Yesterday, as I was heading up the last quarter-mile of Roxboro to my house, my thought was interrupted by a Nissan Sentra that was driving along next to me. It was in my lane. No, actually it was moving into my lane, quite rapidly, until it hit me, much like the villain would try to run the hero off the road in a Donald P. Bellasario production. Her rear-view mirror folded mine in as our sides collided, and I quickly honked and slammed the brakes.
With the bitter taste of my last hit-and-run fresh in mind, my first thought was, "this one's not getting away", so I hit the gas, caught up to her and memorized her tag. Since she was making no effort to pull over and exchange information, I pulled up beside her, took off my sunglasses, rolled down my window and stared at her with my best "you betta pull ovah" face. But she just looked at me and mouthed, "I'm sorry". I stayed beside her a while longer, and in an adrenaline-induced moment of deja-vu, felt very much like I was in the speeder-bike scene from Episode VI, only nobody expired in a fiery collision with a sequoia.
But she never stopped, which made me angry. When I got home, I inspected the car and there didn't appear to be any significant damage, but I wish she had just stopped to check. I'm still carrying her tag number, as well as a deep loathing for hit-and-run drivers.
I'm not so angry anymore, but I am a bit torn about what I should do. If I'm not getting any repair, shouldn't I just turn the other [fender] and let it go? After all, she might not have realized the how hard she hit me. Then again, I don't think anybody should get away with that, and even if it hadn't happened to me. If a lady's purse gets snatched, I want the guy apprehended, even if she relented because it was empty. I want justice, even if it's not for me.
What should I do, if there is anything to be done?
Posted by aokie at May 24, 2005 01:46 PM | TrackBackcall the cops, get a police report or an SR13 form, and they can do a tag search for you. That'll tell you who she is and then you can either a) have your insurance do the work for you on your hit & run coverage, or b) make a claim with her company, or c) send her letters 'til she goes crazy.
I'm with you about the whole "Let there be justice" mindset. You could go the active route like Gosey suggests or just use the car-scar to remind you to daily offer up a "I sure hope she gets hers" prayer. Who says being bitter can't make you better?
Posted by: bethany at May 24, 2005 04:25 PMDon't do it. If there's a way you can get her info w/out pressing charges call/write and tell her you forgive her. "Why not rather be wronged?" (1 Cor. 6:7) Make a severe statement that you are not of this world. Anyone would press charges. Vengeance is God's.
Posted by: lynnp at May 24, 2005 05:39 PMthanks bethany. i will praying that you get yours as well.
that's a good point, lynn, but in this case i don't think i'd be seeking vengeance. i wouldn't press charges and there's no repair to pay for. i mean i don't really stand to benefit from reporting it. but she might benefit from it, by learning to stop next time.
i think the bigger question is how to really love someone you don't know. is it more loving to allow them to get away with this kind of thing or not? if it's your kids, it's obviously not. but your neighbor...?
Posted by: abe at May 24, 2005 05:50 PMThere's a book that speaks well to the idea of living the OT concept of Jubilee: The Upside-Down Kingdom by Donald Kraybill, particularly chapters 5,6 and 9. If this is something you're thinking a lot about it would be a great book to read right now (endure the first few chapters).
Posted by: lynnp at May 24, 2005 08:26 PMi'm glad you're okay. you should call her and give her a friendly warning about hitting and running. that seems most loving. i mean, what if she did that to someone who really did get angry and stay angry?
Posted by: amy at May 25, 2005 01:00 AMReally, it comes down to what you have peace about doing. Anything apart from faith is sin (romans 14) so if you believe that it is better to teach her a lesson, do that. If you feel led to call her, let her know the distress she caused you and forgive her, do it. If not, do nothing. The issue is less about what specific action you take and more about how this can bring you closer to God and closer to looking like his son. Seek Him and He'll show you what to do.
Posted by: skate at May 25, 2005 03:35 PM* assume she was in a really big rush to get somewhere and pray whomever she was going to see is healthy and okay.
Posted by: jane. at May 25, 2005 06:17 PMwhat a range of responses. thank you all for your feedback, which was all over the board.
i did end up calling it in, but since i didn't do it immediately, from the scene there was nothing to be done.
Posted by: abe at May 26, 2005 05:08 PMI think you did the right thing calling it in. Forgiveness is great and all, but the law is there for a reason, and while here, we must abide by the law set in place. Besides, what if she would have done more damage? What if she (through never learning her lesson), carelessly runs over a pedestrian, or causes a huge wreck where someone is injured or killed?
Posted by: Deanna at May 29, 2005 10:16 PMTHE COMMENT ABOUT LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PLAINS=====WELL PLEASE SOMEONE COMMENT ON "BLUE JUNIATA". I WANT THAT IN THE GLENN D. BURNIE COUNRTY BAND. at THE CAROL'S JAMBOREE. tangere ......I SPENT ALL KIND OF MONEY TO GET ,"I'LL BE ALL SMILES TONIGHT OUT": BUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE DEFAULTED. MARTINA McBRIDE WAS TRUMPED BY THE SINGING SWEETHEARTS. AND WALLER AND WAYNE NEVER LEFT THE STARTING GATE.
Posted by: TANGERE at June 20, 2005 08:44 PMIS FOUND 1 by yahoo
Posted by: TANGERE at June 20, 2005 08:46 PM