how do accidents happen . . .

[Mike Arman]

Here is why we have insurance.

Took the Maz*a over to the shop which did the engine swap a few weeks ago,
wanted him to listen to a high idle and "funny sound" (which I never did
hear).

Dear Bride parked in his lot, sat in the car. I came out with the owner,
and I raised the hood and put the hood rod up. I then moved over to the
right side of the car to make room for him so he could listen to the engine.

He stood in front of the car, she started the engine.

Her foot slipped off the clutch (plastic soles, "stylish shoes") and the
car lurched forward, hitting him solidly, then stalled.

He was knocked backward, actually flew about ten feet, which is pretty
funny in cartoons when it is Wiley Coyote, but is absolutely stunningly
totally horrifying when you see it happening in real life right in front of
your eyes, to someone you have known for ten or fifteen years.

He banged his head on the concrete driveway - fortunately just a solid
scrape and also whacked his butt on the way down.

All over in about a second. Oh, sh*t!

He was unable to stand up for at least five minutes, and then only very
unsteadily, and I helped him back into the store. He kept saying he was
fine, and absolutely refused to let me call an ambulance or EMT or
anything, but he was very, very wobbly and somewhat dazed to say the least.
Finally I convinced him to sit down so I could clean up the back of his
head. He was stunned, shaken, and well bruised. I looked at his eyes very
carefully, and both pupils were the same size (i.e. no concussion). After
about half an hour to 45 minutes, he had recovered most of his equilibrium
and some of his composure, and was moving around again, although it was
obvious he was hurting.

He refused to give me his home phone or where I could get in touch with him
later in the day to check on him (he's a widower, and was going home
later), and insisted that he was fine, he had been hurt worse, etc. etc.

I *think* he'll be OK, and I sure *hope* he'll be OK, but I sure will feel
better on Monday morning when I go past there and check on him personally.
He's in for a very sore weekend. She's totally shattered.


What did we learn from this?

1) We get careless around cars - familiarity breeds contempt.

2) Never stand in front of or behind a car with a running engine, or one
that is about to be started. Cars don't move sideways, but they sure can
move forward and back without much warning.

3) Never start a car unless the handbrake is on (and if it is an automatic,
it is in park) and you verify the car is OUT OF GEAR. (time to fix the
handbrake on all our type 44s.)

4) Don't wear shoes with slippery soles when you drive, and keep the inside
of the car clean so nothing can fall and jam any controls.


Hope your day started better than ours, and be careful out there.

Best Regards,

Mike Arman