Feel my pain....
 

http://ccorlew.blogspot.com/2013/11/...nd-broken.html

I'm OK, it's only emotional pain. But it was an expensive mistake. Very expensive.

So sorry. What kind of pannier/attachment system were you using?

I don't think it was the fault of the panniers. I've had them for ages. I think I just got in a rush (I'm stressed at work, and my sweet wife was out of town, so I'm discombobulated) and didn't pay attention when I attached them in the cold dark morning.
I've had such good customer service from the pannier maker I am replacing mine with a newer model by the same company. That said, the newer ones do have a different attaching system.
My panniers were the now-discontinued Detours Transit model.

Ouch! I had a pannier detach after crossing some railroad tracks one day and I was worried it would get run over before I got it to it. But that's as close as I want to get to your story, I'm glad the lady was nice enough to help you out like she did.

Very nice lady. Could've been much worse having your cards taken..

I've lost them over speed bumps. My usual cargo is clothing for work- clean on Monday and dirty on Friday so nowhere as bad as your damage. I would be bummed.

Nice lady! I've never lost panniers, but the way mine attach it would be next to impossible for them to come off (Avenir Metro). But like Matariki, I only carry lunch and clothes in mine, so there wouldn't be any damage.