my first car accident

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:29pm

First, NO ONE WAS HURT. Thank God.
So, as some of you may know I went to visit my boyfriend in Toronto last night. I had to drive back to school today because I have a midterm tommorow morning, but the weather is atrocious.
Freezing rain, and the highway is icy.
What would have normally taken 2 hours took me 3.5 because I was going 80 km/ hr (i don't know what that is in miles but the speed limit on the highway is 100 km, and most people do around 120), and driving SO carefully.
I was half an hour till I was home, on a two-lane stretch of the 401 (in Napanee for you Ontario folks). I should tell you, this is a UNLUCKY stretch for me, I broke down twice there this summer.
Although I was driving very carefully in the slow lane, I still lost control of my car. It's hard to explain. It's like I was steering one way and the wheels were going another. I was swerving all over the road and I didn't know how to fix it. I was trying desperately to get myself back on track but I couldn't. I was probably all over the road for a good three seconds.
There was a big extended cab Silverado in the fast lane. Everyone in the fast lane, despite the poor conditions, was still doing about 130km/hr, it baffled my mind. It's frustrating because althoguh I am at fault for this accident, if the Silverado hadn't been driving so fast, he had at least 3 seconds of my swerving to realize that something was wrong. When I began swerving there was no one around me, he would have caught up to me quickly though at the speed he was going.
I managed to stop the car by the time I hit the left shoulder. Which was terrifying because even though I was off the road, the shoulder wasn't wide and I still had transport trucks zooming past me on the icy roads at 130km/hr. The Silverado pulled over on the left shoulder a few hundred metres ahead, and a witness stopped.
Then I had to dial 911. Ever since I was in Brownies I've known how to dial 911. I never thought I would actually have to. I hope that no one ever has to. Considering the actual details of the accident are quite blurry, I remember that as the most frightening moment. Sitting in the car for a few seconds, then realizing "oh my God, I have to call 911".
As for damages, my front bumper fell off but that was all. My dad can fix it and apparently we have a parts car. I can actually drive the car back home this weekend just fine. Thank God.
I put two dents in the other guy's Silverado. I'd feel worse if he wasn't such a jerk. It killed me when the cop said "Drive carefully" to him as he was leaving, and he said "I was trying to". I know it was ultimately my fault, but the truth of the matter was HE WAS DOING 30KM/HR OVER THE SPEED LIMIT ON AN INCREDIBLY ICY HIGHWAY. I was doing 20km under. I was driving safely. Go figure.
Everyone I dealt with today was so nice and so helpful. The witness was an incredibly sweet woman with a smile on her face who wanted to help in any way she could. The cop was a young guy and I spent the hour I had to wait with him joking around and trying to keep my spirits up. The tow truck driver was funny, I just told him about the bad luck I've had on that highway on the way to the garage. The guy at the garage, who has fixed several internal problems on poor Liza, looked at me and said "long time no see, where have you been hiding?". The cabbie on the way back home was even nice and chatty. I had to call my voice teacher from the police car to cancel my lesson and she was so concerned and then wished me a happy Valentines day.
My parents took it better than I could have ever expected. They were both dissapointed that I chose to venture out on a day like today, but they of course were just happy I was okay. And even though it will affect my insurance and we'll no doubt have to pay Silverado's deductable, they were great. My dad is a paramedic and deals with this stuff all the time. And he said to me what he tells all of his unharmed accident patients: accidents happen, that's why they're called accidents, and it's over now.
So I'm quite shaken up but I made it through this whole ordeal with a smile on my face. I've never been so close to being killed, but even while it was happening I didn't think "i'm going to die", I just thought "how do I fix this?". I was pretty amazed actually. And I owe it to the kindness of the people I dealt with today.
Of course I started crying when I got home.
So there goes my clean driving record. But it could have been so much worse, and I am so thankful for how lucky I have been to escape with everyone unharmed.
For the record, Come What May was playing on my C.D. player when it happened. Now every time I hear that song I'll think of poor Liza spinning out underneath me on the icy, fast and furious highway 401.

*EDIT- also important- I wasn't charged! yipeeee :) * Updated On: 2/14/05 at 05:29 PM

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:31pm

JID - I'm very thankful that you're OK, but just a little sorry that he is.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:32pm

Oy! Well, I'm glad you're in one piece, Judy! (And screw that rude Silverado guy. You were nice enough to take responsibility, even though you could still give him a portion of the responsibility in traffic court since he was speeding too!)

