Here's What I Came In To This Morning...

[Victor (Fret Friend)]

SCRATCH AND DENT SALE!!!!

+1

Hope it all gets sorted dude...

[django49]

When I was in Beverly Hills, we had an older woman going into a private parking lot hit the gas on her big old Cadillac instead of the brake.....Went flying right off the end of the second story and hit our parking garage across the alley------Right between the first and second story horizontal concrete panels......You might say she lost her head, as well as the entire top of the Caddie. Hope you are not cleaning up THAT kind of mess.

Which suggests the idea of solid posts to stop hurtling objects is a pretty good idea.

[pesocaster]

That sucks Dave..... Positive vibes your way...... Old guy must have really hated that rock and roll boojie woojie noise....

[pfxc]

If your insurance carrier successfully subrogates v. the carrier for the at-fault party you may recover your deductible. Looks like the repairs can be turned around pretty quickly. The elderly driver typically reports that the accelerator stuck and tries to attribute the accident to mechanical defect. Good luck.

[cmatthes]

I'll take a shot, Muse...

Definitely things happen for a reason - the reason here was the dude was too freakin' old to drive, and in his inability to grasp reality in that fleeting second, he put it into "Drive" instead of "Reverse", and floored the thing.

That's the only reason I can see. No divine intervention crap as far as I can see!

[elduave]

Brand new car he had, temp tags still. Possibly not used to the layout. Fuck.

[elduave]

[Submariner85]

85 year old man drove through the front of the building.

It's always a damned old person. Sorry man.

[bondedbybrick]

Since I live in the area and have been to Dave's store, this is odd, to say the least. Not like Rocketeria is on the beaten path or on a major traffic corridor! I guess the local Olney Gazette will report the story next week.

Dave and Arianna - So sorry for what happened to your biz. Hope everything works out financially for y'all.

[Hamerica]

Dave,

Like others, I hope your covered to the hilt and his insurance company pays quickly.

Brian

[Willie G. Moseley]

I support regular testing for older (would-be) drivers' eyesight, reaction times, hand-eye coordination, etc. and other driving-related facets. I do not necessarily support canceling somebody's driver's license simply because they reach a certain age. There simply needs to be some kind of regulation, IMO.

That being said, I know first-hand about older drivers and how dangerous their (declining/lack of) driving abilities can be. My father really started having problems about five years ago (he'll be 90 in October), and he scared the hell out of my wife and me on more than one occasion, primarily due to depth perception problems. My step-mother is 88, and she's had some problems as well.

Pop's now been diagnosed with macular degeneration (and I noted here a while back I've got the precursor to that malady), and the procedures that were done on his eyes made him realize he doesn't need to be driving extensively anymore, and my step-mom has also come to the same conclusion. These days, they're actually uncomfortable/nervous when driving. They will drive around to their favorite local shopping areas, restaurants, or to church, all within an approx. 5-mile radius from their house (think: familiarity and dependability). When they want to go out of town on family visits, somebody (including me) chauffeurs 'em. Thanks goodness they still have the lucidity at their age to recognize their declining abilities. All too often, folks their age don't.

[diablo175]

I support regular testing for older (would-be) drivers' eyesight, reaction times, hand-eye coordination, etc. and other driving-related facets. I do not necessarily support canceling somebody's driver's license simply because they reach a certain age. There simply needs to be some kind of regulation, IMO.

That being said, I know first-hand about older drivers and how dangerous their (declining/lack of) driving abilities can be. My father really started having problems about five years ago (he'll be 90 in October), and he scared the hell out of my wife and me on more than one occasion, primarily due to depth perception problems. My step-mother is 88, and she's had some problems as well.

Pop's now been diagnosed with macular degeneration (and I noted here a while back I've got the precursor to that malady), and the procedures that were done on his eyes made him realize he doesn't need to be driving extensively anymore, and my step-mom has also come to the same conclusion. These days, they're actually uncomfortable/nervous when driving. They will drive around to their favorite local shopping areas, restaurants, or to church, all within an approx. 5-mile radius from their house (think: familiarity and dependability). When they want to go out of town on family visits, somebody (including me) chauffeurs 'em. Thanks goodness they still have the lucidity at their age to recognize their declining abilities. All too often, folks their age don't.

+1 My mother-in-law, now 80, arrived at a similar conclusion (thankfully) a year ago and had us sell her car a while back. No sooner was the car gone than she decides she doesn't like relying on public transit or the senior transport services provided by various organizations in the area... wants to drive again. We had to convince her that this was NOT an option as her health and her eye sight were not conducive to the safe operation of an automobile.

Dave, hope things work out for you and you're back up and running soon.

[zorrow]

Oh Dave, man! Hope you'll get it all fixed soon and that the driver's insurance covered all the damage. Best luck to you!

[rj2858]

I'm not sure that EVERYTHING happens for a reason, it's not my job to know those things, but I do believe that just about everything carries a lesson.

This one may be that "Grandpa" shouldn't be driving anymore, (for whatever reason), and this may be what convinces him of that, instead of him running over your sidewalk at a different time, and killing someone.

OR...maybe he was in a hurry to 'put something down' on a brand new Hamer custom order!

Hope it all works out quickly Dave, and it doesn't cost you anything.

[Brooks]

rocketeria, now with a handy drive thru window! would you like fries w/ that hamer?

that sux dave. glad it wasn't a smash n grab, tho.

[lincsman]

Hope it gets sorted out quicker

[RichRS6]

Sorry to hear this Dave, can I suggest you move the Reserved Parking Sign as it must be what confused the coffin dodger.

[Bennyboy-UK]

Ah, you got in first with'coffin dodger'

Hope that lot gets sorted out with minimum fuss m8

[BTMN]

Holy Smokies!!!

I missed this yesterday.

Edited to add: Glad you or anyone else were not injured.

[savethematches]

Sorry to hear that. When I first saw the pics, I immediately thought theft and became angry. After I read your explanation, I just felt sad. The guy to whom I used to live next door is still driving around town, and he's well into his 90's. I saw him yesterday, and he nearly caused at least five wrecks in less than a minute. I love the old dude, and I have much respect for people who have survived on this planet that long, but there comes a time to hand over the keys. I hope no innocent bystanders were hurt in your store, and I hope the old man's insurance gets you back in business as quickly as possible with as little hassle as possible.

Was the driver's name indianscout?

[zorrow]

That's a common accident with old people. They mean to push on the brake pedal, but they actually step on the gas pedal. This happens quite often.

PS: Inventors around, there's maybe a business opportunity there?

[Bennyboy-UK]

I think I have the solution - I shall call it the manual gearbox ;D

[Victor (Fret Friend)]

I think I have the solution - I shall call it the manual gearbox ;D

No-one outside of Europe knows what one is

[RichF]

Sorry to see this Dave. Hope you can get things sorted out soon.

[earachemyeye]

Holy Sh**t Dave! That really sucks. Yea I don't look for "reasons" - only ways through. Your one of the good guys and I hope your way through turns out to be a blessing whatever happens. Best wishes from here.