My Car Accident!

I was driving on third ring road last Sunday heading east and waiting at the traffic light on that bridge of Rawda-Nuzha X Hawalli-Qadsiya... The light turns yellow... then red, and after wee seconds it turns green for us to drive forward. I was in the middle lane, a bus to my right, and GMC-brand car on my left. Since I have the smallest car I was a little bit ahead of them when we drove off... another SUV suddenly decides to cross the red light from the opposite lanes and speed off towards South Highway 40.... Everyone starts honking from that side, but to me all I saw is a car in front of me... I slammed on my brakes but I hit the car anyway! I could not avoid it no matter what!

I went deaf for a moment, my mouth felt very dry! I am checking myself... am I OK!? Yes I am I look left and right... where is that SUV that appeared out of nowhere!! There I see it, is he gonna run away... I check his plates, I try to memorize the numbers! Cars are slowly driving by me and looking/staring at me! I gather my strength and drive a bit forward and turn on my flashing lights... I get out of the car, while I look to check the SUV I cant see it anymore... I go to the front and my car is damaged :'-(

I see someone approaching me... running towards me! Its the SUV driver.. I think!!

SUV: I'm so so so sorry! I know its my mistake! I know I run a red light... but are you OK? Are you hurt?
Ansam: I'm fine.... are you OK? What were you thinking?
SUV: Sorry, I wasn't thinking I was on the phone... I wasn't paying attention.
Ansam: Are you for real!!!! On the phone while driving! Thats not even legal!!! (I did not have anything else to say!)
SUV: I know, I know... Sorry! I am calling the police now

I walk back to my car to get my phone and call my dad.... Then I hear someone..

"HELLO?! ARE YOU OK? I SAW THE WHOLE THING!!... HELLO?!"

I look and its a young man on the opposite lane waving at me... he runs towards me, and asks if I was OK? And then tried to calm me down and telling me that he saw the whole thing and that he is furious. He checks my car, asks me to turn it off... and goes to the SUV driver.

I call my dad, and I tell him: "Dad.. I am fine, 100% fine, but I had an accident". My dad is on his way to me. Good!

The other guy who witnessed the whole thing comes back to me with the SUV driver, and gives out his phone number to both of us since he saw the whole thing. His name is HB. He again tries to calm me down and telling me that he will stick around until my father gets here.

My father arrived and rushed to my car... checked if I was OK, and then went to talk to the SUV driver and HB. The traffic police arrived shortly after to draw a little sketch of the accident. Listen to both, the SUV driver and HB... So he got the story that when he came to me he just asked me if I was fine! I answered: "I am OK" and smiled!

I guess they were all waiting for me to cry LOL!

We had to drive to a nearby police station... HB came to say bye, and again told us to just give him a call if we needed a witness. He was really nice.

At the police station... a place I hate to be in "JUST HATE" to be in... Remember my previous accident post? I just dont get the system or how insurance works, even if you are fully covered. Well... anyway, while we had to wait for the investigator I was asked to wait in a room... and right there, when I was alone I broke into tears! My dad came in and calmed me down, gave me some tissues... I did calm down after a minute! I guess I just needed to let out some!

We go in and the police take the SUV driver side of the story... I must say again he is one decent and honest man. They did not even ask me to speak out! The story was well said. In this case, that SUV driver is in serious trouble.. Red light? Phone? Accident? I really feel bad but I am too angry to just let it go! Being polite and nice doesnt give you the right to #### up somene's day! So the best we could do is do it on personal level rather than going to court and such! He told us that he was willing to pay for the damages. My insurance was full coverage, his was liability! My rights with the police station to file a case were reserved for few days in case he fails to pay.

Next day we go to the workshop and guess what!? They estimation was high... a KD1,930 high! Yeah yeah! My car is 2009, brand new, and all parts are expensive!

So yesterday we go to the police station and turn out the amount is too high for him to afford :-( and so we have to go through our awesome systems and bureaucracies. One thing that I will add to the corrupted police system we have in Kuwait was the investigator's suggestion... That is to sign on a paper that says Mr. SUV driver did not cross the red light to save him from the major consequences of that act... Which will automatically make the whole accident my fault since he was driving and "did NOT cross the red light" and I just BANG! Beautiful! Ain't it? Ahhhh and lets not just say that I did not make a big deal of mentioning that he was talking on the phone!!! Whatta system!!