A Car Crash

Tony Vinelli put on his new body shield belt and got into his Ferrari, also new. As usual the belt warned him that it was now operational and recording. It had been two months since his longevity treatment and he was feeling extremely good. He let the engine warm up a bit while he adjusted the stereo satellite receiver.

Then with a brief look at the road behind him, Tony let the clutch out on reverse quickly enough to burn rubber. In the road he braked quickly and slammed the shifter into first gear.

He grinned with satisfaction that in front of him there was nothing to the nearest town but eight miles of winding mountain road. He was in 3rd gear with the engine wound up cutting a turn short when another car appeared around the hillside.

He jerked the steering back to the right but simply had insufficient reaction time. He avoided a head on collision but side swiped the oncoming car. His body shield protected him with inertial damping as it smashed the steering column. The Ferrari proceeded across the road, through the guard rail, and tumbled several times down the hillside before coming to rest.

Tony turned off the shield and squeezed out of the compressed window opening. Briefly he stared at his car and then he turned and hiked up the hill to check on the other vehicle.

It was an older pickup and had come to rest in the hillside on the uphill side of the road. The driver was slumped in the front seat. Tony looked in the front seat for blood but did not see any. He decided to leave the gentlemen alone until emergency medical technicians arrived.

Thinking a bit more clearly now, he pulled his personal satellite phone out of his pocket and dialed 911.

“911 What is the emergency?” said the dispatcher briskly.

“A car crash on Greenview Ln about 4 miles outside of Lakeside.” Tony replied.

“Yes, I have the location here from your belt shield. It reported a probable crash a few minutes ago. Medical help and the police are on the way. Are you hurt?” asked the dispatcher.

“No,” replied Tony. “The belt protected me but there is another driver who is unconscious.”

“Is there any blood and is the person breathing?” asked the dispatcher.

“No, I checked for blood and did not see any. He does seem to be breathing but he has a large bruise on his forehead,” stated Tony calmly.

“Do not move him unless there is a fire hazard, the medical technicians are within a few minutes of arrival. Please be advised not to leave the scene. Based upon preliminary review of your belt data the Police dispatcher advises me that you will be questioned and possibly arrested for reckless driving. If you need anything further before the police or medical personnel arrive feel free to call me back,” concluded the 911 dispatcher.

“O.k. 911, Thanks for your help,” said Tony glumly. The belt had warned him every time he put it on that it was monitoring, thought Tony. He just was not used to this level of efficiency in public services. The things only became available three months ago. Who would have thought they would be integrated into the police computer nets so quickly?

He could already hear the Judge stating that, at 85, he should know better. True, he admitted to himself, he should. It had been a long time since he had been or felt 25 and he had always enjoyed driving fast when he thought he had the reflexes for it. Somehow he did not think the Judge was going to be impressed with this line of defense. He sure hoped this other guy was o.k.

There was the ambulance now. He would know soon the depth of the trouble he had created for himself.

The Pathfinder