Because I work such long hours, I’m forced to schedule my physical therapy sessions at like the crack of dawn. It minimizes the amount of time I have to take off from work. The main problem with this, aside from the fact that my sessions sometimes start a full HOUR before I’m used to starting work, is that I have to drive about 20 miles to get there. 20 miles + rush hour traffic = about a 45 minute drive. So I leave my house anywhere from an hour to almost 2 hours earlier than I “should” on physical therapy mornings. Needless to say, I’m pretty tired – tired like I was during the Olympics. Exhausted really.
After waking up at the crack of dawn yesterday and sort of zombie-ing through my morning, I decided that I MUST get to bed early last night. Yet despite my best efforts, I didn’t make it to my bed until around 11. Alarm starts chirping just a few short hours later, and I’m NOT a happy camper. I think I snoozed for like 35 minutes before finally giving in to the little voice in my head telling me I need to get up, leave my warm bed, and face the day. Ugh. Fine.
Again, eyes don’t wanna open. It’s cold. I don’t wanna leave my house. So I throw on some jeans (and not exactly my nicest pair either lol), running shoes (the physical therapist wants to check them out), a shirt, and a sweatshirt. It’s not the nicest of outfits, but it works OK for work, and it’s comfy. I then quickly throw my hair up in a pile on top of my head, and really it’s not too polished looking, but I simply couldn’t care less at this point. Obviously I’m also wearing my glasses. Let’s be honest – if my eyes don’t even want to open, jamming contacts into them just isn’t a choice. I figured I’ll just clean up a bit after physical therapy when I’m more awake.
Thankfully I made a pot of coffee this morning. A strong pot of coffee. Started chugging that before I even got into my car lol. It was kinda sorta maybe kicking in a little bit the more I drank. I’m about halfway to PT at this point, and starting to feel a little better. Got some good music playing…it might end up being a good morning after all.
Then the morning gets interesting.
About 3 cars in front of me I see this truck kinda sway/drift over to the right. He compensates my cutting to the left. Only he over compensates. Big time over compensates – dude spins out. So I see a spinning truck, hella cars slamming on brakes, people swerving in all kinds of directions (think parting of the red sea but with vehicles), the car in front of me (also slamming on brakes, clearly) is quickly approaching. FOOT ON BRAKE ON FLOOR…PLEASE LET ME STOP! Check the rearview mirror, yep car behind me is quickly approaching, fuck I’m about to get sandwiched here. FUCK PLEASE STOP CAR.FUCK FUCK FUCK. I’m gonna hit this SUV. Goddamnit I was JUST in a sandwich accident, please don’t let this happen AGAIN.
I stop.
Wait – I didn’t hit the car?!? SCORE!
CRASH!
OK the car behind me hit me. But not very hard.
Quickly assess the situation: Truck facing the wrong way almost next to me, crashed car up ahead a little, car in front of me that I didn’t hit accelerating away, cars starting to clear out. OK I should pull over – I guess to the center divide?
Yep, pull over to the center divide. There’s no shoulder so I’m definitely parked in the carpool lane with my hazard lights on. Before even getting out of the car I knew 9-1-1 had to be dialed. At minimum we need a tow truck and we are absolutely blocking traffic. Hopefully no one is hurt!
I get out of the car and am greeted by the really nice Asian guy who hit me. We somehow instantly become friends. Ask if anyone is hurt. No. 911 wants to know how many cars. 4. No injuries, just send a tow truck please. They say they’ll do that, and hang up. About a minute later Asian guy and I see a cop BLAZING down the freeway in the other direction, lights and sirens in full effect. We look at each other and laugh. Is that for us? LOL probably. A minute goes by. A firetruck, also lights and sirens, comes blazing down the other side of the freeway. Asian guy and I look at each other and really start laughing. A firetruck!?! Wow… we are those people. The ones that you rubberneck at to see wtf happened.
