Bump in the Evening

On Friday evening I was heading south on the 101 to go to a Birthday dinner with some friends at P.F. Changs. As I was driving to Chandler in slow motion the cars in front of me slammed on their breaks. Two of the cars have to swerve into the car pool lane. I quickly reacted to what was going on and when I knew I was in the clear I checked my review mirror. The car behind me was not too close. But I saw the car driving quickly to my car and then I felt and heard a loud bang and my purse and everything on my seat flew to the floor.

At this point I was a little panic and my first natural reaction was to take off my seat belt as I’m driving on the freeway and trying to make it over to the side of the freeway to stop. Take off my seat belt? WTH, i’m totally a seat belt natzi and always wear mine and it drives me crazy when someone is in the car and you have to ask them to put there’s on. So, that was my first reaction to being hit. I then sat in my car and called 9-1-1. I didn’t know what to do so she connected me to highway patrol and I asked the lady what do I do, do I sit in my car or do I get out? She told me whatever I was comfortable with.

Now about a year ago there was something on the freeway and the guy got out of his car and got hit. The news kept saying that’s not what you do. I’m thinking well this is 9-1-1 clearly she wouldn’t be telling me something unsafe to do, correct? After I called 9-1-1 I texted message people and told them “I just got re-ended on the freeway”.

During this entire time the car that hit me pulled behind my car and he just stayed in his car. Um, he hit me why isn’t he running or coming to my car to make sure everything is okay?

After I called the police and texted message my friends and family I got out of my car and looked at my bumper. I kind of felt silly for calling the police when I saw my bumper. The damage is not very visible. Since I’m so short I was able to see that the underneath of my bumper is cracked. I then walk over to the guys car. He rolls down his window a little bit and he’s talking to someone on the phone. After a few seconds I am now starting to feel a little annoyed:

A – he hits my car and shakes me up
B – he doesn’t come to make sure I am okay (not that I’m looking for the damsel in distress situation but still)
C – I go over to talk to him and he’s talking to someone on the phone

Luckily, he said a few seconds later to who he was talking with “I gotta go”. So, I felt much better and didn’t have to bust out any of my kung-foo karate moves. I told him that someone is on their way for the report. And then told him I was going to go back and sit in my car.

When I got back to the car I called Kevin. He wasn’t far behind me on the freeway so he stopped to help. When Kevin got there I got back out of my car and went over to him and the guy got out too. He told me to just get his information and that I didn’t need to file a report.

Right about this time the policeman shows up. He kept telling us that we needed to get back in our cars. Okay, this is what I originally thought but why is the dispatch operator telling me I can do whatever I’m comfortable with? I certainly don’t want to put my life in danger and I’m comfortable going over and talking to someone who hit me.
At this point Kevin is trying to help me. Kevin had just gotten a flat tire so he needed to fix that. The officer is kind of separating Kevin and I and standing by Kevin to make sure he fixes his tire. He keeps telling Kevin I’ll help her, but he doesn’t really help me. I keep walking over to find out what I need to be writing down for the guy. The guy finally tells me that he would prefer to just give me cash. I kind of ignore him. I don’t really want cash. Later he tells me again that he can give me cash and that he has $10,000 but he doesn’t think it will be that much.

This is when I started feeling bad for the guy. He’s probably all of 20-22, kind of shy, and kind of intimidated from the whole situation. There is really not that much damage to my car. There is none to his. I personally would rather go through insurance because I want to get my car fixed. If I go and get an estimate and he gives me cash. I know I’m not going to end up getting it done and will just deposit the money into one of my accounts… L

I hate being in this situation. I feel guilty that he hit me – and why? I didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t know why I should I didn’t do anything wrong but he seems like a young guy and I feel bad that he has to give me his money that he probably worked hard for. I hate that I’m going to be given money and then won’t use it to fix my car. I hate that I now have to take time out of my life to follow through on all of this stuff (go get an estimate, call him, meet up with him).

I do like the fact that if I am ever involved in an accident, I know exactly what to do.

And after all of this I still made it to P.F. Changs on time.