Contests, Jerks in Yellow Corvettes and Spam
Aug
9
2009

First: the good – Ann Aguirre is running a contest at her blog to win a copy of Laid Bare!

Anya Bast is also running a contest to win a copy of Laid Bare so head over her way quickly, the contest ends Monday!

The annoying: I’ve been spammed twice this week from two so called publishers. First of all, a reputable publisher doesn’t spam anyone’s blog with blurbs for their authors’ books unsolicited. They don’t. These two companies, which ever so coincidentally had the exact same style of comment at pretty much the same time, were not very surprisingly the subject of several threads online when I googled them. Please folks, do your homework before signing with any publisher, especially one that asks you to buy your own books, pay any fees or who does wholly unprofessional things like spam author blogs with blurbs for their books. So, to Eloquent Books and Strategic Book whatever – spam is NOT aggressive marketing. It’s counter productive and it does not sell books. It also annoys me greatly so if you come back, I will report both of you to your ISPs as I explained in my note to you.

The horrible: We’re on a road trip so with my children and husband in the car, a yellow corvette shoved its way into our lane by sideswiping our car so hard it jumped three feet to the left. He then drove off at very high speeds when he saw me taking pictures with my iPhone. A ridiculously unhelpful California Highway Patrol at first wouldn’t even take a report or send cops to look for this man unless we stopped on the side of the freeway and waited for the cops. I wish I was kidding. Then when I asked for her name, she said, “Ma’am this is the California Highway Patrol.” I repeated my question, she repeated her answer. After my husband spoke with her, she said they’d send some cars out to look for him (the guy was driving about 100 mph). We decided to call when we arrived at my parents because we weren’t very far away at that point. But instead they called us when we went for gas, to say they’d stopped the car and could we go to the scene? We did, I told them what we were driving (and yes, the side of our car is damaged but luckily, aside from the shaking hands an anger that my children could have been hurt, none of us was physically injured)

At first, the officers on the scene were really helpful. They were both very nice and very professional the entire time. I had the license plate number, or rather 6 of the 7 numbers (though the woman on the phone seemed to think this was totally useless, which I find, um, well, very hard to place any credibility in since I had 6 of 7, a car make, model and color and a very specific part of the freeway they’d been driving on). We told them what happened, I had a scribbled note on the back of an ARC with the license number, as well as damage to the car, and other contemporaneous evidence.

They let him go.

Yes, after all that, after crashing into a car with three young children in it, forcing it out of a lane, DRIVING AWAY FROM THE SCENE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, what the officer said to my, “are you charging him with hit and run?” was – “well I was considering it, but he’s from Switzerland and doesn’t seem to know what’s going on” For our troubles, we got a card to give to our insurance company (which will cost us because of the deductible) and an offer to see the report after paying a 10 dollar fee. You see I HAVE TO PAY to fix damage this asshole created and the officers did nothing. I HAVE TO PAY for an accident report when I did NOT CAUSE THE ACCIDENT.

Now, this man had a kitted up Corvette, like the ones in the 100K range. He had insurance and he was driving in my country. FUCK that bullshit. I’m quite sure it’s not acceptable to sideswipe cars in Switzerland and given the fact that he drove away once he saw us taking pictures and my husband honked at him to get him to pull over but he drove away – I’m quite sure he DID know what was going on and i’m also quite sure that the California Highway Patrol gets a MASSIVE FAIL from me and my children, who apparently don’t matter as much as a 100K sports car and two men rich enough to own one. I also find the whole refusal to give a name and original refusal to send out even a single car to look for this car (when there’s a CHP sub station within 2 miles of where we were, by the way) – utterly ridiculous.

I grew up in California. Though I don’t live here anymore, I love my home state. This isn’t a California rant and it’s not a law enforcement rant either. I have several family members in law enforcement and I totally respect the jobs they do every single day for what is pretty much a rude and thankless public. But I don’t appreciate the disdain, rudeness and lack of concern my family was shown and it makes me livid that this guy drove the way he did because he thought he could get away with it. AND HE DID. He sideswiped my car at over 80mph because he’d driven all the way up to tailgate a semi truck in the right lane and wanted in. Except there wasn’t any room and before we could even back off to give him some space, he just crashed into us because we didn’t matter to him at all. And that opinion was verified when he was allowed to drive away without even an apology. That makes me so angry that I still have a headache today.

