12 January, 2008

"Still alive"

I was in an accident today. I came out of it without a scratch. On
the other hand, the man who caused the accident left his bleeding
friend behind. Today, I experienced culture SHOCK.
No 911.
No need to be a witness to the police.
No insurance.
In a car accident, the man who caused the accident fled the scene, leaving his friend behind (I got mad!)... Because they probably stole a motorcycle (stupid)... If he'd stuck around to care for his friend,
those around would have beat him for stealing the bike (ah... justice).


Iin and I took the mirkrolet to the morning, flea market. On our
way, the driver picked up one other lady. She took the front seat.
We were turning right (Traffic is opposite from the states, so it's like a left turn.). Then, crash! A motorcycle, carrying two people,
hit the side of the minivan.

The doors in the mikrolet are always open. Neither of their helmets
were clipped. So in flew two helmets and the body of the
passenger. Iin was on the side of impact, and she flew into the middle of the mikrolet on impact and grabbed my arm. This man's body laid on the floor of the mikrolet with his legs hanging out of the door. At first, we were all in shock and couldn't move. Iin
started sobbing, as she was in a motorcycle accident a couple years back.

I thought the motorcyclist was just going to move the motorcycle to the side of the road and come back for his friend. I think we all thought that. I didn't know what to do or say. But apparently, the motorcycle driver rode off - without his friend! He really didn't come back!!!!

I didn't know if this man was dying at my feet. But no one was doing anything. I couldn't use any of the words I know! I didn't think he should be moved because he probably broke his back. I felt so helpless sitting there. The only words that I could mutter under my breath were "Masih hidup". How retarded! All I could do was console Iin and pray for the man lying at my feet to live.

He was still alive, but probably had a concussion. For as little as I know medically, I'm sure there was internal injuries. I know he was still alive and wasn't paralyzed because his 2 fingers were holding onto the leg of the bench when they moved him. There isn't 911 here! The mikrolet driver and a stranger grabbed his arms and ankles and ungracefully carried him to the side of the road. A group of men gathered around, laid him on the tile porch of the closest store, and gave him water.

The doorway of the mikrolet was bent and cracked. There was a little blood on the floor or the mikrolet. Our driver dropped the three of us off at our stop a couple minutes away, and then went back to the site of the accident. It felt so weird not to wait until the police arrive to be a witness.

Then I was so mad that this man left his friend behind!

Among the commotion, there is word that that the motorcycle was stolen. Had he stuck around for his friend, he would have been beaten on the spot. In a totally different way, it makes sense...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

i hope you are okay.. i am sad to hear about the other man... that is sad