Thursday 19 April 2012

Not the best way to spend time!!!!



Well this wasn't quite how I'd planned to spend my afternoon!
I'd been on my way to Derby to meet my colleague for supervision,an appointment I have to keep once a month to fulfill my professional registration.

So there I was in the inside lane behind a lorry on the A38 just after the Markeaton roundabout. Beside me was a huge lorry.I remember thinking to myself .... He doesn't know I'm here, he can't see me.
Fortunately about 10 metres after the roundabout there is a pelican crossing, and the lights were on red so we stopped to let the people cross.

We all started driving on when the lights changed, and I found out I was right, the driver hadn't seen me.

The next thing I know is the back of my car is hit and I'm forced off the road. Fortunately the speed is only about 20mph at this point, and therefore my life is saved.  And my car is playing ten pin bowling with foot high wooden posts as my out of control car ploughs through them.

In front of me looms this lamp post, I slam on the brakes and try to start moving the car from hitting the car and me head on. I succeed and hit the wing and embed it into the wing of the car. The other wing smashes into a final wooded post.

I sit there for a moment thinking ..... will the lorry stop or am I on my own with this.

I get out of the car taking the keys with me.... although don't think anyone would be moving it in a hurry.

I know that I have to take measures to stay emotionally healthy so I make the decision to scream. I'm not screeching more yelling out my emotional pain.

Two cars stop and the first of two lovely ladies check out how I am.

The lorry has stopped in the slip road ahead and the lorry driver is coming along with two other women, one of whom is on the phone. She is phoning for the police and an ambulance.

It's suggested that I go and sit in the lorry cab to keep warm till the ambulance arrives. I can't get into it the climb into the cab is just beyond me. The ambulance arrives and I'm checked over, with at that time no worries about my body. Now my body feels frightful and I will be visiting to docs in the morning just to get checked over.

The police arrived and told me everything I had to do. My supervisor who I'd phoned from the ambulance to tell her I wouldn't make it, turned up to offer me support and a lift home.

On getting home I've spent hours talking to insurance companies and all related companies.

I've been telling my friends and family and now here.

If there's one thing I know it's how to reduce the affects of trauma on myself psychologically, doesn't mean I won't suffer flash backs but I've done all I can to help it taking over.

But now my beloved pride and joy is broken, probably beyond repair, although I won't know that for sure for a couple of days.

I know that it's only a car and that it is me that matters. But this car of all the cars I've ever owned meant a great deal to me. It was a symbol of my survival from cancer, it was bought with my critical illness insurance. It made me feel endless joy in the summer with the roof down. Okay the down side of that was my frightful fear of dealing with snow in the winter! I'd bought it from new, it had never let me down, it loved been driven hard, and it looked so damned sexy.

Hey ho.... another thing in the list of stuff I'm having to deal with. Thank God for friends who'll listen to me!

12 comments:

Helen said...

Oh no! I am listening ... what a shame about your 'sexy/yes' car but I am relieved to know nothing serious happened to you. Hopefully the check-up with reflect that. I can't imagine that kind of impact not causing loads of aches and pains. If your car is totaled, go out and buy another one - JUST LIKE IT! I drive an almost 12 year old black VW convertible and yes, it makes this 70-year old feel sexy!

Diane said...

So sorry, but the most important thing is that you are OK. Hopefully the truck drivers insurance will pay out and it will not cause you too many problems. Take care and keep well. Thinking of you Diane

trousers said...

Oh, shit.

But as the others have rightly said - whatever the state of your car (and I'm sorry to hear about that), at least you're ok.

Sure, there are degrees of ok, and you've spelt out some of the potential emotional impact, but you're safe, anyway. Please look after yourself as best you can, and give me a shout at any point if you need to - please.

Hugs x

Sorrow said...

oh..
poor baby..
and you too!
So sorry to see your zippie little car all mashed up, but as you have already said, it's you that matters most.
and I am so glad to read you are okay!!!

nitebyrd said...

Byrd, I'm so sorry about your beautiful car but I'm very happy that you are okay. Were you checked out by the docs? Are you doing better now?

Anonymous said...

You're lovely car! But "lovely you" has escaped anything that could have been terribly serious. Just the thought of months of rehab makes me shudder - I am so incredibly grateful Mandy that you are O.K.
What a frightening experience.The paperwork will be a pain no doubt, but the lorry driver sounds responsible enough to own his actions and mistakes.
Good luck and good healing Mandy -so sorry about what happened - my thoughts are with you.

Angela said...

IT`s only a car, sweets! YOU are the one who counts. God, what an experience! BUt everything that can be dealt with by money is not important enough to get bad dreams about! Hans is an expert lawyer for car crashes, if you have problems with the lorry driver`s insurance, I`ll ask him what to do! Usually he says that when insurances try to pass the guilt to the victim (they love to do that, trying to save money), he calls them ONCE and says, If you don`t stop that and become serious, the court will have a filing of an action (is that the right word? when you sue?) by tomorrow! That usually helps! Tell the police exactly how things built up and secure photos and possibly witnesses, and then let him pay for a good sexy new car! And start smiling again! We are happy you are ALIVE!

Mel said...

HOLY shit......

Scared the hell out of me just reading and glancing at the photos.

I'm gladder than glad that you're okay--and madder than hell that the lovely triumphant piece of freedom is broken......
Gladder than glad--that's what I'll focus on.
And that others were so caring is wonderful.

Cars can be replaced.
People, notsomuch.

k.....I'll be done being mad now....

((((((((( the byrdie )))))))))))

GaynorB said...

Hi Mandy,
What a pig of a day!
Still, on the positive side a car is a car and can be replaced/substituted/even improved on. You are safe and relatively unscathed, which is what really matters.
However you have my sympathy for the process of claiming via insurance. Bon courage ...

Beatnheart said...

Oh Byrd!!! Damn him...damn the stupid stupid lorry driver...how dare he take away your pride and joy...but wait....only temporary as things will get better, you will get another car, as cars never last forever anyway...eventually your sexy little beast would have had to “retire” but it is you who are unharmed and not sitting in hospital or worse yet dead...You are lucky...blesssed...charmed. A little lesson from the Universe saying that not all is forever, things change...but darling you are ok...you always will and always do rise out of the ashes....you are a Fire Byrd for Chrissakes...love you gal...sorry to have been so absent from your world for so long...raising a glass to you from across the pond!

Paula said...

Oh girl, without my laptop I am so cut off from all happenings again. Whilst we talked on the phone, I am still shocked about how all this happenend. I keep my fingers crossed for you feeling a bit more stable and sound soon. Love from my heart to yours!

Dragonfly Dreams said...

Oh goodness! I do hope you have mended both yourself AND your zippy little car!