Haliaetus Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I'm not a big fan of driving. Other than work and the occasional times I go out with friends, I like to stay put or find other rides to places. But last night I had plans with two of my friends to go to the movies, and I was the only one with a car, so I drove. I picked them both up and stopped quickly at the gas station before we made the twenty or so minute drive to the movie theater. We were having a good time in the car, listening to music and chatting about nonsense, when suddenly a car swerved into our lane. I immediately lost all sense of what was going on. I remember the other car's headlights blinding me, and then the noise of their car screeching against mine and the metal crushing. Luckily, the car that hit us had just barely missed hitting us head on, and only wrecked the left side of my car. We later learned that the driver who hit us was heavily intoxicated, and crashed into a snowbank a few hundred feet after they hit us. I feel very lucky to say that my friends and I were able to walk away from the accident unharmed, because some people aren't so lucky. Especially with drunk drivers. I'm still super shook up from it though. I was curious as to if any of my fellow TDNers have been in a similar situation, because now the majority of oncoming cars freak me out and I'm afraid they're all going to hit me and I don't know how long that will last for. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LillytheGrundo Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 That is awful! I'm glad you and your friends are okay!!! Car accidents are really traumatic and can sometimes take a while to get over. I hope the guy who hit you went to Jail! I've never been in a wreck, but I hit a deer a few years ago and I still think about it a lot... She just ran out of the woods and into the side of my truck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karmacow Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 That's terrible :( Glad you guys didn't get hurt. I've thankfully never been in an accident, but I don't drive either, and it's rare that I'm even in a car. But I can imagine how traumatic this must be for you. Hopefully you're able to work though it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bandit Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Wow - poor you! I'm so glad you're okay. It's completely natural to be freaked out after something like that. Many years ago, just after I learned to drive, a car in front of me braked suddenly to avoid something, so I had to brake suddenly as well. Fortunately I was concentrating and managed to stop before I hit the car in front. Unfortunately, the guy behind me wasn't, and I can still vividly remember watching in the rear-view mirror as he got closer and closer and then smashed into the back of me. I wasn't hurt but the car wasn't too happy! It did freak me out though. The only thing to do is to get back into a car and drive, ideally as soon as you can. Take someone with you who you trust and who will help you to keep calm. The chances of something like that happening are pretty small, fortunately - they do exist, obviously, but unless you stay at home wrapped in cotton wool you can't help taking risks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welcome Back Apathy Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Really, really, really glad you're okay. So many people, when faced with drunk drivers, are not so lucky. A former best friend of mine (I'd moved away from the city and we lost touch) and her sister were killed by a drunk driver when their parents were driving home from a church function. Even though I hadn't seen or heard from her in years, it hit me hard. Drunk drivers infuriate me because they are making a conscious decision to put other people's lives in danger. I've only been in one accident before (knock on wood), and it was a serious one, but I was so young that I don't remember it. I was in a car seat, so I was fine. We were driving up a hill--you know how they have incredibly thin roads, and when there's someone coming the other direction, one person has to pull off to the side as well as they can. A drunk driver (we presume; he drove like it) came along way too fast, and my dad made a split-second decision to send us over the side of the hill. If he hadn't, we all would have died. As it was, my parents suffered some injuries--broken ribs, broken leg--but we were pretty lucky. I guess the car also caved in over my head, so it was reeeally lucky that the baby was in that seat, because it would have decapitated my taller parents! Unfortunately, cell phones had not been invented yet. If they had, the guy would have been caught easily. It's really terrifying that you can be doing everything right, and someone else can come along and screw you over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spritzie Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Oh wow. Car accidents are horribly, horribly terrifying. I'm so glad you and your friends are okay. That could have been an even more devastating accident. I've been in a couple (Colorado is known for their terrible drivers.) My worst one was on New Years Eve, 2007. I was rear-ended at a stoplight. (My direction was red, and had been for so long that the other direction was just having their light turn yellow.) I glanced in my rear-view mirror to see headlights coming fast, before I could even complete my thought (it was something like, they're going to hit me, or they're not going to stop) there was a huge impact. My rear window was totally shattered with glass all the way into the front seat. Thankfully, the airbags didn't deploy and my mom and I seemed