Friday, May 27, 2016

You can't always cross the bridge when you come to it ...

The city of Halifax is located on a peninsula, so reaching it from the Dartmouth side requires crossing one of two bridges, or taking the public transit ferry.


When I head into town for my "Lunch bunch" choir in downtown Halifax on Fridays, I cross via the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge. 

If you had been  following me today around 11:30 you would have seen me driving down Nantucket and stopping at the red light at Wyse Road and then, all things being equal, I'd pass through the intersection, the toll booths, cross the bridge, and then head for choir.

I was a good girl.

I stopped at the red light and when the red light turned to a green arrow for me to proceed across I went warily, mindful of the two dim bulbs illegally turning left across my path.

I didn't however, count on there being a THIRD dim bulb.

I laid on the horn but it was too late.  The back end of dim bulb's truck TORE OFF the front of my beloved little Honda Fit.  

Did I mention that this is a major intersection ?


I got out of my car, started shaking, and within seconds had turned into a sobbing,blithering, idiot.

People stopped.  Four different people pressed pieces of paper with their phone numbers into my trembling hand; offering to be witnesses.  

No impatient horns honked.  People offered only sympathy and concern.

Someone asked "Did you call 911?".  So I did, and handed my phone to the total stranger saying: "I can't talk right now.  Can you please tell them?".  And he did.

In the midst of it all I sobbed to the Harbour Commission fella that I needed to call the Church to say I wouldn't make it to choir.  He looked up the number, dialed it, and handed me his phone.

The dim bulb (to give him credit) did stop and ask me if I was OK.  He even offered to pick up pieces of my car that were strewn around the intersection and put them in the back of my wounded car.

The headlight is totally missing on the other side.  BUT note the lack of hood damage !

I guess I am lucky that we didn't really have a solid impact, and it was more like a glancing blow and as a result the air bag didn't deploy.  (Recently I'd received a helpful recall notice kindly informing me that there was an eensy-weensy chance that my car's air bag might randomly explode and there was a further teeny tiny chance that said random deployment might fire shard of shrapnel into me.*)
So you can see why I'm sorta glad the bag didn't work.  

One by-stander helpfully suggested I take photos of the scene.  Wish he'd also reminded me to NOT put my finger in front of the lens.


Two Bridge Harbour Commission cars with flashing lights were on scene within two minutes.
The police car, fire truck and ambulance were there within five.
Statements were taken and information exchanged.  A tow truck was summoned.  
An hour later the officer drove me to the car rental place.

My neck is a mite sore and maybe my back a bit.  I'll monitor and if need be I'll  go to my doctor on Monday, but really, I'm lucky.

I'm glad I didn't have the dogs with me in the car.

I'm glad strangers stopped to be kind.

I'm glad the officer drove me to the car rental place.

At this moment I'm back home and there is a black VW Jetta rental  parked in my driveway.

The adjuster called and said that the insurance company will pick up the rental costs (assuming my witnesses corroborate my story, which I am sure they will) .    

Just had my second rum and coke to settle my nerves then I may just have a little lie down.

My friend Pat says that things happen for a reason.  I don't know if that's true, but perhaps if we work at it we can make something positive come out of something negative.  It is a "temporary" bump in the road.  I am still here and grateful to be so.

Doesn't THIS put it all into perspective ?

* Just in case you're wondering they'll have those less-lethal, new air bags ready for installation in late Fall !

** Just got a call from the officer involved and he has charged the other driver meaning that I won't be having to pay for the rental etc.  

I am relieved and a little tipsy.

  

20 comments:

  1. I am so glad that you are all in one piece, that your dogs were not with you so they can now give you all their support and not have to be recovering from their own reaction to the crash, and that kind people helped you. Kindness is the answer. Ellen

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    1. Thanks Ellen. Kindness IS the answer. You are so right.

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  2. Not everything happens for a reason. Some things happen for no reason at all. I am super glad that you are okay. It will be a pain in the you know where to deal with all the insurance stuff. Some aches and pains may show up in a few days, so the most important thing is to have yourself looked after. Hugs! If you want to change our plans for next week, that is A-OK!!

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    1. Thanks Sara. It's Wednesday, 5 days after the accident and I'm good. Looking back I'm pretty impressed with how my insurance company handled everything. I went from having the accident to driving off in a rental car in just over 2 hours. Pretty darn lucky.

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  3. Oh man, I would have been tipsy, too, trying to relax after that challenging little accident. It sounds like you were able to find some meaning and peace in it, too, after you calmed down a bit. (Or maybe the rum and cokes patched it all together.) Many blessings...not fun when this kind of stuff happens.

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    1. Thanks Kathy. I'm fine now. I miss my lil' car. It'll be a couple of weeks before we are reunited ... but really ... talk about "first world" problems. I am very luck.

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  4. Just glad that you weren't terribly hurt, but take care for the next few days and monitor yourself. It is extremely nerve racking being in an accident. Glad you were able to enjoy your rum and coke. Cheers.

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    1. Bonnie, It's 5 days after and I'm fine. Not looking forward to driving through that same intersection on Friday, but ya' gotta get back on that horse ...

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  5. Sounds like a well deserved cocktail.

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    1. Oh Les, a cocktail would have been even nicer !

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  6. So sorry to read about this dear. What a shock for you. As others have said it was good that people were kind and helpful and that the dogs were not with you. Also that the driver has been charged

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    1. And it's 5 days later Auntie A. and I have no aches or pains so I got off very lucky. Love, S.

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  7. What a terrible thing to have happened to you, Sybil! I'm glad you seem to be all right and that there were so many kind strangers there to help you out. This brought back memories of an accident I was in, maybe 25 years ago. I was shaken for days and am still reluctant to drive. ***hugs***

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    1. Barbara, I just don't want to become a "nervous" driver as they can be more dangerous that the cocky jerk that hit me. Heading through the same intersection on Friday ... and already thinking about it ...

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  8. My e-mail was not available for a few days, so I just read what happened to you. I'm so glad you weren't seriously hurt and that everything regarding the insurance will work out okay. Still, it was quite a trauma. I hope you continue to recover and won't let this incident keep you off the road.

    I had to get back on the road about 20 years ago when a driver ran into the back door of my car when making an illegal left turn. The cure for me was to get back on the road and travel the same route for about a week or so to break the pattern of nervousness I felt for a while when driving.

    Hope this helps.

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    1. Thanks Dean, great advice. I'll be travelling the same route this Friday.

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  9. Just catching up. What a day!

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    1. Just catching up on responding to comments Keith. For some reason they're no longer popping up in my email feed. The repair alone was over $6,000 and there was NO real structural damage ... cars are so flimsy.

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  10. Good Grief! I'm glad for all the reasons you very sensibly counted up for yourself that day, and sorry that the accident happened to begin with. Of course there's a reason of some kind for everything. This time the reason was a dim bulb. I'm playing catch up here, and assuming you are fine now. Must keep reading to find out for sure.

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    1. Thanks Gerry. All is well. It was a very low-speed accident and I'm fine. Not convinced that things happen for a reason but we can MAKE a reason ... i.e. use the experience to the good.

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Thanks for stopping by. I really do love to read your comments.