While we’re waiting for these emergency vehicles, I suggest we exchange info. As I’m walking to my car to get mine + a pen and paper, the guy in the truck comes up to me and he’s like “OK well if no one is hurt I’m gonna take off. I have to get to work.” Without hesitation I was like “UM no. You can’t leave.” “Why not?” “Well, for starters, it’s illegal to leave the scene of an accident.” “Oh.”
Sensing the man who caused the accident was an impending flight risk, I quickly wrote down his license plate. I then asked if he had insurance. He said, “Wow you’re like the police.”
Um, no. No I’m not like the police. I’m just trying to be proactive and get this shit together so I can go on my way, and you caused this so I’m gonna do everything in my power to ensure that you don’t leave. Since this really alerted me that something was up with this dude. I asked if he had insurance. He said yes, but didn’t make any moves to get it out of his car. Thinking he probably didn’t have insurance, and for that matter was possibly not even legal, I asked his name. Jose. OK Jose do you have a last name? “Yes”. lol
I was going to try and pursue the issue further, when I see flashing lights. Cars started parting so it could get through. Yep ladies and gentlemen, a firetruck had arrived. Asian guy and I again start chuckling. There is simply NO need for a firetruck to be here.
Three (quite attractive) men get out of the truck. Remember when I described how I looked this morning? Yeah, definitely wishing I had put in more effort before I left. I was one hot mess! And these were three attractive firefighters. Damn. So they assess for injuries. No one is hurt. “So really – no one has any neck pain? Back pain? No one wants us to take a look at them?” Um, sir you should rephrase that. I don’t NEED you to look at me, but I definitely might WANT you to. LOL.
As they’re assessing the situation, another firetruck rolls in. Asian guy and I are about to die at this point. We don’t even need one firetruck, much less two. Firetruck 1 waves them away. As the highway patrol arrives, so does a THIRD firetruck. Seriously? I mean I guess I told the 911 operator that there were 4 cars involved, but I also specified there were 0 injuries. You would think they would get the hint and not send out three totally unnecessary firetrucks. Not that I’m complaining though – it was nice to look at!
Then the highway patrol decides to take over the situation. They tell us all to go stand by our own cars so they can visualize who has what, etc. I obey. As they’re going to the Asian’s car to take his statement, one of the officers has a brilliant idea that if no one is hurt, why not pull the cars out of the lane and over to the shoulder. I hear this and think to myself – um across 4 other lanes of traffic? Are you joking, sir? No he’s not joking. I ask what the plan is – should I follow you? No. We’ll block traffic. I was skeptical, but got in my car. Looked over my shoulder only to see not a single car coming. Not even one. Yep, there are 3 highway patrol officers standing in the freeway, one in almost each lane, with a line of cars at a dead halt in front of them. I guess that’s my cue to go! So I mosy over to the shoulder, get out and talk to an officer who takes all of my information. Apparently we’re treating this as 2 accidents: I was rear-ended and there is no damage, and these other 2 fools were in a major accident with tons of damage. I guess I”m on the better side of that sheet of paper! After informing me that he would not file a report, the officer told me I was free to go. Really? That seems too easy.
I said OK well I definitely think the truck is to blame, but I have a feeling he’s not going to take responsibility. I also don’t think he has insurance, and I kinda feel bad for the driver of the other car (which is likely totaled) cuz that dude was on his way to the immigration office and is now freaking out that he’s gonna get deported. The officer kinda smiled and was like “yeah there’s a situation over there. Neither of those drivers have licenses or insurance. But that’s pretty common on this particular stretch of highway. We’ll give you a call if we need any witness statements. For now, you can leave.”
So I got in my car, put all my crap away, and looked up. The officer was standing in traffic again, clearing a path for me to get back on the freeway. What service!!
At this point I realized that my heart is definitely pounding, my eyes are WIDE OPEN, and I am ALERT. Coffee has most definitely kicked in at this point and I am PUMPED and ready to face the day. Nothing like a big pile up on the freeway and a little coffee to kick start your morning! Thanks Jose!