[shira467]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:32pm

I am SO sorry, Judy. I remember my first car accident (the other people didn't even stop! I was petrified). Let's just be glad that we get the little accidents and not the big ones!

Thank goodness your well!

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:35pm

Aw, I'm so sorry, Judy. I'm just glad no one was hurt, though. I got in my first accident last fall and I was so shook up about it (still am, actually). I understand what you must have been going through.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:39pm

Glad you're okay, Judy!

[BroadwayDiva]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:39pm

I'm so sorry that happened, Judy!! I'm glad no one was hurt!

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:40pm

how do you know he was going 130?

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:41pm

Sorry to hear about the accident.

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:43pm

Papa, I drive that strech of highway a lot. You can gauge really easily how fast people are going.
At one point I had to pass a transport that had STOPPED in the slow lane (it's only two lanes). I moved into the fast lane, kicked it up to 110 just to pass him, and still got hassled by the guy behind me. When I got back into my lane, he ZOOMED past me.
Usually on that part of the 401, the fast lane averages 140, although on a clear day I've been guilty of that, and still had people pass me doing 160. The slow lane is usually 120. People were pissed at me for going 80 but I wasn't budging.
That's how I know. It was AT LEAST 130. Like I said, driving that highway as much as I do, it's pretty easy to gauge.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:43pm

eeek.
But what matters is that you're okay!

[Jwei123]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:44pm

emcee read my mind. Glad your ok, judy!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:48pm

I've had to call 911 three times within 6 months one summer for three seperate accidents (not any I was in). Working at a fast food restaurant. Busy intersection. Stupid drivers. It's way too easy to get a license.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:48pm

ok. well, you're ok. that's what matters. to echo the others here. as one who's wrecked many cars and been involved in even more when i wasn't driving, if you're fine, then it's all good. my advice to you is to start drinking heavily.

[mominator]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:49pm

Judy, I am so sorry to hear about your accident. So glad that you are alright. As far as the jerk in the Silverado he will get his eventually, jerks like that ALWAYS do.
So here have a great big mom ***HUG*** a warm cup of tea and a big cookie.

[TGIF]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:52pm

Accidents are always scary.

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:57pm

Drink heavily and then drive, Papa? Good advice, man. :)
Glad you're ok, JID! My vehicle's been involved in three accidents, only one while I was in the car and not one of them was while the car was moving. Crazy times.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 6:00pm

no, bway, seeing as how liza's in the shop and she's a ball of nerves and probably won't be driving anywhere tonight, a drink or 7 might help not be the worst possible thing in the world.

[TGIF]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 6:01pm

If it makes you feel better:

The other day I was exiting my campus through its back gate (onto a side street). I was about to make the left but this car came speeding up and I had to slam on the breaks to avoid hitting him. (Now I am not a slow driver, but this guy was ridiculous.) I was driving home and about 5 minutes after I left the campus I saw that same car pulled over by a cop. Believe me, all of those crazy drivers get theirs! :)

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 6:06pm

Thank you so much everyone! You guys are sweet.
Papa, I like the drunkeness idea. Too bad I'd have to DRIVE to the liquor store....I wonder if my housemates have some extra hanging around.
Maybe this would be the right occasion to pop open the bottle of wine I was given as a closing night Cabaret gift.

Poor Liza. She's been through the ringer.
Too bad I have to study for a midterm tonight. It's for ear training. Figure this out. I'm switching degree programs from BMus to BAH, so that course no longer counts towards my degree. I can't drop it because its past the drop date. If I fail the course it will show on my transcript that I failed. But if I pass it won't show at all.
I hate my school.

[Mythus]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 6:08pm

Sorry to hear about the accident, Judy. That's what I dread most about getting my license...being in an accident.

Usually on that part of the 401, the fast lane averages 140, although on a clear day I've been guilty of that, and still had people pass me doing 160.

Woah, seriously? 160 kilometers per hour is...about 100 miles per hour. That's ridiculously fast.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 6:08pm

JID- I'm so sorry! I'm just glad that you weren't hurt!

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 7:23pm

SWEET! I found a beer that was left in my fridge at a cast party a few months ago.
And I'm eating Valentine's chocolate.

beer+chocolate= how to get over an accident.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 7:29pm

stay safe, JID

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 7:37pm

Yikes! I'm glad to hear you're okay.