Anyhoodle, to you mr. yellow corvette California license plate 6HR 337 (one digit missing) driving on the 5 south on Friday afternoon – I hope you have giant, bleeding, painful, pus filled anal fissures for the rest of your life.

Here’s a link to the pic of him driving away

I’m ready to go to bed. Thanks for all the lovely notes about Laid Bare! I really appreciate them.

24 comments to “Contests, Jerks in Yellow Corvettes and Spam”

  1. TAMARA HOLBERT
    August 9th, 2009 at 1:57 am · Link

    Let’s hope Mr. Asshole Yellow Corvette gets some nice recognition out of your well deserved rant!!! 😡



  2. Janell
    August 9th, 2009 at 4:37 am · Link

    I’m so glad you and your family are ok. I had a similar experience about 4 years ago but the car that sidewiped me caused me to spin on on a 4 lane bridge when my wheels hit some gravel. I ended up doing a 360 spin and stopped facing into traffic with my front bumper held miraculously by a wire guard rail-there were branches of a bush in the front of the car I was so far into the guard rail. Luckily, no major physical damage and all the cars behind me slowed down and came to a complete stop instead of plowing into me. Some other drivers saw what was happening and one actually followed the driver. She (in her big SUV-me in a PT Cruiser)said she never even saw me…what the???? The other drivers called the whole thing in and the cops were good to me. EVen drove me home. I’m so glad you’re ok!



  3. RKCharron
    August 9th, 2009 at 5:35 am · Link

    Hi 🙂
    I’m so glad you and your family are safe.
    It’s a shame that some police give the whole force a bad reputation.
    Love and best wishes,
    twitter.com/RKCharron
    xoxo



  4. Mary G
    August 9th, 2009 at 7:27 am · Link

    Hi Lauren
    What bugs me about this is I bet you’re still shaken up. Close calls are like that. I’m glad you’re all okay (except the wallet).



  5. MichelleKCanada
    August 9th, 2009 at 7:34 am · Link

    I am so sorry what happened to your family. I have 3 kids too so I can certainly appreciate how your nerves must feel right now. Good thing you husband did not loose control of your vehicle.
    So frustrating and it certainly does not seem fair. If I could grant wishes, Mr. Yellow Corvette would indeed be sore right now.



  6. Collette
    August 9th, 2009 at 7:41 am · Link

    Wow, how scary. I’m so sorry this happened to you and your family–from the asshole driver to the blase law enforcement. I’m really glad you’re all okay.



  7. Chris
    August 9th, 2009 at 7:52 am · Link

    Yikes! I’m glad you’re all physically ok. I think my head would’ve exploded dealing with the CHP – um, if the guy allegedly doesn’t really seem to know what’s going on? Maybe he shouldn’t be on the highway at all?!



  8. azteclady
    August 9th, 2009 at 8:34 am · Link

    I am so very sorry about this! I hope your children weren’t too shaken–I know you and your husband most certainly were (are still)

    (((Lauren)))

    Like you, I’m sure a guy driving a Corvette would have all sorts of insurance–how on earth could let him go without making sure he paid for the damage to your car, at the bare minimum, is beyond me.

    May the Corvette driver’s ass rot, and may the people who allow him and his kind to go on without consequences have bad moments thinking of what could have happen.



  9. Ann Aguirre
    August 9th, 2009 at 9:15 am · Link

    So sorry to hear this — both that it happened and that nothing was done about it. I hope the rest of the trip goes better.



  10. Karen Erickson
    August 9th, 2009 at 9:32 am · Link

    How awful. I’m glad to hear you and your family are okay but something like that shakes you up so bad — and is so frustrating. What a jerkwad that guy is. Sounds like it was handled terribly.

