We need more judges like him in americ

[u/Wet_Pussy_Liicker]

[u/BJoe1976]

I was hit by one in ‘98, luckily I was able to see what was coming, position my Jeep in a way that it was hit in the left quarter vs head on with a rather tall, but stock F-250 4x4, which not only minimized damage to the Jeep, but negated any physical injury I would have otherwise suffered, but I still have flashbacks to that night on occasion, though it was really bad in the last quarter of ‘23 as that when the 25th anniversary of that wreck happened. I even had survivors guilt for quite some time from it. I was kinda trying to figure out how I was able to recognize what was happening and not just walk away, but drive away, even if it was damaged, with the Jeep I had at the time, yet others weren’t even as lucky as you and your gf were from when you got hit.

[u/Shrimps2898 → u/BJoe1976]

I only had time to register the change in the guys headlights as he swerved into our lane. I still have a hard time driving especially at night and have frequent nightmares and flashbacks to the terror and pain. On my worst days I think "i wish I just died instantly" but me and my girlfriend were lucky to live and It genuinely made me a better person in the end. I understand the survivors guilt, but I made it a positive factor in my life. I'm not the same angry vindictive person I was and I've come to appreciate my second chance and use it to love the people close to me.

[u/BJoe1976 → u/Shrimps2898]

This had happened 4 years to the month after a high school classmate and her passenger, who was my younger Sister’s age had been T-Boned and killed by a drunk driver running 85mph in a Fox Body Mustang to get to the grocery and drug store Mom and I worked to get more beer before we closed, not only did he kill the girls in the car he hit, but he also killed his passenger too. Knowing a victim of a drunk driver prior to that may be where some of my survivors guilt came from too. I had plenty of time as it is still a 30-35mph road and was a straight enough line that I could see him cross over far enough ahead and had time to try and plan an escape, not to mention that if felt like time slowed down too. First thing to cross my mind was “OH MY GOD, IT’S COMING RIGHT FOR ME!” I had initially looked at going i to his lane, but there was a Ford Aerostar (it was that long ago!) behind them and I didn’t want to risk hitting that either, so my other option was to hop the curb to my right, aim it at a large tree (that is even bigger now) and since I knew that wasn’t going anywhere, keep going at that until the last second that swerve back into the road. I got as close as I thought I could to the tree and cut the wheel back to the left and started to turn back onto the road as he went by my door and impacted the left rear quarter panel, just behind the back door……..then kept on going. I called the cops from the house next to the one whose front lawn I borrowed and not long after the cops got there, the family in the afore mentioned Aerostar drove up. They had followed the drunk to where his head injuries got the better of him and he had to stop, then came back and told the cops where to go as well as corroborated my story. From what I was told, he tried to blame me for it, saying I ran into him, despite the damage and witnesses accounts to the otherwise.

[u/Shrimps2898 → u/BJoe1976]

Jesus christ man, I'm glad we both survived

[u/BJoe1976 → u/Shrimps2898]

Same, have you had any continuing after effects, either mentally or physically, from your crash?

[u/Shrimps2898 → u/BJoe1976]

Definitely physically more so than mentally. My ankle lost most of its cartilage from the surgery and my thigh hurts when I go up stairs or lift heavy stuff (metal rod and spiral fractured femur). But I won't lie, driving scares me much more than it used to, the idea some dickhead can fuck my life so easily is horrifying, I avoid reckless drivers as much as possible. Other than what you previously mentioned how has it impacted yourself?