On the way to a volunteer party for the Jim Valvano events, I was driving blithely down the road, thinking about the people I'd see and the good food we'd have. I noticed a guy waiting on a side street to pull out into traffic. I was in the right lane and there was a car in the lane left of me, but behind me a bit - just off my rear on the driver's side. As I passed the side street, I looked in the rear view mirror just in time to see the crash that accompanied the sickening bang I heard.
As I passed the side street, the guy on my right pulled out quickly and immediately smashed into the woman whose car was on my left rear. I guess he couldn't see her there. The impact turned his car in the opposite direction (towards me), but luckily I was already far enough down the road that I had no problems. With surprise and disbelief, I saw him drive off down the road, and turn right into the next side street. I have no idea if he stopped there so his car would be out of traffic - or if he was avoiding being caught and drove off to run away. I doubt he got very far, unless he set out on foot because his car was already smoking as it turned the corner.
Maybe I should have pulled out my cell phone and reported the crash. I saw several other people on phones immediately, so I didn't stop because I thought they were doing the right thing and calling 911. I sure wish I knew what happened; whether the woman was hurt or not and whether the guy actually did run away.
The sounds of that crash brought back very quickly the rear-ending wreck we were involved in last January. I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach and I can certainly see how post-traumatic stress syndrome can be a problem for soldiers. I was shaken by it, and the sound of the impact was nothing compared to war time.
What would you have done?
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Thanks for the prayers and good thoughts for my friend. I don't have any news yet, but I'll keep you posted.
13 comments:
It sounds like the safest thing to do was to drive on out of it to avoid pile up.
Just what I need when I have some enforced driving coming up:)
I would have done just as you did.
So glad you are safe...!!!
Hopefully he was just getting out of the way of traffic and not fleeing.
Think your getting out of the way was the best move.
I might call the police now to see what happened and to find out if they need a witness.
Judy,
I probably would have done exactly what you did. You saw people calling 911 for help. You were not involved. You kept on going and did not clitter up the accident scene.
You can second guess yourself all day but you can't take back what you actually did,which was thank God you weren't included in the wreck, hope the folks involved were all right, and keep going to your destination.
Scary stuff, Glad you are safe. No matter how careful we drive we must allow for the other bad drivers out there.
Glad you are safe, I'd have done the same thing. The sound from the wreck I was in years ago is still with me, amazing how it sticks in your mind.
If lots of others were calling in, chances are someone stopped to assist as well. I would have just driven out of the way, like you.
I think you did the right thing by isolating yourself from the area, and that is the best thing to do to avoid the worst. Lets pray no is injured in that accident. God bless.
I'm glad you weren't involved in the accident. If there are a lot of people around making calls on their cell phone, I would assume someone reported it and would also have wanted to get out of the way and not add to the congestion.
I'm sorry to read about your friend in your post below. I'll send out good thoughts and prayers for her.
I think you were right aboout driving on. Altough I do understand your curiosity about a possible hit and run and also if there were injuries.
I probably would have driven around the block and came back to take a look. Cripe, I am just a looky loo at heart. . . and ashamed of it, too
You did well!
You dealt with your own anxiety in a way that kept you safe. That's always the first priority, I think.
I'm a busy body so I probably would have called or pulled over and gone back to be a witness if I had time. Someone did that for me once, and I must pay it forward ;)
a/b
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