    Your pix make me wonder where you grew up because it looks similar to where I grew up! LOL



  11. Jaci Burton
    August 9th, 2009 at 9:37 am · Link

    What a giant piece of shit that guy was. And the CHP who let him go.

    Karma- it’ll come back to him someday.

    I’m glad you’re all okay.



  12. Estella
    August 9th, 2009 at 1:20 pm · Link

    So glad no one was hurt.
    Too bad some cops give the rest a bad name.



  13. Lori
    August 9th, 2009 at 1:40 pm · Link

    Sooo thankful that nobody was hurt, but angry on your behalf that he wasn’t held acccountable. Because everyone knows that if it was you or me, we’d be sitting with our butt parked in the slammer awaiting arraignment for hit & run on that beautiful, priceless Corvette.



  14. Booklover1335
    August 9th, 2009 at 6:54 pm · Link

    Lauren I am so glad you and your family are ok. I totally agree. Was he at least given a hefty fine? Anyways I am sending my bad karma thoughts his way 👿



  15. medumb
    August 9th, 2009 at 7:18 pm · Link

    Very glad that everyone is fine.

    But unfreakinbelievable on the HP, I am in Aus, and uncertain of US rules, but didn’t they legally have to grab his details and that at least for insurance??
    Completely befuddled



  16. Christine
    August 10th, 2009 at 6:45 am · Link

    Thank god everyone is ok. A similar type incident happened to me where this idiot went through a stop sign causing me to swerve to avoid hitting this jerk and they didn’t stop and I wound up getting a flat tire b/c I ran over something to avoid hitting this jerk.



  17. Bella
    August 10th, 2009 at 8:15 am · Link

    Lauren, that is a *horrible* story! I’m so glad you and your family are ok! You don’t have to let it drop there, though! I would call the police station and ask to talk to the superior officer, and your insurance company, who won’t want to pay more than your deductible if they can find someone else to pay. I had something like this happen to me once, so I know more about it than I want to. Hapy to talk about if more off line if you like.

    ~bella
    b42bella(at)gmail(dot)com



  18. Crystal D
    August 10th, 2009 at 9:14 am · Link

    Holy smokes! I’m glad no one was hurt but that is such BS I can’t even believe it! He doesn’t know what’s going on but we are going to continue to let him drive??? that is seriously crazy.



  19. Cybercliper
    August 10th, 2009 at 10:54 am · Link

    Wow…glad you and the family are fine. I just can’t understand law enforcement’s attitude. Hit and run is against the law – even in California. No wonder road rage is becoming so prevalent.



  20. Cynthia Eden
    August 10th, 2009 at 3:49 pm · Link

    Oh, jeez, Lauren, what an ass!!! I am so glad that your family is okay, but, wow, I wish there was something that could be done about this!!



  21. Fedora
    August 11th, 2009 at 7:31 am · Link

    Holy moly. Well, may karma come and take a huge chomp out of Mr. Corvette’s behind!

    I am SO glad you and your family are OK–what a horrible miscarriage of justice. He’ll get his someday, never fear!



  22. limecello
    August 11th, 2009 at 3:08 pm · Link

    What a douchebag. I’m so glad you and the family are ok though!

    This is why I hate driving. Someone cut me off on the highway a year or so ago – I did a 360 and my car had an unfortunate meeting with the meridian. Obviously, the snazzy little sports car [culprit] drove away.



  23. Jill Sorenson
    August 13th, 2009 at 8:00 pm · Link

    How horrible! As a Californian, I’m disgusted and appalled by the lack of action on the part of law enforcement. Any driver who flees the scene should be arrested and tested for drugs/alcohol. I shudder to think of that guy on my roadways.

    So glad you and your family are safe.



  24. vitch36
    August 13th, 2009 at 8:11 pm · Link

    OMG…I can’t believe the officers acted like that. In our town we only seem to have issues with our local sheriffs office. TPD is fab.

    The Sheriffs though always want to just write everything off.

    They hate me though…I always ask if they need me to contact internal affairs for a refresher course on their civic duties.

    I’m sorry your trip had this major asswipe put a blot on it.