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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: GLV55 on October 08, 2013, 03:40:55 AM

Title: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: GLV55 on October 08, 2013, 03:40:55 AM
Guess who won that stand-off?!? Saturday evening I was riding along, coming up to a stop light, slowing down (luckily). From the perpendicular road comes a guy in a pickup (with no lights on after dark) turning left...and he just kept turning left, directly into my lane! I honked and yelled, but he just kept coming, so I hopped off my scoot just as we made impact. I landed on my feet beside the truck, and my poor scoot took a little ride across the pavement. He just stared at me blankly wondering what had happened - yep, he was drunk as a skunk! Then he realized what had happened and just took off. Well, a Good Samaritan lady in a car took off after him and led the police right to him! God bless her!

Results for him: charged with Open Container, DUI (his 2nd offense), Leaving the Scene of an Accident, and Evading/Eluding Police.

Results for me: front fender smashed and broken off, left handle bar and brake lever messed up bad, left turn signal hanging by a wire, kick stand bent around the kick-start lever, front fork loosened, and a sprained wrist.

All in all, I was extremely fortunate, folks! The policeman commended me for wearing all my protective gear (hi-vis padded jacket, over-ankle boots, padded gloves, and helmet) because his father-in-law is currently in intensive care in a nearby hospital after getting hit by, you guessed it, a drunk driver just last week. Only his F-I-L wasn't wearing his gear.

Lesson learned - always gear up and look out for everyone! Expect the unexpected. I guess it really is a matter of not if, but when...  Ride safe, everyone!
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: tclhb on October 08, 2013, 04:44:24 AM
DUI laws are way to soft. 1st DUI the car (truck in this cease) should be the property of the police department. Second offense should be a prison sentence. That's if no evading or hit and run. Those should add even more. It's ridiculous.
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: Vivo on October 08, 2013, 05:57:25 AM
Glad you're safe!  The bottom line is that, no matter how bad the crash went or whose fault it may be... you are alive!
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: ScooterCommuter on October 08, 2013, 02:07:44 PM
Kudos on doing everything right. I'm guessing a lot of folks might have left it a fraction too late to bail out and gone with the scoot!
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: Stig / Major Tom on October 08, 2013, 08:58:43 PM
Great reflexes!
Hope I'm still agile enough and smart enough to bail in the same situtation.
Very glad you came through this scary experience mostly OK.

I wonder, will you be riding a scooter again?
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: TroutBum on October 08, 2013, 10:19:40 PM
Good thing you reacted when you did and got out of harms way. Scooter can be fixed or replaced, people not so easy. Glad you're okay and that a Good Samaritan came along to help right a wrong.

Be safe out there folks.
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: big blue on October 08, 2013, 10:23:31 PM
I hate it when that happens! Glad you are ok. Do you think the scoot is fixable? :P
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: Calothrix on October 09, 2013, 02:17:33 AM
Good to hear you came out of it relatively unscathed!  Hope you're able to get the scoot fixed quickly and get back on the road again. ;)
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: GLV55 on October 09, 2013, 02:22:52 AM
Thanks, everyone, for the good thoughts and support. The scooter should be fixable - going to have the insurance adjuster look at it tomorrow, then I'll take it to the real scooter people for a real quote on getting it up and running. I will be riding again...no drunk fool is going to win by keeping me off my scooter! Just very very thankful that things turned out the way they did!
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: Rbt Jean on October 09, 2013, 02:23:58 AM
Glad to hear you came through it ok.
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: GLV55 on October 09, 2013, 02:27:19 AM
DUI laws are way to soft. 1st DUI the car (truck in this cease) should be the property of the police department. Second offense should be a prison sentence. That's if no evading or hit and run. Those should add even more. It's ridiculous.
I completely agree!
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: OregonDad on November 24, 2013, 07:00:16 AM
Any update on your scoot or the charges against the drunk?
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: GLV55 on November 25, 2013, 03:25:31 AM
Update time. Unfortunately, there was enough damage to the fork to cause the adjuster to total my P150. The good news is that they gave me almost the full price I paid for it (used), so I went shopping. That amount was not enough to get another People, and even though I searched for one, the nearest one I could afford was two states away. So I now have a SYM PCH 150, which was only about $300 over the amount I received from insurance. It's a good scooter, and I'm thrilled to be riding again, but I really miss my Kymco.

The drunk driver is going to trial, but I haven't heard any date yet. I just filled out all the paperwork from the prosecuting attorney, so they are moving ahead and going after him for criminal charges and for restitution. I should hopefully hear from the county in the next two weeks. The wheels of justice turn very slowly. I will keep you all posted on the results of the trial when it happens, though.
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: Vivo on November 25, 2013, 05:18:35 AM
Thanks for the update GLV55 and congrats on the new scoot... ride safe...
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: AVGuy on November 25, 2013, 11:40:11 PM
Glad you're ok, but sorry about the scoot. Enjoy your new ride and I hope they don't do some plea deal and he gets off easy.
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: GLV55 on November 26, 2013, 04:51:11 AM
Glad you're ok, but sorry about the scoot. Enjoy your new ride and I hope they don't do some plea deal and he gets off easy.
That's my biggest worry, AVGuy. I'm hoping since it's his 2nd DUI that they will not do any plea deal. Thanks to everyone for the concern and for checking up on my situation. I'll keep you posted as things develop.
Title: Re: My People 150 vs. Drunk driver in pickup
Post by: gitsum on November 27, 2013, 05:05:28 PM
Glad you weren't seriously injured,  good job on the quick reactions ;)

Congratulations on the new scooter, the PCH 150 is a real nice ride.