Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Spending some time in Austin, TX!
Well folks, seems like we'll be spending a little time here in Austin, having to wait around and find out what's happening with this whole mess. We're healing alright, Lane got his nose set today so he's in pretty rough shape at the moment. I've still got a slight limp and all my muscles, neck, back and hips hurt as well, but I'm feeling that my strength is slowly coming back. Just trying to take it easy and rest up, wish I didn't have to make so many phone calls and read so many things and sign and write so many things, but it's all part of the game. I don't hope that anyone gets in an accident, but if they do, I am going to be glad to share my experience and lend as much help as I can. I have to give a great big, never-ending thank you to all of the supporters out there, all of our family and friends, all of the wonderful Model A people out there who have sent us many kind words and who've been so generous with offers to help in any way. I can't wait to get back on the road in a Model A again!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hey Sean, I had a very similar accident a few years back when someone turned left in front of me at an intersection. I was coming home from working one Sunday evening in our 1969 International Harvester Travelall... around 5,200 lbs worth, and this 16 year old girl in a beautiful '72 Monte Carlo turned into me. I veered hard to the right with my brakes full on and braced myself on the floorboard, brake pedal, steering wheel and the vent window post. We collided VERY hard and loud and my momentum pushed us into two old ladies waiting to turn right in the other lane. Thankfully the girl's Chevy was heavy enough to keep her from being killed, that Travelall was like a school bus hitting her.
ReplyDeleteShe had her whole family there very shortly... she was on the cell phone when she ran in front of me and they all came right away. I was going through that intersection probably a little too fast, around 50, as there was no reason for me to slow down... the light was green and it was sure a surprise when she turned in front of me. It totaled both our cars... the Travelall was still running although was making terrible racket with the fan hitting and chewing up the radiator.
After the cops got there.... and talked with the girl's family.. they had quite a pow wow over there while I just stood around. The cop finally came up and told me they had decided that she had a green left turn arrow... I became quite agitated to put it mildly and I think back now after seeing the news reports about Ferguson MO... that I was lucky to have not been shot right there by the police! Had I been black I'm sure the outcome would have been different.. but that is a totally different story.
I called a friend that is a lawyer and he thought my goose was cooked... but... turns out that particular traffic light ONLY gives a left turn green arrow after you sit through a red light. The light had been green all along and the light is set to only give the left turn signal at the beginning of the green cycle. Had that light just turned green for her... those two old ladies waiting to turn right in the other lane would have gone ahead... since my light was green the whole time and I could go through the intersection they had to wait at their red light.
Turns out that girl's insurance paid us $4,600 something dollars for a Travelall that we paid $325 for. I had done a lot of work on the engine and all but it was a windfall for us. I kinda thought about pumping the tires back up and pushing it back out into traffic to see if I could score again! hehehe ;-)
I don't think someone making a left turn across an intersection has the right of way to oncoming traffic.