okay. I get out of the car and walk to the back and immediate started sobbing because my rear door (It was an SUV with a side opening back gate) was totally crumpled and pushed into the cargo area, there was no rear window to speak of, the left rear door wasn't about to close all the way due to the impact. (I know it's rather pathetic, but I was devastated about my car. I had just bought it 2 months earlier. It was a Toyota Rav4, which had been my dream car since 1996, when I first saw one.) The guy gets out of the car, looks at me, and his first response is "I thought you were going to run it." I was shocked. So he knew the light was red, he saw me, and even though my brake lights never came off, he assumed I would run the light. And it turns out, the guy was a complete idiot, but 100% sober. A DUI officer was the first on the scene, considering it was New Years Eve, and didn't suspect alcohol. It was still a disaster. The guy was arrested due to an out-standing warrant. (He missed a court date for a speeding ticket.) He tried to leave the accident scene. And months later, I received a subpoena to testify against him in a criminal jury trial, because apparently, he was also driving without a valid license (and according to what he was charged with, it meant he was entirely aware of the fact his license wasn't valid) Afterwards, I was very, very uneasy driving. I avoided it at all costs and made my mom or dad drive when I could. It takes awhile to get confidence back, regardless of whether an accident was your fault or not. After you start to get your confidence back, you still have that.. hyper attention to other cars. It's been several years since I've been involved in one, and to this day, I'm still a bit nervous and overly cautious. As long as you aren't absolutely terrified driving, the bit of nervousness and extra attention will serve you better. You tend to watch others more carefully and spot situations that could pose an accident hazard, which allows you to be a bit prepared if something happens. This doesn't mean it will always save you from an accident, as many times, there's absolutely nothing that can be done, but knowing I'm watching for potential issues, makes me feel more at ease. I recommend working back into driving slowly, maybe the first few times, take one of your parents with you, and just ask them to keep on eye on the cars around you, so you feel more comfortable having another pair of eyes on the look out. ~Xandria 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca~ Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Omg, I am so sorry this happened, and I'm SO glad that you (and your friends) are all okay! -hugs if you want them- I haven't been in a car accident since I was a very small kid, but it is stuff like that that has kept me from learning how to drive at all. Being scared after something like that is totally normal though. The only way you'll be able to get over that is to work through it. Don't stop driving because of it. You should do lots of shortish trips to aclimatise yourself into driving again. It's going to suck, but you can do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xepha Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I've been involved in 2 road accidents. One when I was 11, and I did not have my seat belt because it was supposed to be a 2min ride. Anyway, some dude in the right line decided to do a left turn and got the back of our car, we ended up in a tree. Not fun. I've also been hit by a car as a pedestrian. We were crossing at the right time, there was still at least 20 seconds left to the countdown, and a car sped up to catch their light I presume, without looking if there was anyone crossing the street. She did a left turn and hit both my mom and I. My mom her knee broken and was off work for 2.5 years. She had 3 surgeries in her knee and still use a cane to walk. She also suffered from a frozen shoulder because of the accident. (It's no-fault in Québec, so the society paid for her salary, physiotherapy and the taxi she had to take to go to her appointments.) Because of these 2 events, I am still very hesitant about getting my driving license. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilshadowdweller Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I suffer from Obsessive-Compulsive disorder, and my thoughts are "harmed" based. To put it plainly, I'm worried I'd just go crazy and run over/hurt someone. I know it sounds terrible, because I've never harmed anyone and harming people scares me, but it's a sign of OCD when you think ridicules things like that. Harm OCD is common. It's the reason I do not drive. It spikes up to much anxiety. I stay away frim other cars, I drive slow, I brace myself - it's just too much pressure right now. I'm 23. Anyway, I've been in one accident myself. My boyfriend and me in the front seats, my two friends in the back. It was my boyfriend's friend. He assumed the left lane was a turning one, and turned right into it - when another car just continued straight. There was a big impact, the window smashed all over my friend. and he got a ticket. Our door had to be replaced. But no one was seriously injured. He had never previously been in an accident or had any difficulties in his three years of driving. We weren't familiar with Oshawa. And let me say one thing: That person who drove drunk? He needs to re-evaluate his life. His one night of drinking could have cost lives, he's lucky it did not. Just lucky. People need to punished for driving drunk. Punished a lot. I know so many who do and even joke about it. It's not a joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passiflora Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I've never been in