Failed Shop Tour....

[Ben325e]

This past week, while up in Massachusetts, I was able to meet one of the woodworking instructors from the Rhode Island School of Design and he invited me to see his shop and projects he was working on.

On Friday, I loaded my daughter up in the car and got on the road headed to Providence, RI, about a 25 minute drive to his shop. As we approached a construction area, my lane of traffic was stopped to allow oncoming traffic to go around the construction. While stopped behind a Buick LeSabre, I had barely enough time to see the flash of a red Dodge Neon in my rear-view mirror and hear the brakes squeal before we got slammed into hard enough to push our car six or so feet forward into the car in front of us.

The most important thing is that my daughter is completely fine - thank heavens for five point harnesses and car seats that clip into the metal frame of the car. My neck is swollen and lower back is sore.

We'll be back in Mass. for Christmas and I've been assured a raincheck visit then.

I did get to visit the North Bennett St. School while in Boston, though

 

[Mt. Gomer]

Yikes! Sorry to hear about the accident and you missed tour. Very glad to hear everyone is ok!

Travis

 

[ScottM]

Ouch.... Sorry your trip turned in the trip from #@$#@

 

[sawman101]

Sorry about the collision, but am glad to hear your daughter and you are O.K. It will make the shop tour an even greater treat when it happens.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Wow, you and your daughter were very lucky that neither was hurt! Make sure you get a good check-up, good Xrays, etc. just in case in a few days you find your injuries were worse than they initially seemed, or come back to haunt you someday. Neck and back injuries are nothing to mess with.

Any idea if the other driver was (1) an idiot, (2) falling asleep, (3) talking or texting on his cell phone?

I got slammed like that many years ago- on the way to work early one morning I was at the end of a line of cars stopped for on oncoming school bus that was loading. It was relatively dark, which only made the bus's flashers even brighter!!! How could anyone miss them! All of the sudden I heard screeching tires and saw a car coming up really fast behind me. There was a little time compression and I even made a brief attempt to get out of the way. The end result, however, was my car was caught between the one in front and the guy who hit me from behind- it was shortened from both ends!!

 

[Henry W]

Re: Failed Shop Tour.... swollen neck eh?

This is not medical or professional advice, simply the voice of experience.

Don't be too quick to sign anything that says you are fine. I was in a similar incident many years ago and thought I was fine (I was young - hey everything heals just fine doesn't it?).

While other factors likely aggravated the neck injury, I am certain that my nerve damage stemmed initially from that incident many years ago.

Wait for the swelling to subside completely, and then wait some time before getting a thorough checkup. I am assuming that insurance should be covering the bills.

Henry W