Wednesday, September 2, 2009

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Drive a Skoda



You could say a lot of things about the Czech people, but one thing they do very well is build a tough car called the Skoda (pronounced Sh-koh-da). Just about everyone drives one in Prague and I was given one as a rental until our company car is ordered and delivered…because apparently they don’t keep cars in stock either, ehem. Other car manufacturers build wimpy automobiles that have silly safety features like collapsible bumpers, but not the Skoda as I found out today. Gleefully driving my kids to school, I stopped in front of the school to make a left hand turn. The streets mind you are single lane in both directions so drivers whiz by would be left hand turners on the right to get past…and I do mean WHIZ by. So when I glanced in my rear view mirror and saw a car coming directly at me I momentarily expected he was going around, but to my grave surprise he was looking in his rear view mirror and didn’t even slow down and then, BANG! I don’t know how fast he was going, but it had to be at least 40 kph since the speed limit was posted and he never hit the brakes. Luckily our whole family ware our seatbelts all of the time (thanks, Mom), although people here look at you strange when you get in their car and put on a seat belt because it is an uncommon practice. By the way the kids are fine and I’m just sore in my neck and back. I get out of my car expecting to see the entire trunk caved in and his engine sitting practically in his lap which would have been the case with most other cars. But not the Skoda! With the Skoda the people take the impact and the car ends up with a scratch on the back bumper and his license plate crumpled and tossed into his back seat.
The next thing was waiting for the police. It was only 5 minutes and they drive buy. The other driver said something to them as they were driving by and I thought they would drive back around and write a report and then we would get off the road and stop making a huge traffic jam. The police never came back and about a half hour of blocking traffic while truck drivers with public laborers yelled expletives at us and I back at them in English, we then finally moved into the school parking lot. This whole time the guy is speaking to me in Czech and I’m frantically calling my husband and trying to get someone to interpret so I knew what the heck to do. In the US we aren’t supposed to move the vehicle until the police arrive to make a report. Apparently that was the case in CZ until two years ago when the law was changed to be that if the damage is not estimated to be greater than 200,000 Czech Crowns (about 10,000 USD which most cars don’t cost that much) then the police won’t make a report. They just show up to tell you to get the heck out of the way. I asked my husband’s Czech friend that showed up to help us fill out the accident report required for the rental insurance, why did they make that rule? The response was because there are so many accidents that the police don’t have time to do all of that paperwork! So, let me get this straight. They change the law to make it easier on the police? How about they enforce the speed limit or widen the roads? I know…make some left hand turn lanes! No, just make the accident victim fill out their own accident report and that will solve the problem.

Today’s lessons for living or visiting Prague:
1. Always have your seatbelt on
2. Bring your Czech translation book so you can speak with the other driver (and swear back effectively at the truckers)
3. Get your car out of the way if there are no injuries and minor damage.
4. Know the number to call for an emergency 112– most of them speak English and several other languages.
5. Take pictures of the vehicles for the accident report
6. Don’t expect a lot of sympathy or concern from people when you tell them you were in a car accident…it is common and a non-event to most.
7. Skoda’s are tough and I am not

2 comments:

  1. Oh Dearest Peggy,
    I am truely Thankful yourself and the boys are not hurt!
    Gracious, I feel for you how you are getting the jist of the ways of foreign living!
    Never heard of this vehicle. Sure am glad you were in one!
    Curiously laughing on the explitives you must have used!
    Sending My Love,
    And a
    Happy Birthday !!
    I hope you recieve!
    I Love You!
    ...Pamela

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  2. Hah! Wow. Things really are different in Europe. Laughing about the expletive, too. I'm glad I have my Bug. At least the engine won't end up in my lap. Glad you and the boys are all right. oh, and BTW...

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

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