i was in a car accident tonight...
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Coast
Posts: 1,906
i was in a car accident tonight...
My wife and my daughter and I were on our way home from shopping when some a$$hole plowed into the back of us at a dead stop.
Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt. My wife and I are both sore and might go to urgent care if we're really hurting tomorrow, but i think for as fast as this piece of s#it was going, we got off pretty lucky.
My daughter was fine. God help that other driver if she wasn't. He was texting, not paying attention and had a really entitled attitude with the police. It would have only have been divine intervention to keep me from wrapping my hands around his neck until i saw the life drain from him if he had hurt my kid.
It's weird how stuff like this triggers me. I lost my first love and best friend to a similar accident 25 years ago.
So a year of therapy and sobriety went to work...i took a deep breath and I stayed calm and called the police and waited till they came for me to get out of the car. I know i can get really dangerous if my PTSD gets triggered so I stayed put.
..I stayed calm. I did. The police took a report and I went home. He even thanked me for not losing my s#it.
My kneejerk reaction was still pi$$ poor, but atleast I didn't do anything I'd regret. I sort of went into robot mode and just reacted out of what i had direct control over and what was best for my family.
I thought about going on a bender...i did. Still...the tools at my fingertips kept me from myself. I'm still angry...still a bit shaken, but tomorrow is a new day. ..SOBER.
that's all, thanks.
Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt. My wife and I are both sore and might go to urgent care if we're really hurting tomorrow, but i think for as fast as this piece of s#it was going, we got off pretty lucky.
My daughter was fine. God help that other driver if she wasn't. He was texting, not paying attention and had a really entitled attitude with the police. It would have only have been divine intervention to keep me from wrapping my hands around his neck until i saw the life drain from him if he had hurt my kid.
It's weird how stuff like this triggers me. I lost my first love and best friend to a similar accident 25 years ago.
So a year of therapy and sobriety went to work...i took a deep breath and I stayed calm and called the police and waited till they came for me to get out of the car. I know i can get really dangerous if my PTSD gets triggered so I stayed put.
..I stayed calm. I did. The police took a report and I went home. He even thanked me for not losing my s#it.
My kneejerk reaction was still pi$$ poor, but atleast I didn't do anything I'd regret. I sort of went into robot mode and just reacted out of what i had direct control over and what was best for my family.
I thought about going on a bender...i did. Still...the tools at my fingertips kept me from myself. I'm still angry...still a bit shaken, but tomorrow is a new day. ..SOBER.
that's all, thanks.
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: middle of nowhere
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I'm so glad that no one was hurt too badly Bulldog!! And BRAVO!!! 
That must have taken an incredible amount of restraint and self-control and the utilization of all the skills you've worked on and built up. There is the result of your work in action the benefits you all get from it.
I hope you all come out of this well and are able to shake it off easily. This is a good reminder to carry with you that you really are capable of anything you put your mind to.
That must have taken an incredible amount of restraint and self-control and the utilization of all the skills you've worked on and built up. There is the result of your work in action the benefits you all get from it.
I hope you all come out of this well and are able to shake it off easily. This is a good reminder to carry with you that you really are capable of anything you put your mind to.
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: US East Coast
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Bulldog, congrats on handling the situation so well! It wouldn't have done any good to yell at the other driver or threaten him, and could have caused additional stress for your wife and daughter.
The reality is that living in the greater DC area is stressful and traffic is horrendous. I've reached the point where I avoid shopping on Saturdays entirely. I've started going to the grocery store, pharmacy, or whatever after dinner on the weeknights. It's not fun after a full day of work, but it is saving my sanity. I also order as much through Amazon as possible.
The reality is that living in the greater DC area is stressful and traffic is horrendous. I've reached the point where I avoid shopping on Saturdays entirely. I've started going to the grocery store, pharmacy, or whatever after dinner on the weeknights. It's not fun after a full day of work, but it is saving my sanity. I also order as much through Amazon as possible.
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: UK
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Glad that everyone is okay. And we'll done for applying what you've learned when you needed it most. Sure, it might have been uncomfortable and difficult to not do a knee jerk reaction, but the important this in that you reacted mindfully. Congratulations.
BB
BB
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Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posts: 28,663
BD- glad you and your family are okay. not surprised old memories come out to play. Your are right, I think- anger does no one any good. Your blood pressure or your family, the police doing their job or the attitude of the other guy.
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Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 216
Bulldog....My personal experience is that over time the most important result of not drinking is the return of a wider and deeper range of emotions (and the ability to recognize them).
You sound healthy to me.
You sound healthy to me.
Last edited by MarkTwain; 04-09-2017 at 04:55 AM. Reason: hideous typo!
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Coast
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thanks for all the kind words everyone. i got some sleep last night and woke up today feeling a lot better. My wife is feeling better too. My daughter is bouncing off the walls which is 100% normal. Thank God .
many many thanks to those who took the time to write some words of encouragement. it means the world to me.
Happy Sunday, and hug your loved ones!
Thank God .many many thanks to those who took the time to write some words of encouragement. it means the world to me.
Happy Sunday, and hug your loved ones!
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: West Tn
Posts: 3,043
Good job, brother.
I'm glad all of you are doing well.
That is a scary circumstance.
Texting and driving is extremely dangerous.
I told my wife a few days ago that I have been seeing a fair amount of rear ender accidents that I suspect are, in large part, attributable to texting and driving.
None of this is worth changing our sobriety dates, though.
I'm glad all of you are doing well.
That is a scary circumstance.
Texting and driving is extremely dangerous.
I told my wife a few days ago that I have been seeing a fair amount of rear ender accidents that I suspect are, in large part, attributable to texting and driving.
None of this is worth changing our sobriety dates, though.
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