Sonata has had some stresses the last two weeks.

I started to drive but then changed my mind about merging into traffic on US 19 late one night.
An SUV tapped me and kept driving.
I was shocked they didn't stop.
I got onto the road and realized that I was behind the car.
They didn't have tags.
I kept following them.
I called my husband, no answer.
Stopped at a light, realized they had a temporary tag with plastic over it.
Was able to read the number.
I didn't know what to do.
I had the tag number, was it safe to go home and deal with this later?
I called my insurance company to ask, no answer.
I called the sheriff's department.
She told me to be careful and transferred me to the correct county's office.
I explained what happened.
Told them I don't know if I had any damage, since didn't stop to look.
I chose to follow the car.
She said it didn't matter how much damage, it's illegal to leave the scene.
I kept remembering reading here about Sonata's bumpers withstanding bumps.
Eventually the sheriff's cars caught up with us.
I pulled over so the deputy could get behind the SUV.
Another deputy got to me.
It had started to rain.
I am sitting in my car, telling the deputy what happened, while wiping the water off the door.
He got a message over the radio and told me to follow him, that we were going to meet the other cars.
We drove to a school parking lot and there were four sheriff cars there.
It turned out to be a 16 year old girl who had her license for a month.
She didn't even know she hit me.
She was very nice, apologized.
I told her I was fine.
It was a light enough tap.
My Sonata doesn't have a scratch.

Then this week-end I was out of town for a company retreat.
I was driving with a spouse of a co-worker to the mall.
Lots of traffic in an area we were not familiar with.
Looking for the road to turn and saw the car in front had stopped.
I slammed the brakes.
The Mercedes behind me honked.
I saw me still moving forward.
But the Sonata stopped in time.
Wonder how much tread I wore off?

Let's hope the Sonata's luck hangs in there.

I'm glad you're Ok. We love you!.


"According to a Dateline NBC study, part of US 19 in Florida is the most dangerous road in the United States. A Florida Highway Patrol test period beginning in 1998 and ending in 2003, as mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, showed the stretch of US 19 from Pasco County to Pinellas County to average approximately 52 deaths a year, or 262 deaths in the 5 year duration of the study. 100 of these deaths were pedestrian related making US 19 the #1 worst road to walk on in these two counties.[3]

US 19 remains independent of I-75, even as the routes converge on Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida. The route is co-signed with US 27 between Capps and Perry, Alternate U.S. 27 between Perry and Chiefland, US 98 between Perry and Chassahowitzka, and Interstate 275 over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge over the mouth of Tampa Bay".

Looks like both you and your Sonata can take it and bounce back. Glad you're not hurt, young lady. :clap:

16 year old newbie driver behind a the wheel of an SUV. When will the madness stop??

-N- :thumbsup:

Good writing, Suzanna. I enjoyed it much. Happy ending is still good for the soul...

BTW, did that teenage girl get a ticket for "leaving the scene"?

Nope, the sheriff just filled out the "exchange of information" form.
Since no damage, and I guess I really couldn't prove she hit me.

Her dad gave her a safe car - 2000 Lexus SUV.
Benefit of the doubt that she really didn't know/feel it.
She seemed sincere.
And hopefully she will look both ways from now on.

Suzanna,
I'm impressed you went to such effort. :thumbsup: I probably would have just written down the plate number and went from there. Do you carry a firearm? :w00t: No, come to think about it I probably would have followed them too, just to ram them with MY car. Retribution....this IS Montana....the wild west. :banana:

Glad you're ok. Do you have a single sister in the NW? :whistling:

hey fellow tampa person. Where do you live abouts?

Where on 19 did it happen?

I live in New port richey. Trinity area. Pasco County.

Of course, all Floridians Carry, most legally. Unlike Montana
there is a great amount of Crime In the Sunshine State. :clap:

Suzanna, im glad your "abs" work. Looks like those sit-ups are working for you :thumbsup:

wahka wahka wahka :P

Tampa area drivers are just horrible to begin with so it's no surpise that US19 is the worst road in America. I just got my Santa Fe and almost got hit several times already due to other drivers. Once I had to get into the other lane and gun it to avoid being rear ended by a driver that wouldn't have been able to stop in time. Down here you need to be a very defensive driver, with offense thrown in as well.

I live in Tampa but work in Tarpon Springs.
I was at the stop sign on Live Oak waiting to get on US 19.