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I am physically disabled. I can still walk and talk and stuff like that. But a logging truck, hauling a log skidder out of the woods along rt 989 ran into the back of my car. Tore the drivers seat right off the floor. The crash was every bit as violent as the one that killed Dale Earnhardt.
I took a very small settlement - less then $100,000 for 7 years of pain and suffering and I signed off on all medical benefits. I was working at the time of the accident and 4 insurance companies were involved.
The owner of the truck was from Ridgeway PA. The ones with the big saw mill in the middle of the town. Buehler Lumber
Last year, I took my vehicle to get inspected. The shop that did the inspection hires Vo Tech kids - Monro in Dubois. The boy in the shop forgot to tighten one of the caliper mount bolts. A few days later, I was hunting with a friend on Empire Ridge in the Brockway game lands.
Empire ridge goes through the Brockway gamelands and ends up on Rt 989 - not far from where I was injured in Portland Mills.
The brake caliper did not come off, it mearly went up into the wheel and tore a hole in the aluminum wheel and wouldn't let the wheel turn. All the air came out and the wheel was ruined.
I was hunting at the time and I had no tools with me. I jacked up the vehicle and took off the wheel - but I did not have the bolt that came out and I had no way to take the other bolt out to keep the caliper mount from doing to the spare tire what it did to the aluminum wheel. I had no cell phone, not that it mattered - because it wouldn't work up there anyways. I came across a disabled hunter in the woods who was driving his 4 wheeler through the woods to hunt squirrels. I asked the guy where he lived and he said he lived just down the road. I asked him if he had any tools - even a pair of vice grip pliers that I could borrow and he said no. I asked him if he had even a crescent wrench at home that I could borrow for 2 minutes and he said no! I asked him if he had a neighbor that would have even a crescent wrench or a pipe wrench that I could borrow for 2 minutes and he said his neighbors don't lend out tools!
Now this is one disabled person talking to another disabled person.
Since I had already walked 2 miles in one direction looking for the bolt that fell out and since I had walked 1/2 of a mile down to his vehicle in the other direction to ask him for help, and since it was already getting dark, he offered to give me a ride back to my vehicle. Since I had no family members that I could call to come and help me and since I have no income - I couldn't just call a tow truck. I was pretty much screwed.
I was at least 10 miles from the nearest town, maybe even more.
Finally the guy relented when he saw what type of situation I was in and he offered me a piece of rope to tie up the caliper when he saw me trying to tie it up with my boot string. He reaches into the back of the trunk on his 4 wheeler and was going through the trunk and came across a pair of vise grips and he told me to hold them while he found the rope he was looking for.
You want to talk about STUPID!
I borrowed the vise grips pliers and got the other bolt out and I stuck a tree branch between the brake pads and I tied it to the lower control arm of the suspension - it was a Chevy Avalanche.
I even gave the guy $5 for letting me use his pliers.
I have stopped dozens of times along the road and asked people - do you need a hand. I was a mechanic and I worked in a junk yard and I know a little more about cars then most people who works in garages. Just that my body is the equivalent of a 75 year old man and my mind is the equivalent of a 25 year old person. The mind wants to go but the body doesn't want to do what the mind wants to do.
Idiots in a parking lot with people in a car with a car alarm set - is just that to me - idiots.
I don't even take the key's out of my car or truck at night. I don't even have a lock on my garage door. I can leave my house all day with the doors unlocked. If people wants to steal something - they will kick down the door or smash a window and get in. You aren't going to stop them.
Even with the limited amount of money that I have, I still put money in the collection plate at church every week, and I donate money to needy causes and people. Even though I get no social security and have no money coming in. I work sometimes for days to help out the old people in my community and I even plant a garden every year at my house and I grow my own food. All the surplus food I grow I give to the old people and the needy in my community.
Just two months ago I gave a ride to a person who's car was broke down and when I stopped in a grocery store where I had once worked and where I had shopped every day for 25 years, someone stole my wallet after I bought two gallons of milk.
It had all my money in it. $155
My drivers license
My social security card
my pistol permit
gift cards with money on them
my debit card
my discount cards
my telephone number
even a coupon for a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
I have not shopped there since the incident because even though the stores camera had everything on tape - they refused to tell me or the police who stole my wallet. The police said that unless you can prove that someone picked your pocket that it was finders keepers.
