Grump

This is what happens when you run over a tree with the Prius. I was on the way to a concert in Greenville in a storm that made it difficult to see. Less than a mile from home suddenly a tree fell across the road a few feet in front of the car. One second later and I would have been under it. Three seconds earlier and I would have missed it. I knew I was going to hit the tree and waited for the airbag to go off as the car came to a sudden stop. The car didn't stop. It bumped over the tree. And it was still running. And it continued to go and stop as it should.

I pulled off into the entrance to the park - the dam road - a few hundred feet down the road and called 911 on my iPhone. I was concerned someone else would run into it in the dark and downpour. She took the info and said she would contact the Jamestown Fire Department to get rid of the tree then connected me to the State Police. They took all my info and asked repeatedly if I was ok and if the car was drivable. I didn't want to check the damage until I could see in the storm. There had to be some damage even if the car was still running. The trooper asked if I was going home. I told him I was going on to Greenville since the car seemed drivable.

By the time I hung up the rain had stopped enough to take a look. A mess. But it looked like it was drivable if the radiator was ok. How that escaped damage is interesting to ponder. I looked and listened for problems all the way into town.

So I went on to the concert not liking the idea of walking in during. But it had not started so I had time to find a seat and exchange pleasantries (gossip) with some of my neighbors. It was in Holy Trinity, the Lutheran Church I belonged to before going to Christ Church. There were people there I hadn't seen in many years. I didn't get to talk to all of them tho.

The concert was a trio from Apollo's Fire, a Baroque Orchestra from Cleveland. It was excellent. I loved the "human" sound of the Baroque violin and cello. So different from the modern instruments. I wish the harpsichord had been a little louder but I forgot my hearing aids so it may have been ok for most. I left the program in the car. If you really want to know what they played, let me know in the comments. Vivaldi, Bach, Buxtehude, Handel and whoever wrote the last lively piece.

On the way home, I checked out where the tree had fallen as I drove by. A trooper had called during the concert and I returned the call during intermission. He said the tree was gone, nobody else was involved and thanked me for calling. The tree crushed the armco (what do you call those big metal barriers?) on the other side of the road so it wasn't that small. Only Godde knows how the Prius bounced over it.

I'm curious to see if Erie Insurance totals the car. It has 124k+ miles.