'Morning Pubski. I got hit by a drunk driver Sunday night. I was stopped waiting to pull out of my apartment complex and got hit by a comparable size vehicle at less than 25mph. I'm okay, my car is more or less okay, other than some shredded plastic on the bumper. I just feel like I got the stuffing beat out of me. But with enough NSAIDs, tea and lower back yoga I should be right as rain before too long. The guy who hit me ran off and hit someone else according to the local PD. The guys in lockup, my insurance has the police report, and I have instructions from the ER to follow up with my GP in a week. I clearly don't have enough on my plate. But, I can't see any fundamental change in my short, medium or long term goals or planning as a result of this, barring some health or automotive complication. Before Sunday, my car was aesthetically unpleasant but very capable and reliable for what I asked of it. Today, my car is slightly more aesthetically unpleasant, but (probably) equally reliable. Before Sunday, I did yoga because it made me feel good. Yesterday, I did yoga to not feel bad. Not sure how much of a change that is, but I definitely appreciated it more. Completely unrelated, but I'm responsible for my own transportation to and from NYC in June. I've never really been a fan of the airport and it's looking like taking a train is 3x less expensive, and takes honestly about the same time to get there from Michigan. It's like an hour and a half of flying but hours and hours in airports. The train takes about 4 hours, and I don't have to deal with TSA. Sounds like a win for the locomotive industry.
On what planet does Amtrak have 4 hr service between D-town and NYC? are you sure there isn't a day change in there? My uncle retired from Amtrak, and it's a running family joke that when Uncle Larry asks you to pick him up at the train station at 4pm, plan on midnight. And sorry to hear about your car/back. I'm super glad you're more or less ok.
I enjoy Amtrak a lot. There are stretches (Seattle to Vancouver) that are more economical than driving. There are stretches (Seattle to Portland) that are more expensive and take a little longer, but occasionally worth it. And there are stretches (Seattle to Los Angeles) that are completely out of the running, because they cost 4x what a first-class ticket on an airline costs and take four days. The trick to Amtrak is they run on the same track as BNSF. BNSF is not required to inform Amtrak of its schedule, nor accommodate non-commuter rail travel. Which means Amtrak will occasionally sit on a pass rail, waiting for a freight train. It also means there's a good chance that your train will miraculously transform into a charter bus with all the glamour that entails. The last time I took Amtrak to Vancouver it ended up being a bus that got lost on the way to the station. We all ended up voting on which turns to take because none of us wanted to take on the ruinous data charges you get in Canada. Just be aware of what you're getting into. I'd be tempted, too, but that whole "bus" thing looms like a specter.
My cousin (the son of the retired Amtrak uncle) also works for Amtrak. He manages some of the "commuter buses" that take passengers "between train stations" or in other words... on 4-8 hour bus rides from hell.there's a good chance that your train will miraculously transform into a charter bus with all the glamour that entails.
hey - I'm all for rail travel. It can be relaxing, beautiful, and comfortable. As long as you don't kill a guy like lil did with her train. I just didn't want you to plan for 4 hours, and experience what will surely turn in to 30. I am convinced that the only semi-reliable rail travel in the US is in the north east corridor (a funny comment considering today's woes in DC). But seriously - need a train from Philly to Boston? no problem, and mostly on time. Need to get from DC to NYC - no problem. Want to get from San Francisco to Chicago? See you in 4+ days. Amtrak is GREAT if you don't care about time.
Holy shit! That's terrifying. I'm so glad that it's something you're able to walk away from. And they caught the guy. Jesus. Is that automatic jail time?
Thanks! I think so, I'm not sure though. One of my little brothers was expressing his desire for maximum punishment but I tried to convey to him that I'm more sad for the dude than anything else. I find it hard to believe that a healthy, happy, somewhat fulfilled individual would knowingly put themselves and others in that kind of danger. I genuinely hope he gets the treatment he needs.
I hope you patted yourself on the back for being able to have that attitude. I generally feel sad for people as opposed to angry at them but I'm not sure I would be able to in that situation. That attitude only came about when I was working with some incredibly lazy unreliable staff. At first I hated them but as I heard more stories about where they were from I started just feeling sad. It made me grateful for the people in my life and the upbringing I had. I have no idea how I would have turned out if I was raised in a ghetto where everybody and there mother had drug problems. Where the children of those mothers beat a drunk man nearly to death for kicks. Seriously I had no idea how to react when a visibly shaken woman was telling me this story. We all get one life and I'm so incredibly grateful that mine will be fulfilling thanks to the people who helped create me. Being able to have that attitude while you are the one in pain though is something special you should definitely toast yourself for. Also, you should look into whether or not you have coverage for massage therapy ! ALSO another point, when I hit reply on mobile it took me to some page with a picture of a house which apparently had a mailbox ... not sure what that was about or if that's something on my end as opposed to the sites so did that happen to anybody else ?
I think it depends on his past behavior. If this episode was another instance in a pattern of selfish, sociopathic behavior, then it needs to be corrected. We could argue about the quality and aptitude of our criminal justice system in meting out that correction, but I think it's a matter how much, not if. Again, it depends on the individual... I can concoct a story for him where this was barely his fault, he was having the worst day ever. But drunk driving, hit-and-running is fucking low.