Griffith Park (ing lot)

I do most of my runs in Griffith Park. I prefer running on the horse trails rather than the roads for several reasons: The packed dirt is softer than pavement and is easier on the knees. The trails are more level side-to-side than the roads - easier on the hips. And I don't have to worry about cars on the horse trail. Or so I thought.

I was finishing up a long run when I saw a white jeep/minvan pull out from the left on to the trail about 200 feet ahead. I thought this was odd, since to my left was a chain-link fence, 20 feet of "woods", and a freeway. It took me longer than it should have to realize "hey, he just crashed off the freeway."

I ran up to the driver and asked if he was OK. There was glass everywhere, and although he was a bit bloody the cuts turned out to be minor. He said he was fine but asked if I could open the door for him from the outside. There was no door handle. The entire driver's side of the car had been crushed in about 6-inches and the handle was sheared off. He had to get out the passenger side.

I guess what happened is that this guy was rear-ended by another car, which must have been going pretty fast considering that the entire front end of that car turned into an accordion. Car number two ran off the freeway, sideswiped a tree (destroying the driver's side) and crashed through the fence on to the horse trail.

Driver number one had some possible minor whiplash but no serious injuries.

I went back later and took a picture of the location. You might think "sure is lucky that he was able to drive through that clearing." But he actually created the clearing when his car plowed through the brush. He WAS lucky that he only sideswiped the tree in the center of the picture rather than hit it head on.Lesson learned: for safety's sake, stay off the trails and run in the middle of the road instead. It's safer.