Disastrous morning

[cariad]

I got into a car accident this morning and am not dealing with it very well. My younger son had a birthday party to attend and we didn't have a gift, so Gwyn took the boys to the party and I ran to the bookstore to grab a few gifts for the birthday boy. I was four blocks from the party, crossed an intersection, and was hit from the side (it is considered my fault). My car spun around 180 degrees.

I opened my door and shouted to the guy "Are you OK?" and he said he was and asked me the same. Then a bystander told me that I didn't look well and should stay in the car. My idiotic response was "I have to get to a little kid's birthday" while staring off in the distance, trying to see if I could see the building where the party was. (I think everyone thought I had a serious brain injury at this point.) I called my husband, I called the police. The poor guy in the other car kept telling me it was his friend's car. I think he wanted to just trade numbers and handle this between ourselves, but with the amount of debris everywhere (his license plate was blown off the car) it seemed like we needed the police.

I feel really horrible and guilty. Everyone was so nice. My husband asked another parent to look after our kids at the party (my three year old can be really difficult - this could have been messy) drove over, talked to the other guy, took some pictures since he happened to have a camera and offered to email the pics to the other driver, returned to the party to relieve the other parent. I spoke with the cops - the other driver and I told the exact same story - and then we waited for ages and ages while the cops sat in their car doing I don't know what. Did you know they fingerprint you now when they write you a ticket? The ticket was $88 which I almost kissed the cop when he told me that. (I am used to CA fines - that is barely a parking ticket in LA). The cop told me that the city just wants their money, and that I could get 8 more points on my license this year (!!!!) before I had to worry. Again, so polite, telling me to try to relax.

Of course, I missed most of the party, and when I did finally arrive, I was shaking, crying, and looked like hell. Gwyn drove the damaged car back and I drove his car. The parents all told me what an angel my older son was and how much he helped keep the 3-year-old happy, and when I was in the car with the boys, I started sobbing and telling my older son what a hero he is to me. Needless to say, this freaked out the kids.

I am nervous about what is going to come of all of this.

[monrein]

I think I'd react just as you did Cariad and I'd be upset and bothered for sure.  I'm so very glad however that neither you nor the other driver was hurt and also that you won't rack up too many points against your license.   

[willowtreewren]

Of course you are shaken, not just physically! This was a close call.

I'm so glad that both of you were unhurt physically, but give yourself a break and hunker down to recuperate emotionally.

 

[Jean]

Sorry to hear all of this Cariad, but there ia some good news here, too. First, your kids werent in the car with you and second, the ticket is literally nothing. So, just recuperate and be calm and in the end it will all be fine. Well, your car of course, is not part of the good news. But, it is only a car, not a person.

[okarol]

I am happy you're ok and hope your insurance covers the damage. 

[Stoday]

Sh*t happens.

Tomorrow is another (better) day

[kellyt]

Don't beat yourself up.  Accidents happen.  I'm glad you, or anyone else, wasn't seriously injured.   

[cariad]

Thank you all so much. My husband changed the tire tonight, and other than that, there is a tear in the fiberglass near the rear passenger wheel, and a few paint scratches. I am stunned that that is the extent of the damage. Gwyn ripped a piece of foam from the other driver's bumper out of the wheel cap, and there was a jagged piece of plastic sticking out of the tire yesterday, which Gwyn removed to a loud hissing noise. He was telling me that the tire might be salvageable, which seems hard to believe, but he bizarrely insists that his 20+ years in automotive make him more of an authority than I. Gwyn further informs me that the weather that I've been cursing probably saved me from injury, "since the car spun out on the ice rather than.... blah, blah.... much safer!"

As you all reminded me, no one was injured (thank you, thank you, universe) and yes, my kids were NOT in the car, which is rare for me. The other car struck my 3-year-old's side. (*shudder*)

Thanks for all of your support, I woke up with a much improved outlook on this, and had a great day.     

[YLGuy]

I just read this.  I am so sorry.  Car accidents are VERY scary.  As my mother said to my brother on many occasions (he wrecked 12 of my mother's cars, yes 12) it is just a car.

[Chris]

Sorry to hear cariad.

Didn't want to read the whole post, to many bad memories of being rearended. It's a bad feeling in the gut when you get in an accident, more so when your a car person