I started driving the Honda CR-V back to their house at 9:38. I turned south on 28th Street, then turned into the Chez Thuy parking lot so I could legally make a turn north onto 28th Street. I waited for traffic, and made my left turn, staying in the inside lane (a five lane road, with a middle turn lane). At Valmont, two blocks north, the car ahead of me suddenly swerved into the left turn lane and stopped with about 8 inches of car in the straight through lane - I made certain no one was in the right lane, and moved to the right to get around that car. Crossing into the intersection, driving at 30 mph, I got back into the straight lane and glanced into the rear view mirror and then looked again in front of me. About 20 feet in front of me was the rear end of a completely stopped car - without any lights on.
As I was moving my foot to the brake, I hit the rear of the car. The air-bag in the steering wheel deployed and knocked my glasses off my face. I grabbed them immediately and settled them back on my nose, watching the car I had struck roll up the street. The smell of the dispersant and powder from airbag smelled like an electrical fire. I put my car in Park, hit the emergency blinkers, and turned the engine off. As I opened my door and released the safety belt, I realized there was a man standing on the raised brick median strip between the two cars. I thought he was the driver of the stopped car and that he had gotten out before I hit it. The man walked across the street and into the little food shop of the Conoco station.
As I was taking inventory of myself, I saw a woman get out of the driver's side of the car in front of me. We approached each other asking if the other was hurt. She said she was calling 911 - that a man had stepped in front of her off the median strip and she had slammed on her brakes. While she was stopping, he stepped back onto the median. I asked if he was wearing a red shirt and had a beard, and she said yes. I realized that was the man I saw go into the Conoco shop. I walked over there, and caught him as he was coming out. I asked if he had seen the accident, and he said yes. I asked his name and he said it was Will. He said he would go over and stay with the other driver as I made my call.
I went into the store and realized I had blood dribbling down my chin - my front teeth had cut the inside of my bottom lip. I wiped it away with the back of my hand, told the clerk I had been in the accident, and asked to use his phone. I called my apartment and told my roommate that I had been in an accident, where I was, and that my mouth was bleeding. I asked her to call my sister and brother-in-law, as I knew I needed to get back to the clients' house and continue to care for the dogs. Beatrice and my sibling and husband showed up shortly. Beatrice arrived before the police, and called 911 on her cell phone. By that time, I had gone back to the median strip and found the other driver - alone.
The man who caused the accident had left the scene.
The police, ambulance, and fire crews arrived. Officer Williams arrived first, followed by Officer Briscoe. Both of us drivers declined medical care. I remember sitting there, and wanting to laugh because even though the Honda's front end had hit the butt of her Impala, the back bumper of the Honda had fallen off. Of course it was plastic, and the force of the impact had caused the bolts to shear through the plastic. The fire crew was there to clean up the fluids from the Honda's radiator. Then a single tow truck came and towed both vehicles away.
The police came back, having spoken to both of us drivers, and having taken our licenses, registrations and insurance documents for their reports. The other driver was free to go; I received a citation of Summons and Complaint and must appear in Traffic Court on 17 August. I am charged with "Failure to Avoid Interfering with Vehicle Ahead" which, if I am found guilty, will put 4 points on my license, and I have a $300 fine plus $25 in court expenses to pay that day.
The last time had a car accident was in Gainesville, Florida in 1976, on West University Avenue in front of Jernigan's Sporting Goods. Mom was in the passenger seat. At that point in time, there were two lanes of west bound traffic and two eat-bound lanes. I was driving east in the inside lane, with two lanes of oncoming traffic. A car was about two cars lengths behind me, speed limit was 30, and I was driving at 30. A man driving a UF IFAS light-blue station wagon was in the outside lane, and I was in his blind spot. He came over into my lane. I was blowing my horn and hitting my brakes, but he side-swiped the passenger door and front fender of my car. Luckily, everyone was OK.
Anyway, now, on Tuesday, I have a huge dark purple bruise from my collarbones to mid-rib in front, the inside of my left (bad) knee is also an intense purple, and the swelling in my bottom lip has almost disappeared. My right shoulder blade is sore, too. Other than that, I'm fine...
The female owner of the car knows that it was an accident and keeps telling me so. Her husband is pretty upset. Not quite sure what will happen regarding them and/or any more possible employment with them... Just waiting to hear. I did not accept any pay for this past week, since I think their car is totaled.
I have tried to write this dispassionately. I am very upset about it, and quite shaken. The other driver and I just kept saying to one another - I'm just so glad that no person was hurt, injured, or killed. - I am one lucky person, after all......
What I was driving:
What she was driving:
What I saw in my headlights, at 9:45, without lights on, stopped 20 feet ahead of me:
(this is not the actual rear end of her car - this is the same make and model on a lot)
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