When do you use duck tape, rope and coat hangers?
Lee’s 1/10 of a Second Miracle (auto accident)
Read below and Know Why-----you must always, always, always, always get witnesses to any of your accidents at all times-----it could save you a fortune------and do not believe what the other guys says at the time at all-----he will lie to save his neck every time.
February 26Th Tuesday evening I was returning to my hotel from work about 6pm after dark. The last light to turn left to my hotel I was waiting at the red light. When I got the green arrow to turn I was looking left as I was turning left and just as I started to reach the intersection a dark green Toyota Forerunner came barreling through his absolute red light to hit the right front of my Explorer. My biggest concern to date is why I didn’t even see him until I hit him is way beyond me. He must have been going at least 45 mph to try and beat the light and it was unlighted from the direction he was coming but I should have seen his lights or something-----I saw absolutely nothing until he was right in front of me and his SUV was disintegrating.
I was in shock but jumped from my vehicle and ran around to see if he was alright. His drivers side door was jammed and would not open but he rolled down his window. He was on the cell phone talking to someone that he had just been in an accident so I assume that is also why he ran a total red light------talking on his cell phone! ! ! ! !
He said he was alright but when I asked him what in the heck he was doing running right through a red light, he looked at me a little strange saying, “ but it was green, I had a green light.” I knew then he would not tell the truth and was going to lie through his teeth on this one.
Fortunately for me a yellow Nissan SUV had stopped on the inside lane for the red light the same direction as this character who hit me. They leaned out their window asking if we were alright as well and when they heard what he said about having a green light they cautioned me over and said they would be glad to be witnesses if I had to give information to the police or insurance companies or if I had to got to court as they were stopped at the same red light he had and that he had raced right through it and I definitely had the green arrow. They gave me their names and phone numbers (3 of them) and called the cops for me. I really appreciated their concerns for me and their offer to help.
They had left 15 minutes before the police arrived and fortunately I had their witness as this guy also told the police he had a green light but the cops did not even make out a report and told us since there was no injuries we only needed to exchange insurance information, call our insurance companies to work this out and asked me to drive off to the side street as I could drive my car but his was totaled and had to be towed.
I backed out of the front of his vehicle and was amazed my car was no where near as damaged as his ‘totaled vehicle. I have to compliment Ford. My radiator and fan was still in place, my transmissions lines running to the front of a cooling radiator were still in tact but my bumper was wrapped around underneath my car with the hood and grill pretty well bent up. But his car was totaled------and I mean totaled (not driveable, radiator smashed and leaking, wheel bent, front panel smashed in, hood smashed, drivers side door caved-----and I drove away. I could not turn left well as my bumper was rubbing on the wheel but I later got a hack saw and sawed the portion off next to my wheel so I could turn left.
The next morning I took two coat hangers, stretched them out full length, attached them together (you see I have pliers and some tools with me all the time) pulled the damaged headlight bracket out (whole bracket has the headlights, clearance light and turn light in it) the headlight was still working but the others smashed as well), ran the long wire down through a hole in the cavity of the light bracket, around under the dangling bumper and cinched it up tight to the frame. Then I duct taped the lights in place and the damaged dangling grill and the running light below the bumper. Thank goodness for wire and duct tape and a little ingenuity of an ‘old farm boy’-----and I could drive.
I was only a little sore on my shoulder and arm but nearly 100%. And, I must admit here, I was not even wearing my seat belt-----only hanging around my shoulder as I do to throw off the police if they happen to look my way when I am driving-----still don’t put it on by the way-----maybe I should------especially with crazies running red lights.
I only have liability so I was glad he had AAA and both my insurance company and AAA did a very good job contacting me right away to interview and get my car appraised. His AAA did a personally interview before sending me to their adjusters for a damage assessment and she did say he had told her he had a green light but when I gave her the names of my witnesses she did look resigned to his guilt. I asked her what on earth would have happened if I did not have the witnesses and she told me she would have been obligated to take the word or her client and I would have had to take to 6 months in court-----and still probably not win-----there you go, I would have been out of a car if it was not drivable, had to fix it myself (about $4200) and he would have been taken care of from his insurance. Bad news all the way around and the cops did not even give him a ticket for running a red light-----said they didn’t see it so ‘oh well’-----but if there had been an injury he said they would have investigated. Running a red light is as bad as a DUI and they throw the book at you for those but if you kill someone going through a red light, you can essentially get away with it without witnesses.
So family, take note----any and I mean any accidents-----get witnesses----stop witnesses, beg witnesses----you have to have witnesses period so do it-----never fail.
Anyway, my miracle. If I had have been in that intersection 1/10 of a second more he would have hit me broadside at about 50mph and I probably would have been in a ‘different place’ today------but maybe that would not have been half bad anyway----except if I had only been severely injured. This is my 1/10 of a second miracle and I am still driving my car.
P.S. AAA just called and they will pay the full claim as my witnesses really wranged on the guy-----they could not believe they were dead stopped at this red light and he raced to get through it-----not just to beat a yellow because it was already red when he barreled though it. So much for talking on the cell phone or not paying attention when you are driving------at least I know his insurance premium will go ‘wwwwwwaaaaayyyyy up’.
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