I think I told you in a earlier post that you might regret it if you subscribed to this place now that my official blog is kaput. This isn’t about my books or any sales, events, whatever. This is strictly a personal post that is presented to you, as generally always, with a WTF heart and snarky attitude.
Over on Ye Olde Facebook I belong to several groups. One of them is currently and rather heatedly discussing the LAW where pedestrians are concerned. Some people keep point to those two words; The LAW like there should be a Chorus of Angels singing “Amen” in the background.
Yes, for the most part, if a pedestrian get hit crossing the street it is the driver’s fault.
Everyone agree?
Good.
What that fails to address is the words GET HIT. You know, the IMPACT your dumbass is going to feel as it flies through the air while you suddenly discover that damn rectangle of white lines on the street isn’t really a Magick Force-field that will STOP you from getting…well…let’s be honest…fucked up.
That’s pretty much what my parents had the good sense to drill into my head when I was just a wee girl that and a very simple phrase to go with it:
Stop.
Look (UP and BOTH ways!).
Listen.
When you determine it is safe for you to cross the street, please proceeded.
IF you get HIT after that, it is definitely the driver’s fault.
Either way, if you’ve crossed the street properly and were hit or you’re just another moron who thinks the entire world will stop for them and the white paint will protect them from harm here’s what’s going to happen: you will SUFFER minor injuries to fatal ones, if you live you may SUFFER from those INJURIES the REST of YOUR LIFE. Anything from minor aches and pains to paralysis.
The driver, after they go on their way shaken but unharmed and if insured, will have their insurance pay you somewhere near a whopping $200,000 + medical expenses. If you hire a Personal Injury Lawyer they will take 30% of that for doing basically nothing you couldn’t have done yourself especially IF the driver has no major assets.
No assets.
No big payout.
A big payout that, BTW, will NOT ease your pain one iota.
No insurance and no assets on the driver’s part…ooooo…..are YOU screwed or what???
You really just cannot get Blood out of a Stone no matter how hard you try. After all, the cash from a Judgment doesn’t just appear out of thin air. They don’t manufacture it for you and the State doesn’t send you a big fat check. You knew that, right?
That’s the LAW that they’re holding up like Captain America’s shield.
It will NOT PREVENT any of it. It will only come in later , look at you, and basically say; Tough break, kid.
I know because, as those of you long timers may remember, my husband was in a severe motorcycle accident a few years back that was not his fault. We got $150,000 of which John Haymond–a useless little prick if there ever was one, so much more interested in the dirt under his finger nails than in looking at you sitting at the table–got 30%.
Hubby still suffers and there’s not a damn thing anyone can do about it. The driver had no assets to go after. As such, all we could legally get was the minimum basic insurance amount she had her SUV when she T-boned him. In other words: $150,000.
If that sounds like a Big Win to you…take your chances, have fun. If it doesn’t, then I suggest you take a little lesson from Yours Truly here and don’t be a self-absorbed little shit crying about The LAW when crossing the street.
Stop.
Look (UP and BOTH ways!).
Listen.
Before you stepped off the curb.
It takes ten damn seconds of intelligence combined with a little personal responsibility and it could save you a lot of agony.
Dumbass.
Lisa Beth Darling 