Witnessed a nasty accident at Springfield and Valley yesterday.
steel said:
Meanwhile, I have to share that I wrote the initial post not so much to warn folks of a particular local intersection (of which I think we are all too sadly aware) but that I also felt compelled to write down and relate a particularly unusual experience.
I kept seeing that trucks' wheels lift off the ground in my minds' eye and the image became easier to store away if I wrote it down.
I hope I can be forgiven (particularly since no one was hurt) for saying that although it was a bit disturbing, I must also confess that it was, well, kind-of cool (if that's the right word) to witness. There, I said it.
Did I mention the loud unique "WHUMP" sound that such as impact makes?
And so it goes.
Once hit a Honda CRV dead broadside in JC when he ran a red (a long red-- had been so for about 15-20 seconds already) from my left. Neither he nor I braked (he was oblivious and I was looking ahead and toward my right for cars making the right on red). I stopped instantly, and he was lifted airborne, hitting the street several feet away. Only thing that stopped him from rolling over was a slick street where he slid with little grip, and the car and pole he nicked that kept him upright. Nearly split his frame in two (so no CRVs in my future). Two different witnesses said they each froze at the aurrealsight of him airborne before reacting.
steel,
Call the police department and tell them what you saw.
If they, nor one of the drivers, don't need your help; so be it. If the PD, the prosecutors, or either of the drivers do, be a stand up guy.
Do good & be well.
TomR
Interesting Tom. I thought about that but I wondered, -"Why would they believe me when I was no longer at the scene and now its' two days later? How much weight would that have?" Meanwhile, as I've said, I had told the driver at the scene that I saw what happened but he already had a witness standing there.
I think if there had been injuries I would have pressed it at the time but I thought "This is strictly a money insurance issue and what happened will be very clear."
I do wonder if they will check the driver's cell phone records. -I wonder if they now check them regularly in such a case.
steel,
I made a suggestion to do that which I think is right.
You'll do that which you think is right.
That's all, any of us, will do.
TomR
In accitdents every witness counts. The other party could also have a withness. I take this most days and accessing to go to mountainside, many do not realize we do not have a yeild and their lane ends before we merge so they stay in the lane and go right into ours to access 78 right away. Although we do not have a yield I am pretty leary just going out there. Turning is just so dangerous, even get through the loop where you go straight, as the cars turning put themselves our left hand lane cutting us off where we need to quick break as there is always a car in out right hand lane, so one cannot go over. They really need a better design, or a left hand turn signal and motorist need to stay in their lanse until it is clear to turn.
Most of the time being a witness is trivial. They take your statement and you're done.
But my wife witnessed an incident which went to court. She had to go to court three times, on three separate days.
Basically everyone now uses Acadia from Mpwd to HD and from Target/WF back to Mpwd. The Springfield intersection is too much a mess. I always feel bad cutting thru that little nbhd but feel I have no choice. I've started to see some extremely entitled SUV-types trying to turn left from Acadia onto Springfield. This is actually illegal and they are scum to do so.
BG9 said:
Most of the time being a witness is trivial. They take your statement and you're done.
But my wife witnessed an incident which went to court. She had to go to court three times, on three separate days.
Ouch! I will say having been in an accident, it would have been nice if someone stayed as a witness. But now I see why.
Wow! I've actually had several weird moments at that intersection not seeing the light at all: green red whatever. At times it simply looks "off" so I proceed slowly as though it is in fact broken. But that's also dangerous because cars are speeding up behind me. Sounds like it might get investigated after such a violent accident.