$155 to someone that is working or has a steady income is nothing.
$155 to someone who only has $155 and that is their food money and their gas money and their money to pay their bills - is a small fortune!
You want me to sit here and feel sorry for you - because your car got dinged and it was a traumatic experience for you.
I don't think that you would last 5 minutes in my world before you would go running out of the house kicking and screaming.
Grow up already! The world does not revolve around you!
I truly am sorry for all that has happened to you.... certainly no one deserves to be treated that way, even though you feel I am some kind of city slicker who can't handle anything... you are still entitled to think that. You are wrong,but that is fine...
I would never wish something terrible on anyone and I have empathy for you and your situation.
It still doesn't give you the right to question why I locked my doors or am upset that someone (who didn't just DING my door) drove away...
Yes,it happens all the time,but I was surprised at the actions because I would NEVER do that to someone, completely ignore them... I don't care how often it happens...
In any case, I have said my "say", I didn't mean to upset you or anyon else. These forums sometimes get a little ridiculous,everyone being so sensitive about things.
No, I'm sorry, your car alarm going off and your kids crying is a mildly unpleasant experience. Playing violins for nazi's is an unpleasant experience. Watching your kids die from starvation or disease is an unpleasant experience. Seeing people gunned down in a war zone or an urban war zone is an unpleasant experience.
I have seen a few unhappy things in my life. I think that Superman has seen a few more than I have. When you have been around the block a few times, the equivalent of breaking a fingernail just doesn't seem like a disaster. It's all a matter of perspective. I trust that he'd stop to help me if I were broken down on the side of the highway. He sounds like a good man...it's all a matter of perspective.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pennsynative
Wow Superman! What harsh replies. I found it ironic that you mentioned putting money in the collection plate at church when you appear to be an angry, judgmental person. The OP had a bad experience in Williamsport and was venting her frustration. It doesn't matter what you think about whether she should have had her doors locked or alarm on, etc. The couple who hit her car were wrong and they should be ashamed of themselves. I tend to find that some elderly (I DID NOT say all elderly) pretend to be clueless and also feel entitled to get away with things because of their age. I hope that the OP will not judge that particular area of PA by the actions of a few at one grocery store. I also agree with Dawne that people have become indifferent to car alarm sounds because there are so many these days. Superman, you should go back and read your posts again and feel the anger in them. There was no need for that.
What made it even worse though,was the fact that the place was packed,people walking in and out,all over the parking lot and my alarm is going off, I can't stop it because my husband had the keys in the store and I am outside of my car trying to get the attention of the people who had just slammed their car door into mine, not ONE SINGLE PERSON even stopped to see if I was okay. My girls at this point are crying because the alarm had scared them and I was out of the car...
I wonder what would have happened if it was something much worse?
I would have been left alone with not a single care from anyone in that parking lot.
Shame on you Williamsport, shame on those of you who were there Sunday afternoon and just walked by, shame on you to the people who hit my car.. You knew what you had done or else you wouldn't have sped away like speedy gonzalez!
I was finally able to get my alarm to shut off and went back to waiting in my car with my children. As I sat there not believing what had just happened, I proceeded to watch not one,but two more people park in the "Expectant Mother's " parking lot. Not for anything people, but are you really THAT lazy? I mean one was obviously again,not expecting. She was probably in her late 50's and had grown children walking away from her van with her. The 2nd person to park there was a young man, my guess is,not pregnant either.
Cmon people, you should just all be ashamed of yourselves.
Your actions on Sunday afternoon in the Wegman's parking lot certainly didn't set a good impression for myself,or my children.
Couple of things:
1. I shop at the Williamsport Wegmans despite being an hour drive away. It is a great store and very busy.
2. I can't stand pigs that dent your car and act as though nothing happened. That's why I have a hammer in my car.
3. Alarm going off? Well for people to react they have to have something to react to. You have to vocalize what the problem is and you can't expect people to charge at a speeding car and become a vigilante mob. People can't read your mind. I don't know what exactly bystanders were supposed to do for you. I can't bust out my M4 and start pumping 5.56 mm rounds into the trashy people responsible for denting your car.
4. Lazy people parking in handicapped or expectant mothers parking spots? Let the air out of their tires.
No, I'm sorry, your car alarm going off and your kids crying is a mildly unpleasant experience. Playing violins for nazi's is an unpleasant experience. Watching your kids die from starvation or disease is an unpleasant experience. Seeing people gunned down in a war zone or an urban war zone is an unpleasant experience.
