Another, yes, yet another incident outside the neighbourhood drug store.
This is a lovely chain store, locally owned, or at least owned by someone now local.
The store has a parking lot that was sufficient ten years ago but is woefully lacking in these boom times. I try to park on the street behind when possible now.
I had finished my shopping and was sitting in my car, about to leave when on the radio, God-Bless-The-CBC of course, came an open line show with a guest from the Motor Vehicles branch. Now whatever the host had in mind for this show was quickly high-jacked by caller after caller trying to find out how to get their elderly relatives off the road.
The first three or four calls were enlightening. After that you could hear frustration in the voices of both host and guest. It was clearly going to be a single topic hour as word on the street spread about it. I half expected to hear one of my siblings.
I decided that it was becoming redundant and so, started the car and reversed from my spot. Being in the *first* parking space, I backed up to leave to the left.
As I went to shift to drive, I hear honking and so looked to the source of the honks just in time to realise the driver beside me had taken that opportunity to reverse as well.... into my back bumper.
Minimal damages to my bumper but quite alot of damage to the drivers side door of the other car. I leapt out of my car over to the window of the other driver who looked very shaken. She was around 80 years old.
I am not sure whose fault it is, perhaps mine, perhaps hers, perhaps both but how ironic is that?
After I gave her all my information I went to leave and she touched my arm and said:
"I am so thankful it was you and not... "
And her voice trailed off.
Perhaps she thought I was getting out of the car to yell and scream about things.
How sad a comment on our society.
I smiled at her and told her that I had been listening to a program on elderly drivers being a menace. Then I said to her:
"And who has the accident? Why ME! WAit til I tell my Father!"
Honestly, it aint that bad is it?
We are all insured.
This is my first accident in many years. At 3 mph or so.
-bfd-
