Treated Like a Felon

On Thursday March 24, 2011, I was involved in a very minor accident. However, this involved a school bus. Lucky for me no one was hurt or put in any serious danger. Yet, so many officials were called it was as if there was a four car pile-up. So many procedures needed to be done and so many people had to get involved that I truly felt that if I didn't have a lawyer they were going to put me in jail. The accident was so small and not serious, yet if by all the officials that were there it sure looked like something major had happened.

As I was searching desperately for a parking space I was attempting to go to the other aisle closest to the teacher's parking lot. I proceeded to turn and the Early College busses were there, which made the space to turn very limited. Yet, as I was turning another girl seemed to think she could turn and fit the opposite way. There was absolutely no space. We were stuck and I could not move any more forward otherwise I would hit the bus. It seemed logical for her to reverse and allow me to move out of her way. However, she did not. She kept moving closer and closer to me and if I did not move she would hit me. So I kept moving forward so I would not get hit and by the time I knew it; I had already touched the bus. So I'm there in my car still and I am refusing to move. I roll down my window in order to talk to the girl and she rolls down hers. I tell her you need to reverse so I can move out of the way and her response is "You need to reverse" I explain to her that I cannot because there is a bus behind me and if I reverse I'll hit it. I am already touching the other bus. So the bus driver and his assistant get out and come to see what happened and the girl sees them and finally reverses and gives me the space to move.

I now have to deal with the bus drivers and I tell them what happened and they tell me that they have to call the head of the UISD transportation and they have to do an entire report. So I'm sitting there looking at them with a bewildered expression and cooperate. I park my car and return to the scene and proceed to speak to a TAMIU Police officer. I give all of my information to the officer and he then asks me "Where did you hit the bus?" and I told him, "You can't really see it can you?" and he answers, "No." So that's how minor the hit was. The head of the UISD transportation department arrives and takes pictures of the bus and then I take them to my car and show them the damage to it, which was like nothing, but a small scratch. She informs me that no action will be taken because the damage was so minor. However, she asks if I had gotten a citation. I respond by telling her  "No, well I don't think so." and she asks the TAMIU Police officers if they are going to cite me. They respond by telling her that they are debating on the issue. She tells them that if they are going to cite me, then she has to give me a drug test. A drug test, really? A minor accident occurs and I have to be submitted for drug testing?

In the end the officers decide to cite me, but I quickly rebuttal with recounting what had happened. They tell me that they got a different story from the bus driver and I answer with a quick "Well he was on the bus how could he see?" So in the end I get a verbal warning from them. Which I was entirely grateful for, they told me that when it comes to situations like that I am to stand my ground and let the other person get mad. I cannot agree with them more. However, I was a little bothered by the fact that a drug test was to be administered if I was found "guilty". Yet, I am completely grateful at the fact that the officers heard my reasoning and gave me a verbal warning. I can honestly say that when I am put in a situation like that, you can be sure that I  will stand my ground.