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How could I forget??

Posted by cybertoad on 08/18/2005 in usa |

OMG! I completely forgot to mention the cab accident we were in while in Chicago! Don’t worry – everyone was OK.

We were heading back into town after spending the day at The Science & Industry Museum. It was Friday afternoon and we were going to catch a couple of comedy shows that night. The Museum is not that easy to reach by public transportation so we had grabbed a cab.

We were halfway back to the hotel, driving in the far right lane along Lake Shore Drive which follows Lake Michigan when I look up and see a stalled car ahead of us. Unfortunately, our cab was not slowing down. The way we were seated only CJ and I had a clear view forward but neither of us said anything in time. Before we know it the cab finally reacts but too late. We are screeching, the brakes are locking up but to no avail. We slam into the back of the stalled car. Bam! The stalled car apparently was not in park because it gets pushed across three lanes of expressway and hits the concrete barrier on the other side. Fortunately its driver had been sitting outside the car and had jumped back when he saw us about to hit.

Needless to say we quickly jump out the cab. After a few minutes we realize the cab driver is still trying to get out – his door was jammed – so we encouraged him to go out the passenger side. At this point the driver of the stalled car (he had run out of gas) came up hollering and a cyclist who had heard the crash rode up. Turns out he was an off-duty police officer and had already called the accident in.

In five minutes a cop car had arrived and in just a few more minutes two fire trucks showed up. No one was injured except for me – I had a big old bump on my shin right below my knee. I had been in the back seat straddling the hump in the middle and the force of the impact shoved my shin into the back of the front seat and bruised it. I told them I didn’t need an ambulance but they still showed up anyway. In the end I just asked for an ice pack and insisted I was OK (I was). I think more severe injuries were avoided because the car we hit had not been in park and the impact was absorbed by that car when it was pushed across the highway.

All of the officials were extremely friendly and after about 30-40 minutes the cars were cleared off the road, our statements were taken and another cab was hailed for us. By this time a second cop car had showed up and he stopped traffic on the expressway completely so we could safely get in the cab and be on our way.

Kenny took a couple of hurried pictures but didn’t feel comfortable taking more with all the cops there:

An injured Elaine
Our 2 firetrucks and the friendly off-duty cop on his bike.
The crashed cab
You can see some of the front end damage and the poor cab driver looking at it – the bumper had completely come off, the radiator was destroyed and the front was smashed up but there no broken windows.

We ended up canceling our tickets for that evening and wandered the Chicago streets instead, going up to see the night skyline from the Hancock Tower. My shin did not bother me even though we were all expecting it to get worse and that I would be stiff and sore the rest of the trip. It really only started bruising after we returned from the trip and even then I’ve had worse!

So there is the story of our accidental cab adventure (LOL, pun intended). We were leery of cabs after that – they all drive crazy – but we had no further mishaps!

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1 Comment

  • MishMish says:

    LOL! I was wondering why you didn’t mention it in your previous post, but figured you had your reasons so I didn’t ask!!!! 😕

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