It’s a good thing you did the paramedic/doctor thing first. Many of our fellow dopers would post first to the board, then apply tourniquet/seek medical attention/put out fire.
Good luck on the healing - catch up on reading.
If that had been true he would have left in an ambulance. He didn’t. He also didn’t have the balls to walk over and apologize.
You know, if you get some good stuff for pain, we’re going to expect some funny, under the influence posting from you. Anyway, I hope you feel better soon and the insurance people don’t give you much crap.
Well here is why they didn’t keep me in the hospital. midfloridacruisers.com
He was probably fiddling with a cell phone while driving. Or maybe tailgating you.
I’m sorry you’re hurt. Hope you got the painkillers you need and get some wheels back soon. That towing charge is outrageous. How did you get home from the hospital?
I was almost that idiot once. I was 22, commuting from my parents’ house. I was passing an exit that was backed up for about a 1/2 mile into the right lane of a 3 lane eastbound highway. I was in the far left lane, looking right to gawp at the backup for a couple few seconds and when I looked forward, realized the white panel van in front of me was at a dead stop. I had maybe 100 feet to stop at 60mph.
Slammed on the brakes, cranked the wheel left, and did a perfect 180, straddling the line between the lane and the shoulder (and the concrete barrier another 2 feet away). The stunned guy behind me locked eyes as I was suddenly facing him and we were looking right at each other. I kinda gave him a “you OK?” look, he nodded with eyeballs big as saucers popping out of his head at this girl in an old Corolla, and I proceeded with a quick 3-point to get back in the right direction and said a few choice words to myself. Traffic was already moving again. Why it was stopped is anyone’s guess.
Still one of my most memorable driving moments, and I still thank Og every day that my Mom wouldn’t let me get my license until I learned to do donuts and evasive maneuvers when I was 17.
Just a couple seconds of misdirected attention, it could have been really really bad.
He wasn’t tailgating, if he had been he would have hit me when I hit the brakes. He hit me about 1 second after I had come to a complete stop. As near as I can do the math he was roughly the better part of 300 feet back when I started braking. He had plenty of time to stop if only he had bothered to look out that big assed window directly in front of him.
Maybe he was posting on Facebook “I’m having an accident”
The motel room probably came with lube too.
Good to hear you’re (relatively) OK and your sense of humor is still intact.
I think I’m going to post that in our road trip thread. 
Glad you’re (mostly) okay, Rick. I am more sure every day that the only thing that will stop distracted driving is electronic jammers in cars - people sure as hell aren’t stopping on their own (assuming he was distracted, of course, which seems pretty likely).
By the way, since I think it’s important to change how we think about things, I only call them “collisions” - “accident” implies that there was nothing anyone could have done to stop it from happening. 
Jesus, Rick! Kinda dickish of you to expect the guy to actually look out the windshield. Jump down, Froggy. How dare you insist he divert his attention to the important text message and net surfing he was probably doing.
Get your priorities straight, man!
By the way, I always assumed for some reason you were back east, not in Cali. Don’t know why that is?
Here’s to better luck, buddy!
Argh, I’m so sorry!
Not that he shouldn’t have apologized, but he was probably afraid you’d hit him (although once CHP and the ambulance were there, he could have manned up).
Rick! I’m glad you’re ok, man. Sorry about your car - that sucks. I’m sure he was texting - I see people texting on the highway every single day. It’s freaky.
I went to work today for a few hours. My left leg is killing me. Oh well.
Anyway on the way home I passed the scene. There are big circles of black rubber about 4 feet up the center divider wall from my left side tires.
Monday I will try to go home in the middle of rush hour so I can get pics.
Hey I’ve been in that car! Sorry to hear about your troubles AGAIN Rick. Let’s hope number 3 is a little less traumatizing - may your next ice cream fall on the pavement before you get a bite - that should cover it.
Well, this got me thinking about the traffic over there. Me being small-town gal in big city, I never saw so many cars jam-packed into one giant freeway. (That’s when we were on the Ventura freeway, right?) I suppose there’s bound to be quite a few bingles.
Good luck to ya Rick! 
I’m glad you’re still with us.
Holy crap, I’m glad you’re okay!
I think the universe owes you something pretty goddamn sweet by now.
ROFLMAO - I was on a road trip and we stopped in Reno for the night and it was seriously late at might and the first place that had a room available was in an adult motel. We got one of the less expensive rooms which had a heart shaped bed and an in room hot tub. The similar room we peeked into on the way out in the morning was $20 more expensive and we were joking that it must have come with a hooker. I think we still have the bottle of hotel name labeled pink “champagne” knocking around our wine cabinet 
In all of my years of driving I have had one at fault accident.
I exchanged info with the guy I hit and we got to talking. He only had one leg, and he told me the story. He was on a motorcycle and was hit by a guy in a car. Guy never apologized. I agreed with him and made sure I told him I was sorry about this accident. I explained that heading west on this road at sunset I could not see the signal as it was obscured by the sun.
A couple of days later I get a call from the Ford Motor Co adjuster. (I was driving a company car when I had the accident)
The adjuster tells me I must be the nicest guy in the entire world.
Why? I asked
He told me that he had just spoken to the guy I hit who told the adjuster the accident wasn’t my fault! The guy went on to explain that he had driven that route at that time and there was no way to see the signal due to the sun being at the wrong angle.
Amazing what saying you are sorry will do.
Come back and visit and you can ride in its replacement.
Thanks for the good luck wishes, I can use them.