Ouch

[cynicalmedic]

My day started with a literal bang. We (DH and I) were on our way to work, when the entire Beltway came to a screeching halt in front of us. DH managed evasive action with a Dirk Pitt/Philip Mercer flair, and the car behind us avoided contact, but the one behind that apparently had no idea how the brakes work. We are both uninjured, but our poor, stalwart Ford Escape has sustained what appears to be terminal damage. The SUV that hit us - some sort of Nissan thing - is now a pile of rubble on the side of 495.

Thank Providence for the wonderful and professional Maryland troopers - they are a joy to deal with, and very kind. The one we dealt with looked far too young to be a corporal, but he was a star.

[Jerusha]

Ouch indeed!  I'm glad you and DH are both OK. 

[Evie]

Glad you got through it OK, and hope any lingering achiness subsides very soon.

[Elkhound]

How horrible!  Glad nobody was hurt.

[derynifanatic64]

Glad that no one was hurt.  Sorry about your car.

[DesertRose]

 Yikes!  I'm glad nobody was hurt.  Cars can be repaired or replaced, albeit not without hassle and money.

[kirienne (RIP)]

Very glad you were not hurt, sorry your stalwart car is terminal though.

[cynicalmedic]

We are moving a little slowly this morning, but we are doing okay. It will probably be four or five days before we know what will happen to the car, but the at-fault driver's insurance carrier has provided us with a very nice rental. Thank you all for your good wishes - they are appreciated.

[Alkari]

You can do without those starts to the day     Glad you and DH are OK - LOL at the Dirk Pitt reference! - and hope your aches and pains subside quickly.  Sorry about the car, and hope things get sorted soon.

[Shiral]

My day started with a literal bang. We (DH and I) were on our way to work, when the entire Beltway came to a screeching halt in front of us. DH managed evasive action with a Dirk Pitt/Philip Mercer flair, and the car behind us avoided contact, but the one behind that apparently had no idea how the brakes work. We are both uninjured, but our poor, stalwart Ford Escape has sustained what appears to be terminal damage. The SUV that hit us - some sort of Nissan thing - is now a pile of rubble on the side of 495.

Thank Providence for the wonderful and professional Maryland troopers - they are a joy to deal with, and very kind. The one we dealt with looked far too young to be a corporal, but he was a star.

Yikes, CM!  Glad nobody was hurt. I read your account of the accident on the chat transcript--sounded very scary.  Car accidents on the freeway tend to be that way. I lost my last Honda Civic when a commercial truck changed lanes without realizing I was already occupying it.  Luckily, I got pushed onto the highway shoulder rather than into the rest of the traffic, but it still scares me to think about it. Sounds like you guys were very lucky NOT to be hurt worse!  The driver who plowed into you  is deservedly in trouble! But it's an object lesson on why you need to keep your eyes on the road and  your mind on your driving.

And yeah, I know about what a pain it can be to have to shop for a new car. (But as long as you get a new car, you might as well enjoy it!)

Melissa

[derynifanatic64]

How about this one--In the summer of 2002, I was driving north on I-77 about 20 miles from Charleston, WV.  I was in the right lane and a double-semi truck in the left lane decided to go into my lane well before he passed me.  So, at 70 miles an hour (the legal speed limit), I saw the truck slowly get into my lane and I changed onto the wide shoulder.  After the truck was passed me, I simply got back into the right lane and continued on my way.  I can only imagine what anyone behind me were thinking as they were watching my close encounter.

[cynicalmedic]

DH insisted on another Escape, but there wasn't one on the lot, and we couldn't wait. We did get a Mercury Mariner - very similar to our much mourned old friend. It is red - oh so red - but it is a very nice vehicle. We were supposed to turn in the tags this week, but we had an unwelcome visitor named Sandy that shut down the entire state of Maryland. 

I was more ticked than hurt - if the trooper had not been there immediately, I'm not sure I could have been civil to the @&%@$& that hit us.