I was in a car accident after playing a memorial show for Utah Phillips in Chicago last week. It was 1:30 a.m. and I was sitting at a stoplight. I sat there for fifteen seconds or so and BAM! I was rear ended and pushed out into the middle of an intersection. I was pretty dazed so I sat there for a few seconds. My glasses were thrown off of my face and I couldn't find them (they were later found in the back seat). After a half minute or so I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a blurry white car backing up. The car went around my left side and drove off up ahead of me. I squinted and strained trying to see their license plate, but I couldn't make it out. I'm blind as a bat without my glasses. As they drove by I heard a voice shouting at me out the window. It said "GET THAT BROKE F*CKER OFF THE ROAD, BITCH!" It wasn't one of humanity's finest moments.I called 911 and waited at least a minute or more for someone to pick up the phone (Chuck D was right, 911 is a joke). It took the cops an hour and ten minutes to get to the scene. When they arrived they didn't even get out of the car. They told me to drive to a police station and fill out a report. I told them that I was from out of state and I had no idea where the closest police station was. They told me that there isn't a chance in hell of ever catching the person that fled the scene and that I shouldn't even report it unless I wanted to report a claim to my insurance company. Then they drove off. It was 3:30 am in Chicago. I got in my car and drove to Michigan.
My back and neck hurt like hell for the next few days. I'm feeling fine a week later. My rear passenger side door on my car no longer opens and the rear end looks like hell.
7 comments:
That 911 did not dispatch medical attention and that the police did not offer it sounds criminal.
It is not to late to report what you can if you need to for medical or legal reasons.
I'm sorry, as a NYer living now in Chicago, this city is the broke fucker.
Ah yes, the CPD, not to protect and serve, rather, to harass and shoot. Hit and run is not a crime, but walking while black in my neighborhood (Bridgeport, Daley's birthplace) will guarantee you get detained.
that's horrible! I hope the rest of your travels are safe!
Glad you are ok Otis.
Firstly, and most of all, I'm glad you're okay. Secondly, I'm really sorry my city treated you so poorly.
I lived in Chicago for a couple of years. I have nothing good to say about the place. I'm sorry about the way you were treated.
I came across you at Musical Family Tree. I'm listening to 'One Day Our Whispers'. Good stuff brother.
I'm a former hoosier, former wob, still a trade unionist. Like a lotta music.
So sorry to hear this Otis. Cops really don't care about personal property damage. If they can't get a fine from you, then you are on your own.
Love the look of this blog though. You are still my hero.
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