Small accident, full of surprises
“Ilia, don’t meet me this period, I bring bad luck to everyone around me, including myself of course”. “I don’t want to reply to you, so please cut the crap”. “Really, my store has been robbed, my car is damaged and I search for a place to repair, my apartment has a leak” “Where are you now?” “At Militari area, searching for the place your friend gave me, so as to put my car in service” “Ok, I am coming to pick you up, we go to see today the 2 shopping destinations, Militari Shopping Center and Grand Arena, I have clients in both of them”. “Don’t come please, meet your people for work”. “I am already on my way…”
I thought I was, but I was not… I left Howard Johnson hotel, where I met a client, and reached Victoriei square, so as to continue on Buzesti, reach the river and head to Militari. But it was not meant to be. Coming from Iancu de Hunedoara boulevard, I arrived at the traffic lights and waited for the red. In few seconds, I felt something and I heard a small noise. I looked at the mirror and saw the driver behind me desperate, grabbing his long hair. He had hit me…
“Don’t swear mister, I am sorry”
I went down to see the damage. Apparently my car had some scratches on the back and probably some damages under the port baggage (the service will say more). But I was shocked to see the Audi A4 behind me damaged, all his front part destroyed! Without to realize it, I started smiling, I found it so funny (who knows what the waiter put in my orange juice before…).
Two guys came out of Audi, scared and really nervous. I was mainly asked by them not to shout, not to swear at them. “Don’t swear mister, I am sorry”. When they saw I wasn’t, they felt much better, as I also felt, when I heard that the car has CASCO insurance. (Today we will find out how serious is the insurance company and then I will tell you more about it). I kept smiling, trying to help them and explain to them how the procedure has to be made. From their words I understood that in Romania if someone hits your car, you must go out and start beating him or something. At least to fight like animals, as he destroyed your car.
Polite policemen…
Ok, I have few policemen friends in Greece, as we grew up together with some of them, but I can not say that I have special relations with anyone here in Romania. Few minutes after what happened, three policemen appeared, trying to find out what happened. The driver of Audi was polite and honest enough to explain to them that he hit me from the back (it was also obvious, but you know… not everyone has self respect like this guy has). I was treated by the policemen really politely, they explained to us with details what was the procedure that had to be followed, even helped us to remove the cars from the boulevard, so as not to block the traffic.
I admit that I also called a colleague of mine to come, just to feel sure that I have someone with me in all these, but he didn’t really help a lot, the whole discussion and atmosphere was extremely serious and civilized. I found out that the driver and his friend are from Craiova and they are junior employees to a major multinational company. I envied this company, who has hired such well mannered guys…
Civilized atmosphere are police department
We headed to Calea Grivitei 255, to declare the accident to the police, as we were instructed. There I had another surprise waiting me: The driver of Audi gave his id car, this was scanned and in couple of seconds he received some documents and a paper with the priority number, after all his data was checked by the computer (in Greece we consider all these as “extraterrestrial technology” this is why we don’t use it).
We went to wait in a large, spacious area, which was VERY clean, had music from radio and also bar if someone wanted to drink something! Ok, the whole procedure takes time and it is a bit slow, but I think that this can be fixed by adding some more personnel. In few hours we finished and left, after my car was inspected by the policeman too.
One thing missing: The “friendly declaration of an accident”
I have to admit that all the people around me did all possible so as to treat me like human being, as it happens to western countries too. I am very glad I felt like this, even if it took me some more hours than I expected. The only thing that is missing from the Romanian system to declare an accident, is what we have implemented in Greece and works smoothly since many years now: The “friendly declaration of an accident”. If someone hits someone else and they both agree for who is responsible, they don’t even need to bring the police and lose hours etc. They fill in a document, accept each other’s mistakes, sign it and go with it to the insurance company, together with the photos of the cars too. Like this there is no reason to fight, to wait hours etc. I hope that this will come to Romania soon, as it is a pity the policemen and the drivers to lose their hours when both parties agree for whose fault is the accident.
Was I lucky? Maybe…
I said this story to few friends of mine and everyone told me that I was very lucky. Usually the one who hits you is someone completely irresponsible and rude, who will try to accuse you for his mistake, so as to avoid the penalty. He will swear, try to fight, even threaten you, even if he was wrong. I have to admit that I was happy I didn’t get into a trouble like this. If it happens, of course I will not be smiling as I was with these two polite gentlemen.
But I am happy to find out that the system here in Romania is civilized and works well (even with delays). That there are still polite people around us, who say “sorry” when they make a mistake. That there are also men who don’t have a problem to admit they were wrong, don’t try to trick you in front of your eyes and respect you as person too. We might disagree about how many they are, some will say few, others will say a lot. I am just happy to meet them more and more, it is a sign that there are people who leave back the ugly past and “jungle” manners and deserve the best treatment themselves too.
PS.1. In the end, I didn’t meet my friend, he was busy with his car and then I got busy and tired. As I was never involved in an accident, do you think I should consider him… no, it is just a co incidence.
PS.2. I have only one question: In the police department, where we declare the accidents, I saw several nice ladies wearing a red jacket, black skirt and red boots. Actually one of them was scanning the id card of the Audi driver. Is it a new uniform or something?