I have a perception that I'm a fairly safe driver. Most of my 40+ yrs. of driving experience would substantiate that.Sure, I've had the occasional speeding and parking tickets--which, when I was younger--I could talk myself out of. But nothing serious happened until a few years ago when I was broadsided in my job's parking lot. Neither of the drivers was given a ticket--except that for some reason neither of us could produce proof of insurance! which was easily cleared up when the proof was found.
In truth, I was very lucky. Driving my Lincoln Town Car, although hit on the driver's side and spun around, I suffered no physical injury--but the Town Car very nearly paid for it with it's life! However, a good body man and several months later and no one would have ever guessed what had happened by looking at the car.
Of course, my pride was wounded. For over ten years, I'd driven through that parking lot without incident. And I'd always won at the intersections! This time I didn't win. Although it would be said (especially by me!) that the other driver wasn't paying attention--he wasn't--he was looking for address numbers--the fact is I had gambled on whether he or me would reach the intersection first and this time I'd lost. Technically, on the street, he might have been given a ticket for failure to yield the right-of-way. In a parking lot in Illinois, tickets for such aren't given on private property.
Neither of us were hurt so that was the good thing.
Five years ago, my husband and I retired to Texas. In that five years, I've had three accidents and five or six tickets--(I purposely blur the number in my mind!). All of the accidents, I'm ashamed to say, were my fault. The first resulted in a lawsuit that ultimately cost my insurance company $80,000--over that if you count the monies put out for personal injuries and car repairs.
I'd run a red light and this time I didn't get away with it. I'd run them before -- all inadvertently--thinking whatever thoughts but certainly not paying attention to my driving. The other driver was a professional driver and certainly paying attention--but not enough to catch me coming into his path as he made a left turn.
This time my Lincoln Town Car paid for the accident with its life. My dream car; my "baby". The car I never thought I'd own. My pride and joy. Once again it had saved me from a worse injury than would have occurred in a lesser vehicle.
My third accident occurred in the family mini-van. Rushing to a dental appointment and blinded by the morning sun, I suddenly found myself nearly airborne as I finally discovered I was traveling up the ramp of a heavy equipment transport vehicle. Angels must have been present as my vehicle nearly flipped over on its side before dropping heavily onto the pavement blowing out a front tire. Shaken, embarrassed, I drove/dragged the car to the parking lot of my dentist, called my husband, and kept my appointment!
What was I thinking? Making an 8 AM appointment when I'm retired for God's sake! I could/should have made that appointment at any time of the day! Certainly not that early when I had no job to report to! Although I'd made the appointment months earlier it could certainly have been modified or postponed. But no--I had to prove that I could still get up early and keep up with the best of them.
Add to that, I was taking care of the neighbor's animals while they were on vacation. They have dogs and goats and the goats are pastured a little distance from their house. Keeping that 8 AM early spring appointment meant that I had to go over to their place extra early to feed in the morning darkness. Scared to death of possibly running into a snake, I believe I did take a flashlight.
Mind you, my husband had volunteered to help me but he was still sleeping when I felt I had to leave the house. To do this, I had to play martyr. "I'll be magnanimous; I'll let him sleep. 'I am woman! Hear me roar! I can do anything'"!
I fed the animals, quickly showered and was determined to be at the dentist at 8 AM sharp.
What I hadn't counted on was the sunrise at that time of the year. Turning east into the road that was a block away from my dentist's office, the sun shone directly into my eyes totally temporarily blinding me. Less than 100 feet from the intersection, the transport truck was parked. There were no cones or warning signs around it.
At first I couldn't imagine what was happening. I never heard anything. But I did finally see the cab of the truck and assumed I was just approaching it very closely never realizing that my right front wheel had connected to the ramp and I was slowly rising above the ground.
By the time I realized I was going upwards, my mind simply couldn't process what to do. Should I stop? As my van began to tip towards its side it frightened me to think of stopping for fear the loss of momentum would surly tip it over. So would putting it in reverse to back down. I imagined I had hid a curb. What would I do then?
So I ever so slowly began turning the wheels so the van would come off the ramp--or what I thought was the curb. Meanwhile the pavement was approaching the driver's side of the van. My heart was in my mouth!
At that point, the van and wheel parted company with the ramp and with a loud thud it hit the pavement--right side up! Thank you very much!
The car was still running and forward moving although making a terrible scraping sound. I was literally within a few feet of the driveway I needed so it made sense to drive into a parking space.
Pride--how embarrassing! How frightening! How grateful not to have landed on my side! Surely my head would have hit the window and the car would have likely been unsalvageable.
Shaking, I got out of the van and called my husband on my cell phone. My husband; my rock. I knew he'd be concerned for me. Never angry. But not necessarily able to figure out just what to do. And I kept that appointment!
Later, I found out there'd been witnesses! They were surprised the van hadn't tipped over! And returning to the scene of the crime--so-to-speak--the transport vehicle was removed and I'm sure it was removed quickly.
It cost us the deductible on our car insurance and my insurance company about $1500. It cost me personally what? Hurt pride? Fear? Loss of self-confidence? Maybe there's a lesson in here? What do I need to learn?
To be continued.......
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