them for a walkway. All of them hurtled through the back seat, tearing it out, and about six or eight flew into the front passenger seat. Three hit the windshield and another batch landed on my work laptop and my green LL Bean bag, in which I had put four antique plates to hang up on my kitchen wall. The computer and one plate were smashed.
So the police finally came. The nice police officer gave the other guy a ticket. A towtruck came to take Saturn away. Patrick came over and brought me home, where the middle knuckle of my right hand swelled up from where one of the bricks hit it. I have scrapes from where I hit the steering wheel and seat belt (like I have said before, always wear your seatbelt!), but I am lucky I wasn't hurt worse.
The accident happened at 5:03 or so. By 7:00 GEICO insurance was calling me (the other driver's insurance) and offered to settle with me for the bluebook value of my car. I was polite and told them htat first I would be talking to my insurance agent and that I needed to go see the doctor just in case. I was kind of amazed that they would be so aggressive while my hands were literally still shaking.
And now I get to buy some new or newish car and I wasn't planning on making car payments and I really don't have the spare money lying around.
