inanimate loss

[calimac]

Passengers in my little Honda Fit have sometimes wondered what it would be like in a major accident. Well, now I know.

At 8 AM this morning, as I was heading out on errands, I was gently pulling to a stop behind another car at a traffic light, when suddenly I was slammed into from behind by a third car, containing a woman ferrying her son to school. This pushed my car heavily into the car in front. I heard both major bangs, and felt myself being heavily jostled back and forth. I didn't immediately notice that the air bag had deployed, but I did feel the front compartment of the car partially collapse. Fortunately not so much that I couldn't unbuckle and get out. The rear also collapsed.

Both my car and the one behind were total wastage, and got towed off to the knacker's. I phoned the police, who came and took a report.

Nobody seemed seriously injured. I gathered my stuff and walked the two miles home. Right then that seemed preferable to even getting into a car, let alone driving one. Over the day I began feeling sorer, especially around the neck and jaw, and eating is a little dicey. B. heated me soup with very small bits in it for dinner. After contacting B. and calling the insurance company, I made an appointment with my doctor to be checked out, though I'm going to wait a couple days to do it, both to see how I'm doing and to hope I'm feeling ready to get back in a car again. That's Thursday, which is also the beginning of a set of work (reviewing) assignments I have to drive to.

I may be subsisting on rental cars for a little while. I don't have the heart to buy another one. I had this car for less than eleven months.

Comments

[sartorias]

Oh, hell, it's so much worse with a new car. I'm glad you are okay, and I hope you have used up your lifetime quota of bad luck on the road.

[cynthia1960]

Oh dear lord, I hope you get a clean bill of health. Take care!

[emceeaich]

Oh hell. I’m glad the car did what it was supposed to do in that instance.

[ranunculus]

That is awful. Don't wait to get chiropractic care for your neck tho.
It is hard to loose a new car, but as Emceeaich said "the car did what it was supposed to do" which was to allow you to walk away from the accident. New or not that was as much its job as transporting you from place to place.
Hope you feel better soon.

[voidampersand]

Glad you are okay. Please make sure you get all the care you need. The other driver's insurance will cover it, or yours if she is uninsured. I've been in a similar accident (not quite as bad) and it is surprising how much soreness there is when the shock wears off. A physical therapist or chiropractor can help a lot.

[kate_schaefer]

What they all said: glad you're essentially okay, glad the air bag did its work, do take care of yourself. Whew.

[athenais]

Oh gosh, poor little Fit and I'm so sorry you aren't feeling good. It really doesn't take much impact to make sore muscles and push things a little out of true in the body. Best of luck getting everything sorted.

Oh

[lsanderson]

Noes! Hope you feel better.

[bibliofile]

RIP car, which died so you don't have to. I hope you get everything sorted soon.

[cmcmck]

I'm glad you're okay.

I don't know about with you, but here, a rear end shunt is automatically that driver's fault.

[calimac]

It is possible for the car in front to contribute to the fault by having stopped suddenly. That still means the car behind was too close for its speed, but the fault may be shared. But that was not the case here.