August 8, 2007

• 
  ~ ME SAFE AND CAREFUL. OTHERS NOT~

  Ok so this isn’t a normal blog entry that I’d write.
  A normal “Reuben” Entry would include my profound thoughts put into puzzle-like riddles.
  It would probably have some nice music playing at the background of this website.
  In fact, there would be thousands of pictures and a ton of words.

  But no.
  This entry is different.

  It’s straight to the point, no nonsense and very real.
  So real that whenever I recall what happened,
  It reminded me of a scene in an Initial D Movie with such clarity that no technology or TV can match.
  The ultimate clarity – of witnessing it with your very eyes.
  And perhaps most unfortunately, being hit by another car with my very eyes.

  ————————————————————————

  It was 12.50am, the 4th of August 2007.
  After watching “The Wicker Man” on DVD with my dear at home,
  I drove her back as usual.
  I exited Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, heading towards the CTE.
  Then vaguely but surely I saw a Red Toyota Viris lose control on the 1st lane.
  
  

  My gaming instincts warned me and I braked

  A second later. Literally a second later. A screech, a thump and a yelp from my dear.

  I see the side of his car in front of me.
  An accident.
  I felt surreal, but surely it was reality.

  
  
  

  In my mind I whispered a 3 lettered word too crude for little ones to know.
  It doesn’t start with an S but it ends with an F.
  I checked on my dear and she was fine.
  My first instinct was to turn off the engine, check for injuries and get away from the car.
  Dear was stuck cause the left side of our car was against the railing.
  I got out and saw a young man 3 years younger than me climb out of his car.
  He looked shock, and perhaps afraid…
  I looked at my car’s front.
  I felt a jab in my chest…
  it felt as if like my piano just got destroyed.
  Or like… like…
  you spent 80 hours to max out your FFVII character stats then boom! your memory card’s burnt.

  

  Haiz

  
  Haiz.. poor bumper and “sarong”

  
  Looks like the car was stuck in transforming to a robot.

   
  you can’t see it but his tires are sunk in a bit.

  It took a good 5 seconds to register what happened.
  I looked at his car, noticing his “P plate” shining brightly against the moonlit sky.
  While he claimed he didn’t know what happened, I had a pretty good idea about it.
  In anycase, his mistake was not checking his left blindspot when keeping left.
  It’s sooo basic to look FIRST then signal and keep left man.
  I’m hoping no one reading this would take this for granted. Hmph!

  We exchanged particulars and stuff and it amused me that he didn’t want to call his dad yet.
  The police came but just adviced us on what to do and to stay away from the vehicles.
  EMAS took forever to tow our vehicles and by then my Dad was there.
  EMAS still didn’t come.
  A kind “or rather opportunist business minded workshop staff” told us he’ll settle everything.
  Our car’s engine was fine.
  Managed to drive over to his workshop and settle the GIA Motor Accident Report.
  *no need for police report if there’s no injury*

  ——————————————————————

  And so after a few days here I am typing.
  As adviced, we decided to claim from HIS insurance.
  Actually I found out that its most likely that his insurance will try to claim from Mine.

  The Audacity!!!!!!!

  I think he knows its his fault, but his insurance probably wouldn’t think like that.
  But even if they did try to fake or twist the story…
  then I’m afraid that his insurance company is about to meet the most formidable and dangerous dude around.
  “If my God is for me, who can be against me?” *mocking tone*

  In a more serious note, a friend Enoch asked me if time did slow down in that instant.
  In that moment I couldn’t really think about which decisions to make.
  However it was as if my mind knew what was the best course of action – to brake!
  Ivan (a CS1.6 friend) said that maybe I could avoid it if I sped up.
  But if I did… then…

  

  If I did speed up, he’d crash right into me man!
  If I avoided by steering left, I’d hit the guard railings.
  If I avoided by steering right, I’d hit him straight on.
  If I braked much earlier and stopped, I suspect he’d crash into the railing and end up in hospital.
  If I didn’t play Counterstrike and wasn’t trained for observing everything around me,
  then I wouldn’t break in time.
  If I didn’t break in time, the impact would be much much greater…

  Generally speaking… I couldn’t have avoided this.
  And more interestingly, it would seem that whatever I’ve seen and learned so far,
  made me survive this accident in the most minimal way.
  It’s like a clockwork of events and occurances that fit almost too perfectly.
  It taught me a huge lesson.

  Some people look at the worth of their lives through their own eyes.

  Actually its true worth is known, if you look through God’s eyes.

  

  P.S: For 4D/lottery enthusiast, his license plate number is 5672.
  Mr Jeffrey.. Drive safely next time…

  

  • 2:33 pm
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