Monday, September 08, 2008

Crash and burned

Before I begin, here's a bit of a disclaimer: This is not really my story -- I was mostly an observer. But I'm going to tell it anyway because things like this generally don't happen to people like you and me. So here goes.

Last night, my plan was to finish up some bathroom painting, watch some football, and then watch Entourage and/or Mad Men, and maybe I'd build the bookcase while sitting in front of the tv. My friend volunteered to watch Entourage on my brand-new couch and maybe help with the bookcase. So we agreed to meet for dinner at a neighborhood sports bar after I finished painting.

So, after dinner, my friend was following me back to the condo, and he was stopped behind me at the light. I heard the sound of squealing tires and looked up in time to see a red two-door car going really fast hit the back of my friend's car. Hard. My friend turned his wheel and, luckily, did not hit me.

When the light changed, I went over to the right to park my car along the side street to see if everything was okay. My friend pulled his car over, with his bumper all dented and torn. He somehow hurt his hand, but was mostly okay.

The other driver just drove off, with his bumper almost off and glass from his headlights shattered everywhere. He probably got right on the highway. And neither of us got his license plate number. All we know is that he was driving a red two-door car, either a hatchback or a sports car, and it did not strike either of us as particularly new. And we were both pretty sure that the driver was male.

So, we stood by the side of the road, waiting for the police. Four police officers came by, and we wrote out police reports while they took pictures. One of the officers nonchalantly said, "We probably won't catch him. Unless he's drunk and hits someone else."

So, all night after that, we kept wondering who just drives off after an accident like that. Here's our theories:

  • Someone without insurance
  • Someone who was drunk


For the life of me, I really can't think of any other alternatives.


12 comments:

DSL said...

Those are good ones. Maybe someone with multiple offenses already? I go for the drunk one.

matt said...

Other possibilities:

1) Car was stolen.
2) Driver was an asshole who was perfectly aware of what happened but since their car still functioned, they chose to move on.
3) Driver so high on shrooms, thought they were piloting a magic carpet. Collision imagined as carpet hitting a small sand dune. If you stop your carpet for every dune you hit, you never make it to Bandar Torkaman.

Glad no one was too badly hurt. Hopefully the other driver will be on the receiving end of a karmic hit and run soon.

dara said...

DSL: You and the cop are in agreement. And, based on the fact that it was towards the end of the evening football game, I would have to concur that it is a very logical explanation.

Matt: I guess I was lumping "high" in with "drunk." But as you just demonstrated with #3, they are clearly very different.

Justin S. said...

This happened to me when I was living in Madison. Well, no damage to my car, but I got hit hard enough that there was noticeable force, and the driver just drove off.

It was late, and it was Wisconsin, so I assumed drunkenness. It was also a college town, so I think underage drunkenness was a strong possibility.

Anonymous said...

Did the driver look young? Could also be a new-ish driver who freaked out post-accident. And don't underestimate matt's second option -- any old driver who was afraid of larger consequences and knew that his car was functioning and decided to beat it out of there.

But based on the timing, you're probably right re: some degree of alcohol-ish consumption being involved.

Anonymous said...

4) Dude with his girlfriend in the car and his wife at home caring for their three children under the age of 6. He did not want the wife to find out about the affair when the girlfriend was listed in the accident report as a witness with out panties.

This happened to someone I know. Well, everything but the no panties...I just added that for effect.

Colleen said...

An idiot. I'm sorry for your friend!

mad said...

My guess is he was a drunk driver in a stolen car slurring into his cell phone. Oh yeah, no insurance either. Glad you two are OK.

honeykbee said...

First of all? That suh-uh-uh-uh ucks. Glad everyone is... generally.. okay. Getting the sense that you are a little shaken up, perhaps a little enraged?

Anyway, I vote for stolen car and/or drunken and possibly underage illegal immigrant. Though the pantiless babymomma affair was a close second.

Deep breaths...

DSL said...

That's Prince Williams County and let's not go there.

Jeff said...

That really sucks, but glad everyone's mostly ok. What is the Virginia law when this happens- does Virginia have an uninsured motorists' act? Something similar happened to me one summer after college, and the Maryland Uninsured Motorists Act covered half of my $500 deductible for repairs, but I had to pay the other $250.

dara said...

Justin: I thought Wisconsin had the best drunk drivers in the country? Isn't that what Ted keeps telling us?

TINGB: Didn't see a face. There was a car in between mine and his.

Sara: That is very specific.

Colleen: That is the only thing we do know for certain.

Mad: Or he was texting.

HKB: I'm a little bothered by the whole thing. People not taking responsibility for their actions is my new pet peeve.

DSL: Yes, let's not go to Prince William County. Except to go to Ikea.

Jeff: Ask your former roommate. Not only is he a Virginia lawyer, but he was the one who's car was hit, in case you hadn't already heard or couldn't otherwise figure it out.