July 15, 2016
-
A Midnight Adventure
One of the fun summer activities in Laguna Beach is the Pageant of the Masters. Each night from July 4 until Labor Day, the Festival of Arts presents a pageant of Tableaux Vivants. These are quite remarkable -- they reproduce old masters paintings, sculptures, posters, and other art works with live people in place of people in the art pieces. Each piece is held for 5 minutes, during which the cast members must remain completely still. The final piece is always daVinci's The Last Supper. Each year there is a theme that the paintings follow -- this year it was Partners. A more complete explanation may be found here https://www.foapom.com . I have attended the Pageant at least once every year for the last 25 or so years.
In Laguna Beach, parking is normally a huge problem, particularly during the summer. Last night a friend and I headed off from my home and in my car for a nice evening of dinner and the Pageant. We found street parking directly across the street (that almost never happens unless somebody happens to be leaving as you arrive). We viewed the art festival and had a lovely dinner, after which we attended the Pageant. Because it must be dark in this outside venue, the Pageant runs a little late -- it begins at 8:30, and ends usually around 11:00 pm. When the event was over, we walked across the street. My friend thought that I hadn't parked quite so close to the curb, but I walked around the car to open the driver's door, and this is what I saw first (remember that it was dark, so I couldn't quite tell exactly what I was seeing).
The hubcap was propped against the wheel, so I knew something was wrong! We called 911 and were told that there should be a card on the windshield with a LBPD number on it. We called that number and a policeman was sent out to talk with us. As we waited, a security guard from the Pageant came to talk to us as well. We learned that while the Pageant was running a car had hit my car and the one in front of me, and somebody was arrested. As it was fleshed out, apparently a fairly heavy car sideswiped my car and the next one, and while trying to recover to drive on up the street, she backed into my car again. The driver was arrested -- for DUI, and her car was towed . The other car left a bit later (and I'm not sure of the details of that), after leaving one of the other festivals nearby, and when I left the Pageant there was my car. The police officer called AAA for a tow, and we arrived back at my house by just about midnight -- he parked the car in the driveway, and left me to call my insurance company in the morning. This morning I took another look and took these photos:
Right rear wheel -- the hubcap was off the wheel, and the wheel perhaps out of alignment
Left rear wheel -- I had placed the hub cap in the trunk last night
Left side rear door -- notice rocker panel dragging on the ground
Left driver's side door and mirror -- the actual mirror was under the car!
Another shot of the left side of the car
Left rear side of car
and two more of the left side of the car
The car will sit in my driveway until Monday, at which time the Adjustor will come and make a determination as to whether it can be repaired, and we will go from there!
As indicated above, the car was parked -- legally, in a marked space for street parking -- and the two of us were safely inside watching the Pageant. I don't know about the other two cars, but we were not hurt! The driver of the car that did the damage was arrested, and it was indicated that the arrest was for DUI. There were policemen who took photos that will be needed by the insurance agents, and the insurance people have all the information they will need to move forward. Everybody we spoke with last night was extremely helpful -- I was like a sort marshmallow, and I felt very propped up by everybody -- when all is said and done, they will all receive thank you's from me.
At one point I commented that in 60 years of driving I've never had an accident -- he reassured me that this will not be recorded on my driving record, though the car will have a notation of the accident on the registration. The rest of the story will unfold over the next few days!
Comments (25)
I'd like to copy this to WP, but when I go there I can't find a way to get to the dashboard and then to add a new post. Can anybody help?
Oh no! That is a shame! At least you weren't in the car when it happened. Hoping all will work out for the best.
Fortunately we were away from the car -- besides getting the car repaired, my main issue is emotional stress and physical exhaustion -- and the inconvenience of needing to be here to deal with the insurance people, etc!
Oh no! How awful for you!
Hope that person had insurance ~ so sorry ~
I have been told that the other person is insured -- my insurance company will verify that, of course, but that is encouraging. What a nuisance!
Geez! At least the person was arrested! Usually these are deemed hit and runs and there is no closure. I'm glad you are OK and that insurance will take care of the car.