a wreck, but I hit a deer a few years ago and I still think about it a lot... She just ran out of the woods and into the side of my truck... The only accident I've been in is where my mom was driving and "we" hit a deer... although it was more like the deer hit us, lol. It ran into the side of the vehicle as we were stopping and damaged the passenger door of our van. If my mom hadn't slowed down there wouldn't even have been a collision at all. People need to punished for driving drunk. Punished a lot. I know so many who do and even joke about it. It's not a joke. This. I know so many people who joke about it, and they never learn their lesson until they end up doing major damage to themselves or someone else, or get a DUI. Even then, DUIs aren't always deterrents - it's so sad. :( I'm so glad OP is okay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finn the Human Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Car accidents are horrible. When I was little, I got hit by a car barely! I hope that the driver that hit you goes to jail or compensates you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashbash Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I'm so sorry! I'm glad you are all alright. I've never had an experience like that but I imagine I would react similar to how you did. So glad to hear you guys are okay though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duskitty Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 That's horrible, Haliaetus! I'm glad you're okay. Drunk drivers are idiotic, because they know that they could and most likely cause an injury or death- to themselves, or another person. Yet they go and drive anyway. :thumbsdown: I had an experience with a drunk driver (or rather, my mom did). It was last winter. They didn't actually hit her while she was driving, which makes it even more stupid (he could have avoided it SO EASILY!) Her car, which she'd bought less than a month ago for $6,000, was parked outside her work. She said there was a loud screech, a loud thunk and a car engine revving... when she looked out the window there was a huge red truck driving away and her car, a Japanese imported Nissan Pathfinder 1991, had been hit on the left side (Passenger side, because it was from Japan and they have right-hand drives) and pushed up onto the curb slightly. They found him down at the local bar, drinking so they couldn't test him on the blood alcohol content test and calling his dad to bail him out. His car was found to have a chip put in it for extra horsepower. Of course, my mom was PO'd. (am I allowed to say that? o_O) It had to be taken in for repairs, since the passenger's side door was smashed and caved in...during winter, the season we needed its four-wheel-drive power! ARGH! :grrr: But there was one upside... the stupid drunk driver had to pay for the repairs, and since it was an import, the parts had to be shipped from Japan and Australia- meaning they cost twice as much as they would have. :evil: And he also flipped his truck the week before, costing him $9,000 to fix THAT. In total, he had to shell out about $20,000. Serves him right! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haliaetus Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 Wow, well I'm glad (but also not :P) that I'm not alone in this kind of situation. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories. Driving/being in cars can be such a scary thing. I wish people would make better decisions before driving, pay more attention on the road, and etc. I'm still freaked out about driving, mostly at night really since that's when it happened, so I'll be staying in tonight. But I'm going to have to face it tomorrow on my way home from work. I guess that's what I need to do though. I can't let one accident scare me into not driving at night ever again. Rebecca~ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Xandria Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Wow, well I'm glad (but also not :P) that I'm not alone in this kind of situation. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories. Driving/being in cars can be such a scary thing. I wish people would make better decisions before driving, pay more attention on the road, and etc. I'm still freaked out about driving, mostly at night really since that's when it happened, so I'll be staying in tonight. But I'm going to have to face it tomorrow on my way home from work. I guess that's what I need to do though. I can't let one accident scare me into not driving at night ever again. Yeah. You shouldn't let it intimidate you into not driving. It's going to be very hard on you for the next couple of months, but I'm sure you will be okay. Sounds really traumatic... and I know I would be just as anxious if I were in your shoes. Luckily I've never been in an accident. I'm so glad you and your friends are okay and I hope the guy who did it has been punished. Sending lots of hugs and support your way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haliaetus Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Yeah. You shouldn't let it intimidate you into not driving. It's going to be very hard on you for the next couple of months, but I'm sure you will be okay. Sounds really traumatic... and I know I would be just as anxious if I were in your shoes. Luckily I've never been in an accident. I'm so glad you and your friends are okay and I hope the guy who did it has been punished. Sending lots of hugs and support your way! Thanks! :) Hopefully I'll be told what kind of charges he gets. And hopefully I'll be able to drive without being anxious again soon. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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