LR - I'm Alive and Well...

[Padraig Ruad O'Maolagain]

...relatively, anyway, and back at work, having picked up a rental vehicle this morning.  Aside from a general soreness (rather like having been on the badly losing end of a melee) and several minor cuts and bruises, I escaped the accident without injury.

What happened:  I had come to a stop at the end of a line of halted rush hour traffic between the Haltom Road and N. Beach Street exits on west-bound 820 about 5:45 yesterday.  When I stopped, the vehicle behind me was probably 1000 feet back.  For whatever reason (and I suspect he was on his cel phone) he failed to slow down and stop, and plowed straight into me.  By the time I noticed he wasn't stopping, it was too late to try to get out of his way.  The impact pushed my truck into the SUV stopped in front of me, set off the air bags, tore up the rear bumper, truck bed and cap, busted out the rear window of the cab and the front window of the cap, bent the frame, and caused somewhat less damage to the front end from the collision with the SUV.  There is also a noticeable righthand bend to the entire vehicle now.  When I got out of the truck, I was bleeding from my nose, three cuts on my face (two of which I think came from the airbag impacting my sunglasses and the other from the rearview mirror coming off the windshield), a puncture wound on each arm (still haven't figured out where they came from) and some other minor cuts and scracthes on my arms.  The driver that hit me appeared uninjured (which now that I think about it, really pisses me off).  Various police officers, fire engine crews, paramedics and tow truck drivers showed up, and went about their jobs very effeiciently.  The paramedics washed out my wounds and bound the one (right arm puncture wound) that was still bleeding.  I had called Amber immediately after it happened, and she arrive to help me get my things out of the truck and take me home.  I must have been quite a sight, as my shirt was covered in blood, the cuts on my face were still raw-looking, and I had one helluva fat lip.

I guess I must have been somewhat in shock, because I didn't get mad until I woke up about 2 this morning. <grin>

Now that I think about it, the whole collision was remarkable simlilar to the field battle at Gulf War when the entire Trimarian army ran over the Arthurian Company. <grin>

On a serious note, I have often felt that I have guardian angel who has many times kept me from serious harm, and I thank God that I came through the accident okay.  While I'm sorry about the loss of the truck, it is just a thing, and can be replaced without too much trouble.

Hope to see everyone soon.

Padraig

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Nunc Est Bibendum
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Politicians prefer unarmed peasants.
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