A True Near-Death Experience
The above two pictures are of a 1987 Chrysler New Yorker. Beige, I believe, is a good color to describe it. The first image was a shot from film taken in the Bradley Academy parking lot for a video that I was unable to do a month or so ago. (When Saito, my MacBook, died.) The second was during the video shoot with my friend, Abe, for the Benny Hill-esque video when he went behind said Chrysler and reappeared wearing a dress for one shot. (And he went back behind the car when he entered the barn behind it.)
It is Thursday night. I did not go to school today.
Wednesday night, I was to be at a Fashion Show at the Eden Resort in Lancaster as one of the Camera Crew.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006. The Chrysler New Yorker was killed in an accident with a Ford F-250 Pickup truck just outside of the Lancaster Square Shopping Center in Manhiem Township; Lancaster, PA. Fortunately, the two passengers and the driver, along with the 5 cameras and tripods borrowed from the school for this shoot were not.
I was the driver. And my two passengers also never saw the guy coming. The driver was hysterical just after impact; and more concerned with her death from her stepdad and the safety of the cameras after hearing everyone say they were alright.
Upon finally seeing the wreckage of the car, Mike and my mother both agree that someone had to have been with me Wednesday Night. No one is sure exactly how I manage to walk away from that accident.
These are shots of the wheel and Driver's side.
That is the headlight switch and fuse panel on the lower part of the dashboard, which used to sit just slightly to the left and above my left knee.
That is the Center console... No, it didn't used to hang like that.
You can see here the dashboard is now concave and bends inward.
The roof is also buckled upwards. ....Yes, that's my Bradley Parking Tag on the rear view.
If you want to see more shots, remove the filename and browse through the Chrysler folder...
Krystal and I were wearing seatbelts. The '87 New Yorker did not have airbags.
As for my injuries, they were minimal. My left side hurts from impacting the driver's side door... after the truck hit the wheel, both vehicles slid forward and I hit the side of the truck with my car... and my body. I'm bumped, scratched a little from the windshield glass, and sore, but I'm otherwise quite alright. And I drove to the store tonight, do not fear, I am not afraid to drive. However, I did notice that I hesitate to try and cross traffic anymore even if I know the intersection is safe where I'm crossing.
That part of it may take a while to get past.
I also just got a speeding ticket and 4 Points on my license TWO MONTHS ago. 4 points is outrageous, but I felt alright about it since I would just keep driving safely and they would come off in time.
December.
Accident. By law, it was my fault because I was pulling out of a "Private Drive". Even though judging from the other guy's truck and the damage to the New Yorker, he was going well past 35 MPH and was probably drunk or high. There's no way he could just appear out of nowhere like that and do that much damage to a K Car that's only doing MAYBE 10 MPH.
I repeat. I'm a little shaken and scratched up, but I'm just fine. As Mike put it: "The car gave its life to save hers, and I'm quite fine with that."
The drive to the store tonight also made me glad I chose to take said car to Lancaster... If I had taken my Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera, it would have crumpled like paper and I wouldn't have been able to get out of the car because it's floor shift.
No, this doesn't change my opinion. For driving, I still like the floor shifter, just that it would have made it harder to get the hell out of the car without help. I also realized that I sit my left foot on the wheel well inside the car. I think when the truck impacted, it shoved my leg away from the door before the dashboard crumped... but not before hitting my kneecap.
As a friend; Colin; said, "Still, it's pretty bloody anal of the Government to automatically blame you, when all the evidence screams that you got blindsided.". And I feel it is as well. I almost lost it again when the cop explained things to my parents. They're not mad at me. Expecially not after seeing the car. They also both know I'm a safe driver. What upsets me more is that with a speeding ticket; despite it being a damn Speed Trap they hit EVERYONE at for going like even ONE mile over the limit...; and this accident that something is fishy about... It doesn't seem like it.
And I hate it.
I've been driving for 5 years, what the hell? ;_;
Love,
-Jess
(P.S. If the last three don't show up, it might just be Firefox, check properties and go look if you want to see them.)