Freak accident occurred outside my house - what would you do ?

[Michelle53]

Hi all,

As if 2020 couldn't get any crazier, we had a freak accident occur on our block, last night, while I have guests staying. 

A car, driving too fast, or course, sideswiped two other cars, the driver over-corrected, and her car ended up passenger-door-up, driver-door on the road. Perpendicular.   The driver managed to get out ok, but I didn't see how it happened, I was just awakened by the thud, and the car alarms. 

I looked out of my window to see police cars and a fire truck, and a street full of concerned neighbors.  This occurred around 10.15pm last night, and the street was finally cleared around midnight, by a towtruck. 

I'm not sure if my guests were here or not, but I did check in with them to see if they were ok.  Haven't heard back yet. Their car, thank heavens, wasn't hit, but two other cars on the street were damaged. 

What could I do, as a host, if anything, about this, except to make sure they are ok, and reassure them this is definitely not the norm ??

I feel like 2020 has dealt out some pretty crazy stuff, but this episode is too much for my nerves. Really. 

[Fred13]

The real reason I would not say anything is because an 'accident' by my place would go differently - "Say, did you hear those two big barracudas crash into each other while chasing the same school of bait?" LoL

[Michelle53]

@Sarah977   In essence, I just messaged the guest to make sure they were ok, and said something similar about this being a generally quiet neighborhood, and hoped that the rest of the weekend would be quiet. 

Sadly, I have to admit that, when I ran outside, apart from being shocked to see a car standing on it's driver-side door, my first thought wasn't for the driver, but for my guest's car.    Your message has it in the right order.   It was only after ascertaining that my guest's car was, in fact, parked on

the street, but untouched, that I went on to chat with neighbors about what happened. 

We're so driven by reviews and ratings, and "Guest Experience", I fear I'm losing a sense of the "right thing to do". 

[Sarah977]

@Michelle53 I know, the reviews and ratings seem to govern a lot about the way hosts interact with guests, from my forum reading. I've honestly never thought much about it. I talk to guests the same way I'd talk to neighbors or acquaintances. I just talk to people in a way that comes naturally. 

Maybe it's one of those things where if you just relax and stop fearing that someone will give you a bad review over nothing that has anything to do with you,  they won't actually deem you to be responsible in any way?