Pang, boom, crash - Mister Cool

[monkey0506]

The subject title here is reference to Snook's "Mister Cool".

The subject however isn't music. It's automobile accidents. See...I had my first yesterday. After work I stopped by my bank to deposit my paycheck. The on-ramp to get back on the highway going back toward my house is currently closed for construction, and since I'm not familiar with all the roads in the area, I backtracked for a few miles in order to turn around and get back going the way I needed to go.

The road I turned onto took me across the freeway on an overpass and was the first time I'd ever taken said overpass. As I came down the far side of the overpass, I needed to make a left turn onto the feeder road and then on to the on-ramp.

I thought that the on-coming traffic had a stop sign due to how far back the vehicles were. As I looked to my right to check that the way was clear, I entered the turn. As I looked back my chain of thoughts went something like this:

Where did that truck come from?...


...Oh good, he's going to be able to get out of my way...


...Airbags? Where did all this dust come from? It came from the airbags...


[looking out the driver-side window] Oh my goodness! That truck just flipped over on its side!!!...


...I need to get my keys out of the ignition...I can't. The car is still in drive....I can't shift into park!!! WTF?...

...What the hell am I doing?

At that point I got out of the car. An SUV had pulled up behind the truck and the driver got out and started shouting that "that's [her] dad." I just kept asking over and over "is he okay?"

When he walked out the now missing rear window of his truck he said to me "You hit me. You f*ck*ng hit me!"

After apologizing and realizing that...though upset...and his truck not in a good way...the man was physically fine...I turned and looked at the car. I knew my step-dad was going to kill me. It was his car. That's how he got to and from work. We had a truck, but the gas mileage couldn't even begin to compare.

I had destroyed my stepfather's car. The paramedics talked to me and had me sign saying that "[they] couldn't tell me that I wasn't hurt" and that I didn't want to go to the hospital. Aside from some minor abrasions across my chin and right cheek the only part of me that hurt was my arm where the cover on the steering wheel had popped to release the airbag.

So...my parents are down a vehicle which puts me in a crappy situation. But life goes on. Or so they say in any case. I'm still shook up about the whole thing. I just keep replaying it in my mind thinking...if I had just looked back 1 second sooner...could I have turned away from the truck? Could I have prevented the accident?

My manager let me take today off work and tomorrow...for most of you "today" (Sunday) I go back to work at 10 PM. Hopefully just getting back into my normal schedule will help me adjust. Even if it means I'll be bumming rides from my parents...which will make it hard to forget why I'm having to ride with mummy and daddy...but...I guess I just need to continue living and not let this thing dominate me.

[Nine Toes]

After reading, and re-reading the first part of your story, I just can't understand how you got into this accident.  It's all registering in my brain as "blah blah blah...".

But, at least you're okay, and so is the other guy.  That's all that should matter.

Don't waste your time wondering about the what-ifs of the past.  There's nothing you can do about it now.  Focus on the what-ifs of the future, and you'll be able to prevent things like this from happening again.

I'm sure your parents will have another vehicle soon.  Because I think that in all states, except mine, you're obligated to have insurance on your vehicles, for each person driving the vehicle.  Insurance should cover the cost of damages to your parents' car.

[Evil]

I hear you. I just got in an accident an hour ago. Blew out two BRAND NEW tires. I've got maybe 60 miles on them. Ugh, this blows.

[monkey0506]

Map

I was travelling south-bound along the US-59 feeder-road, then took the road to Community Dr. Community Dr. overpasses US-59 and the feeder roads. As I approached the road leading toward the US-59 North feeder road I believed the on-coming traffic along Community Dr. to have a stop sign. I then looked to the right to check that there was no one coming from that direction, and entered my left-hand turn.

When I looked back I saw the truck and it was too late to prevent collision.

Hopefully that clears up how I got into the accident. And it brings up a very important point...Don't crash into big trucks in little cars. You might flip the truck over...but you won't win.

We do have insurance, but we don't have full coverage, so the cost of our vehicle won't be covered. I know I should just take this as a learning experience and not dwell on the "what-if"s...but it does suck. And I just wish I could have prevented it. Hopefully I'll just remember this for next time...and not just take it for granted that someone has a stop sign....especially when they don't.

[Mr Flibble]

It might be a nice gesture towards your parents if you started using your wages to pay for the damage to the car.

A person who makes a mistake and then will work hard to make up for it, is an admirable thing indeed.

[MillsJROSS]

I'm sure your parents are just happy that your alive, and no one was killed/injured. Yeah, not having a car is a burden, but there are far worse things that could have happened. Nothing we say won't make you replay the events over and over in your mind...it'll probably take a while for you to adjust to normalcy. It took me a while to get back in a car after my first accident, and for a while afterwards, everytime I heard a loud noise, my mind would go reeling to the accident.

Cars are far more easy to replace then people.

-MillsJROSS

[Chicky]

Im sorry man Glad your okay.

[monkey0506]

I asked my stepdad how much he'd want me to contribute toward car payments when we get a new car...I guess I didn't state that "the car is totalled" or that "my parents signed the title over to the towing company"...he said "none."

He said that he'd want me to pay more toward insurance that I would have previously (I'd only just gotten my first paycheck, so that hadn't actually been brought up yet). But he doesn't expect me to pay towards the car payments.

Anyway...thanks for the concern. Driving into work Sunday night was...well...I made it there fine without incident. But it was weird getting back behind the wheel.

Things won't be the same now...but...I think the initial shock is finally over. And now I can settle back into "normal life." Whatever that means. 8)

[SSH]

To be honest, I've been a much safer driver since my first (and only) accident, which is now 7 years ago. Make sure you learn from it, and glad you're OK.

[monkey0506]

glad you're OK.

OR

Hell! My brain control device didn't work! He's still alive!!!

(thanks)