14 October, 2006
WTF is it with this section of 8th Street???
I swear, hardly a week goes by without some kind of car crash around here! Many times, they're minor fender-benders, but my neighbours who park their cars on the street say they've had their cars smashed into and their side mirrors pulled off too many times to count.
Just a few minutes ago, I had switched off the TV and DVD player and was just about to check email when I heard an almighty POW! and then two or maybe three thuds. I went outside to see a white Honda turned at an odd angle smashed into the side of one of the cars parked along the sidewalk outside of my apartment. It looks like it may have also hit the truck behind the red car that now has a Honda growing out of its rear panel. The airbags in the Honda had deployed, leaving a rather acrid odour hanging in the air.
The driver of the Honda appeared to be uninjured and was walking around her car inspecting the damage and sorting out what went wrong (there were no passengers in her car). She told the police officer that she was just driving along (I couldn't tell if she said she was going 25 or 35 mph, though 25 is the speed limit here) and she felt her tire "go" and the next thing she knew she had hit the red car. It was at this point that I went back inside my apartment, since the police and emergency crews were arriving and I knew I wouldn't need to call them (which was the main reason I went out--mobile in hand--in the first place) and I had seen/heard this too many times before.
(As I type, I can hear the tow truck picking up the Honda, but I'm not sure about the red car or the truck as I didn't venture into the street to see what damage they took.)
It really bothers me, though, that this is such a common occurrence here. Only a couple of months ago, the house on the corner had a car smash through the garage door. And, as I said, we cannot seem to get through a week without some kind of smash-up. It's one of the reasons that Simon and Billie will NEVER be outdoor kitties and why I'm always fearful for the safety of the kitties at our apartments who are indoor/outdoor. It's as if this stretch of road is some sort of Bermuda Triangle.
~~ victoria on 11:24 PM ~~ 2 comments
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The Oakland equivalent is 11th/MLK, a block from our old place. Every couple days, screeeech, BANG! *sirens*. You'd think they'd trim the hedges and re-trim the lights...
And your corner...I hate crossing there with my bike, I'm always terrified someone's going to come tearing up 8th and turn and flatten me, there's always a van or other large vehicle parked right up to the crosswalk so I can't see who's coming.
By
gwen, at
8:36 PM
uh. re-time the lights, not re-trim them.
they should do that at yours, too.
By
gwen, at
8:36 PM