I have seen a few unhappy things in my life. I think that Superman has seen a few more than I have. When you have been around the block a few times, the equivalent of breaking a fingernail just doesn't seem like a disaster. It's all a matter of perspective. I trust that he'd stop to help me if I were broken down on the side of the highway. He sounds like a good man...it's all a matter of perspective.
It doesn't matter what your perspective is. There is no need to be rude and harsh to someone for venting about an experience. We've all "been around the block" a few times and had our share of heartache, disappointment and frustration but we don't all come on here and spew all of our personal problems and tout how even though we have problems, we do nice things for others. Big whoop! Welcome to the real world because that's the average person's daily life.
It doesn't matter what your perspective is. There is no need to be rude and harsh to someone for venting about an experience. We've all "been around the block" a few times and had our share of heartache, disappointment and frustration but we don't all come on here and spew all of our personal problems and tout how even though we have problems, we do nice things for others. Big whoop! Welcome to the real world because that's the average person's daily life.
I think that it's rude and harsh to condemn an entire town and everyone in it because of an unpleasant parking lot experience.
It seems to me that a lot of people come to CD to complain.
I didn't mention anything I've done for anyone else nor did I discuss my personal problems.
I agree that an entire town should not be condemned and I think upon reflection, the OP realized that. There is good and bad in every town.
No, you didn't talk about personal problems, etc. Superman did in a lengthy post and that is who I was speaking about.
There are a lot of really nice people in Williamsport and some trash and wannabee thugs as well.
I've traveled all over the world and there are nice and mean people everywhere. I think all you can do is being friendly without being overbearing and hope others treat you the same.
Also the reaction to the issue has to be on the same level. In other words you can't pull out a gun and plug someone for denting your car. If I saw a woman at Wegmans going hysterical in the parking lot and a car alarm was going off, I'd simply dial 911. The cops are right down the street and probably one would be there in a minute or two. Let them sort it out.
If it turned out a woman was going berzerko over a car dent, probably the best thing to do would be to arrest her for disturbing the peace.
There are a lot of really nice people in Williamsport and some trash and wannabee thugs as well.
I've traveled all over the world and there are nice and mean people everywhere. I think all you can do is being friendly without being overbearing and hope others treat you the same.
Also the reaction to the issue has to be on the same level. In other words you can't pull out a gun and plug someone for denting your car. If I saw a woman at Wegmans going hysterical in the parking lot and a car alarm was going off, I'd simply dial 911. The cops are right down the street and probably one would be there in a minute or two. Let them sort it out.
If it turned out a woman was going berzerko over a car dent, probably the best thing to do would be to arrest her for disturbing the peace.
okay people honestly....
A few more things from me and then I am over it. Sorry I even mentioned anything,honestly...!!!
I NEVER mentioned anything about wanting anyone to act like a nut case and come running over to me and wrap their arms around me,pull out their weapons,etc....
I found it hard to believe that not one ,single person in a packed parking lot, even asked what was wrong... my gosh!
I know that if the situation was reversed, I would have stopped and said "what is wrong, can I help you with anything?"
I certainly wouldn't expect anyone to go chasing after anyone in the car.
Where in the world do these insinuations come from anyway's ?
I apologize for implying that it is the entire TOWN of Williamsport also.
I should have been more clear and said something like; "to the people who were in the parking lot at Wegmans in Williamsport on Sunday October 12th at approx 1:30pm" at least that would eliminate some people from the realm.
To be clear-again. This is not just a ding nor a dent in my car door. It is BASHED in, the car is still in the shop.
I wasn't running around like a wild banshe disturbing the peace, I got out of my car quietly and waved at the car and then proceeded to yell as they sped away as though they robbed a bank, but by no means was there any crazy behavior going on.
The comments about the expectant woman's parking spot was just an observation as I continued to sit in the parking lot and wait for my husband. That is all. I would never do that either, and didn't realize that there were actually that many lazy people around. I wonder if they park in handicapped spots so easily ?
Okay-that is all... read my other posts,they were not cruel or harsh,nor did I call anyone stupid or anything else.... purely a reaction to a situation that I was a little shocked by-that is all.
That's all there is..... there isn't anymore.....
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