Dude...You Hit My Car

If you are on Facebook or Google+ you know the sad saga of Louis' BMW. If not, let me catch you up.  Here is the post Louis wrote this past Monday when the main event happened:

Tonight, while watching my kids, settling them down before bed, I heard a big BOOM out front. It sounded like there was a car accident in the intersection. So I ran out the front door, and found a Toyota Tacoma truck crashed into the side of my car in the driveway. Huge rocks that border our walkway had been pushed into the driveway, having been moved about 6 or so feet. The driver, an old man who just left the hospital and is under the influence of medication, had probably mistaken the gas pedal for the brake, and turned into my front yard, driveway and eventually my car, followed by a tree that borders our neighbors' yard, instead of continuing down the road. Both his airbags had deployed, and remarkably, he wasn't hurt. There were no passengers in the vehicle, and obviously, nobody in mine.

After making sure he was fine and could walk, and was in no shape to harm me or my family, I brought him in to sit in my living room, while I dialed 9-1-1. In the 15 minutes I waited as the officers arrived, I tried to distract the kids, quite curious, of course, and figured out this guy was pretty lost. He could tell me the town where he lived, but not much else. Meanwhile, I called my wife, at a late birthday party with her girlfriends, and asked her to come home, at least to put the kids to bed. After all, it wasn't my fault.

The officers came by. Part of their delay was that this guy apparently hit another car on his way to hitting mine (and the tree). Brilliant. They had a rough time finding out his son's phone number, to give him a call to have him picked up, and when asking his own address, he started it with 650... obviously a phone number. So this guy, nice enough, was pretty out of it, and I'd argue shouldn't get behind the wheel again.

So my nice car I am so happy with, sporting the GOOG +1 license plates, after all, is pretty wrecked up. It's ugly. If it gets fixed, it won't be quick, and is the second accident it's had in the year. Not fun. So I have no idea when I'm getting into the office tomorrow or what my transportation looks like. But the good news is that nobody was hurt, the kids are in bed, and everyone has now left my house. But it wouldn't be enough just to tell you the story. I brought pictures. This is nuts.

That ONE rock was minding its own business next to our driveway being a nice piece of landscaping. Now it is TWO rocks and I don't want to be the one to move it.

That poor tree has some nasty scars.

SMOOOOOOSH

That rock did all the damage to the side of the car including bending the frame.

I reminded Louis that his personalized license plate came through the carnage undamaged.

I have no idea what part of the other car made that gouge.

In the lower left you can see where the rock was and the tire marks of the truck. That rock was anchored in cement so imagine the speed of the car.

• It just goes to show you that your car isn't even safe parked in your own driveway.
• The man had just left his son's house down the street and I can't believe the son thought that his dad was in any condition to drive. Talk about incoherent and glassy eyed!
• At least he didn't do through the living room or garage! (always a bright side)
• Louis' car is totaled. He loved that car. So now we have to deal with buying a new car.
• It would of been my car that got hit if I had been there. Thanks Haley for hosting my Bday dinner that night!
• The kids were thrilled to have 3 policemen in their house.
• Classic Matthew quote: "The rock said it was sorry and needs a time out."