Yes -- I am pleased that the person was arrested -- two cars is enough, and hopefully there were no other people affected (I'll eventually find out, when AAA sends me the police report! I'm ok, thank goodness -- well -- I'm emotionally and physically exhausted, but that will be easy to fix with a good night's sleep (last night I couldn't sleep -- and then the moon kept me awake!). Insurance will take care of the car -- but that truly doesn't make one whole -- if they total the car, they will give me enough to buy a used car, but I've never done that before -- and if they fix it, will I trust the fix -- not sure. It's all a new experience, after 60 years of driving without an accident!
Oh, wow. I am glad that you are okay.
Yes, physically I'm ok. That night, we got back to my house at midnight, and I was a bundle of nerves -- couldn't sleep till 2 am, and then the moon kept me awake for a while. Yesterday I spent most of the day dealing with getting back on my feet -- on the phone with insurance, arranging for a rental car, etc.! And I did sleep well last night, so I'm almost back to normal. The insurance adjuster will be out on Monday, and I'll know more after that. After 60 years of driving, it was not an experience I was particularly pleased about!
Janet!!!! I expect photos of herons and beaches!!! I took hundreds of photos of damaged cars as a insurance claim adjustor. Wow--this is terrible. Glad they caught the Dui driver. Sorry it happened to you.
Thanks, Frank! I'm also glad they caught the DUI driver -- and I'm still hopeful that nobody was hurt! The insurance people have been wonderful, but it remains to be seen what they can do about the car! What a way to end a nice evening's entertainment!
@slmret: The fixes are pretty good as long as the frame isn't bent. My little Honda Civic wagon was $350 dollars from totaled and they fixed it - finally got rid of it after another 12 years of use (it was 21 when it was replaced)!!
Val -- thanks for your encouragement! I'll know more on Monday when the adjuster looks at it. I think the resolution will depend on whether the frame was bent, and it's hard to tell without looking at it from underneath -- the adjuster comes out on Monday and hopefully things will move forward from then. Meantime I'm driving a brand new Nissan Altima, and considering that to be a test drive -- I'll do some car shopping this weekend and probably next week as well!
So glad to hear you weren't hurt - cars are replaceable - people aren't! Sorry you had to experience this.
It was good that I was having a nice evening with a friend -- dinner and a good show in an outdoor amphitheater! I have calmed down now, and this will end up being a major nuisance -- hopefully nothing more!
Wow! Not a nice end to an evening! Looks like she smashed into it pretty hard.
I think it got hit twice -- she hit my car and the one in front of it, then tried to back up and leave the scene (according to what I've pieced together from security, police, and tow driver! I will know tomorrow if the car is likely to be totaled , but that may be delayed until somebody can look at the frame to see if it was bent. I am grateful that it was parked and we were elsewhere!
@slmret: Janet, I can see you on WP and as you have seen, I commented on this. Mohamed and I cannot get over the damage to the car.
Reg: WP, when you go there, it should show you a little box on the right hand top corner with a pencil and notepad. If you click on it, you should be able to post your writing. I hope this helps.
Zakiah -- that helps a great deal -- I was able to make it work somehow, but now I'll not have to struggle as I try it again!
Your car is a right off, that damage to the rear wheel is not something they will just knock back into place.
New car for you!!!
I will cross my fingers
Yes -- the car will be totaled -- the suspension is quite messed up as well as the damage you can see.
Wow--that is sad-but thank God you and your friend weren't sitting in the car!!
Thank you -- yes, I'm thankful that we were enjoying theater across the street! I hope to have a new car tomorrow!
Good Lord! I am relieved that you were nowhere near the car, when it happened. Drunks, or worse, tend to be part of life, these days.The accident notation on the license is an outgrowth of the "Katrina specials" that made their way west, after the great hurricanes of 2005. Too many people got snookered.
During the summer, there are 3 major art festivals within about 2 blocks, and just back from the beach. Too, there are several restaurants and active bars. It is fortunate that there are not many more serious accidents in that area! I, too, am glad that I was safely watching the Pageant when my car was hit! The accident notation never bothered me -- if my car was to be totaled, that meant I didn't want it, and I'd let the insurance company worry about the notation!
Comments are closed.