Just thought I'd share some of my thoughts with the community.
I got into an accident about 3 weekends ago while driving my Altima. My fault. Minor damage, but it could have been much worse - I blew a red light!
I just finished lunch on a Saturday and started driving around an unfamiliar neighborhood in South Orange County, CA. I was on my way home, taking a different route, but I didn't know exactly which way to go. I don't know how fast I was going at the time, but I don't think I was doing more than 40 mph. I came upon an area with a lot of signs. So instead of paying attention to what was in front of me, I was reading all the directional signs, trying to figure out which way I should go. Really spacing out. If I recall correctly, one of the signs said: Walnut (straight), I-5 (north), 261 (north), Jamboree (right). I think all on one stupid sign! I was trying to figure out what 261 was. Before I knew it, I saw a white car going across the intersection. My initial thought was, "I'm going to t-bone the passenger's side." My next thought was to brake hard. My Altima doesn't have ABS. I felt the tires skid slightly. I'm not sure if I turned the steering wheel. Then I thought I'm going to hit it near the rear fender. My next thought was that I'm going to miss it, but CRASH! I clipped the car's rear bumper! I just needed another foot to have escaped. Also, at that instant, I was expecting to get t-boned on my driver's side, but was blessed, fortunate and/or lucky to have made it through the intersection. The car that I hit was a 94 Acura Integra. I just barely clipped it; so it didn't spin-out. It didn't even move sideways, but just kept going straight for about 50 yards. The whole rear plastic bumper was knocked off in one piece, hanging - just the plastic covering. My Altima's right front bumper cracked off and was hanging onto the Integra's rear bumper.
I was again blessed, fortunate and/or lucky that nobody was injured.
The person that I hit was really cool about the whole thing. I told him that I spaced out and the accident was completely my fault. The police came and asked him if he wanted to file an accident report. The police mentioned that if a report was filed, I would be handed a ticket for blowing through the red light. The police said that a lot of accidents happen at that intersection because people run the red. He declined to file the report. I owe the guy.
Since the accident, I keep thinking how blessed, fortunate and/or lucky I was that nobody was injured. I keep thinking how I would have had to go through life, feeling the guilt and shame, if there were serious injuries or worse, a death. I think about how some other people must have guilt feelings when they cause an accident that results in injuries or a fatality. Now I have compassion for them. My accident disturbs me to this day.
As a consequence of my accident I have resolved to be a more forgiving person and have more compassion for all people. I pray that I never experience that or anything worse again. In the back of my head, I keep thinking that I'm not a perfect driver. Yes, it was an 'accident', but I'll never forget it and hope that no one else has to experience an at fault accident, either. I'm not perfect and I can't expect others to be perfect.
Drive safely and smartly.
I got into an accident about 3 weekends ago while driving my Altima. My fault. Minor damage, but it could have been much worse - I blew a red light!
I just finished lunch on a Saturday and started driving around an unfamiliar neighborhood in South Orange County, CA. I was on my way home, taking a different route, but I didn't know exactly which way to go. I don't know how fast I was going at the time, but I don't think I was doing more than 40 mph. I came upon an area with a lot of signs. So instead of paying attention to what was in front of me, I was reading all the directional signs, trying to figure out which way I should go. Really spacing out. If I recall correctly, one of the signs said: Walnut (straight), I-5 (north), 261 (north), Jamboree (right). I think all on one stupid sign! I was trying to figure out what 261 was. Before I knew it, I saw a white car going across the intersection. My initial thought was, "I'm going to t-bone the passenger's side." My next thought was to brake hard. My Altima doesn't have ABS. I felt the tires skid slightly. I'm not sure if I turned the steering wheel. Then I thought I'm going to hit it near the rear fender. My next thought was that I'm going to miss it, but CRASH! I clipped the car's rear bumper! I just needed another foot to have escaped. Also, at that instant, I was expecting to get t-boned on my driver's side, but was blessed, fortunate and/or lucky to have made it through the intersection. The car that I hit was a 94 Acura Integra. I just barely clipped it; so it didn't spin-out. It didn't even move sideways, but just kept going straight for about 50 yards. The whole rear plastic bumper was knocked off in one piece, hanging - just the plastic covering. My Altima's right front bumper cracked off and was hanging onto the Integra's rear bumper.
I was again blessed, fortunate and/or lucky that nobody was injured.
The person that I hit was really cool about the whole thing. I told him that I spaced out and the accident was completely my fault. The police came and asked him if he wanted to file an accident report. The police mentioned that if a report was filed, I would be handed a ticket for blowing through the red light. The police said that a lot of accidents happen at that intersection because people run the red. He declined to file the report. I owe the guy.
Since the accident, I keep thinking how blessed, fortunate and/or lucky I was that nobody was injured. I keep thinking how I would have had to go through life, feeling the guilt and shame, if there were serious injuries or worse, a death. I think about how some other people must have guilt feelings when they cause an accident that results in injuries or a fatality. Now I have compassion for them. My accident disturbs me to this day.
As a consequence of my accident I have resolved to be a more forgiving person and have more compassion for all people. I pray that I never experience that or anything worse again. In the back of my head, I keep thinking that I'm not a perfect driver. Yes, it was an 'accident', but I'll never forget it and hope that no one else has to experience an at fault accident, either. I'm not perfect and I can't expect others to be perfect.
Drive safely and smartly.
