So This Happened... (Pic Heavy)

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pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Greetings and salutations.
So I've been travelling for work a little bit, hence the radio silence here. On Saturday night I was awakened by the phone ringing in my hotel room. Groggily I answered the phone to hear my wife on the other end, "I don't want to alarm you, but I need to let you know that a car just spun out, jumped the curb, and t-boned our car in our driveway."
At this point, I'm instantly awake and peppering my dear one with questions. She manages to hush me for just a moment and says, "No one is hurt. The driver and passengers are staying here, the police and fire are on their way. Go back to sleep, and call me in the morning."
Bless her. By the time I arrived home on Sunday, after a 3.5 hour flight and 2 hour time change, all the cars had been towed to various lots; insurance companies had been dealt with and a rental was in the driveway.
The short version? A young driver was travelling too quickly on snow covered roads, lost control and couldn't recover. The impact pushed our car a meter and a half into my Mother's car which was on the other side of the driveway. Only vehicles were injured. The driver and passengers (all 18 years old) were polite, responsible and stayed to give statements to the police. The parents, who arrived at the scene, were mortified, supportive of their kids and my wife, and forthcoming with information. Everyone took responsibility and was respectful of each other. The driver was charged with reckless driving. Now we wait to find out whether the car is reparable. Given the impact right on the wheel, we're all a little concerned about frame and axle damage. I've put my wife in for, "Superperson of the year," for dealing with this whole fiasco so well. I'm a lucky dude.
Here are some pictures:






Cheers,
-- Pat

 

brdavidson

Lifer
Dec 30, 2012
2,017
5
The main thing being, nobody was hurt. Cars are replaceable. You knew you had a keeper in your wife long before this occurred! Good luck with the insurance company.

 

allan

Lifer
Dec 5, 2012
2,429
7
Bronx, NY
Pruss
Thank goodness no one was hurt, and, in addition, the teenagers and parents were responsible folks.
Very annoying to have happen, but luckily everything can either be fixed or replaced.
Your wife is a keeper!

 

blueeyedogre

Lifer
Oct 17, 2013
1,552
30
I'm glad no one was hurt. I think all student drivers should need to learn to drive in winter conditions. Driving in summer is all well and good, but winter is when you see probably 75% of accidents up here.

 

yazamitaz

Lifer
Mar 1, 2013
1,757
1
Pat,
Also glad to hear that no one was hurt and that your wife didn't have to deal with obnoxious (and/or drunk, stoned, etc) teenagers and sounds like everything was documented properly by the police. I hope your car is ok or if it needs repairs the insurance company does the right thing.
Sounds like a night for your favorite flake to me.
Cheers,
Dan

 

plateauguy

Lifer
Mar 19, 2013
2,412
18
You have an outstanding wife! From the looks of it, you were lucky it didn't go into the front of your house.

 

northernneil

Lifer
Jun 1, 2013
1,390
1
Pat,

That is a very unfortunate set of circumstances. Hopefully everything can be resolved quickly.

Also, glad you made it home safe.

Good luck with the repairs.

 

flmason

Lifer
Oct 8, 2012
1,131
2
Glad no one was injured.
Hopefully the other driver's insurance covered all the costs of your car repair and rental.
If your insurance company got involved in error, make sure they subrogate against the other company and clear the claim history under your name. Your rates do not need to increase for something that was not your fault.

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,569
15,217
SE PA USA
Looks like some good came out of it. Always nice to meet good kids, even under bad circumstances. But, then again, that when you find out what a person is really like. Everyone makes mistakes.
EDIT: Looks like they had snow tires on that car, too!

 
Aug 1, 2012
4,587
5,131
Glad nobody was hurt. Calm nerves under pressure are always good in those situations too, you wife did better than a lot of people would have.

 

7ach

Can't Leave
Sep 10, 2013
461
27
You are fortunate everyone acted responsibly. That really helps make a bad situation bearable.

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Thanks for all the kind words and comments gang. Life has been bats&%t crazy lately... staffing two conventions over two weekends, plus weather craziness, and the accident.
Good news from the mechanic/body guy, our car is reparable. The rear suspension is being replaced, but the axle is in good shape and there is no structural damage to the frame. So we'll have it back by the end of next week.
For those that were wondering, in Ontario we have a version of "no fault" insurance. Which essentially means that our insurance company pays for any repairs/write-offs/rentals and then sues the snot out of the insurer of the at-fault driver. Regardless, we're not going to be out of pocket and we will have our car back.
PS - Just noticed I went purple. Can I assume that my key to the PM.com/Forums executive washroom is in the mail?
-- Pat

 
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
WOW, just catching up as I missed this the first time. Glad everyone is ok.
FYI, the insurance companies usually don't sue each other. There is a whole agreed methodology for the allocation of responsibility between them. I am sure the other party's insurance company paid right up.
I assume you meant that the kid was charged with careless driving (as opposed to dangerous driving, which is a criminal charge). Still, careless driving is pretty serious charge - one of the most serious traffic charges there is. Sounds like they probably deserved it, but if they were smart they would fight the charge. That is not something you want on your record.

 

taerin

Lifer
May 22, 2012
1,851
1
"Reckless driving" is a charge over here, "careless driving" is not, I think you live in a different state than we do Peck, these are not Federal laws... It's not a criminal charge, but is is a pretty bad one up the chain of civil offenses. It is probably similar to the "careless driving" you speak of in your state.

 
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