Follow-up from yesterday: I checked the trunk of my car, and yep, there was water in it. I'm not sure why I was surprised, given the way my life has gone for the past 10 days.
So, I got on the phone to my insurance company who set me up with a body shop here in town. Turns out, the collision buckled the back quarter of my car, which explains the trunk and bumper issues. $3000 of damages. Once I get a copy of the police report, my insurance company will be in touch with the hitter's insurance company, and in the meantime, I'm in a rental car while mine sits at the body shop. Second time in 2 weeks that I've been in someone else's car. Really getting tired of this.
The real kick in the ass is that I fill up my car, then it either loses a muffler or I get hit from behind. I then have to relinquish my car and take someone else's car. Inevitably, the borrowed car only has a quarter tank of gas in it. So, if you're keeping track, I've now purchased 4 tanks of gas for 3 different cars in the past two weeks. I think that I single-handedly explain Exxon's record profits.
And my neck hurts. It's all so cliche. Minor fender bender, then someone starts yelling "Whiplash!" I wasn't going to see a doctor, but after the trip the body shop uncovered hidden damage to my car, I decided to show the same concern for my own body. Or, maybe I've been watching too much "House" lately. Either way, the road led the doctor. Overpriced x-rays show no problems other than wrenched muscles. Should clear up in a week. I have some good drugs to take the edge off in the meantime. So, no horrible rare disease - though the way my luck has gone lately, I'm not ruling it out. At least I'd get to meet Hugh Laurie.
I finally limped home from an exhausting afternoon, made and ate an enormous plate of pasta, drank some wine, took a pain killer, headed to bed. This morning, I read the following horoscope:
"You won't have any trouble getting what you want; the problem is that you might not know exactly what that is and then blame others. Unless you can define your desires, you won't have much success."
OK, smartass horoscope writers, I'll be perfectly clear. I want my car back in one piece. I do not want anyone to run into me. I do not want anything to break on my car. I want lots of chocolate. And, I want all Valentine's Day crap to burst into flames. There. Defined clearly enough for you?
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
Automotive Blues
Last weekend, I retrieved my car from the doctor, paid the hefty bill, and brought my trusty companion home. I peered under the car, simply to marvel at the shiny new exhaust system. The car was a bit embarrased, but humored me. I optimistically thought, "OK, that's literally behind us and we can move on."
Yesterday, I returned to campus. As I exited the interstate on to the Road of Endless Construction, I yielded oncoming traffic. Unfortunately, the car behind me had different ideas. Yep, you guessed it, BLAM! I believe my exact exclamation went something like, "Jesus Christ, Lady! This is just what I need!" I have to say that I would have expected more cursing coming from me, but there you have it. Diety's name in vain and irony. Good to know that this is how I respond in an emergency.
We got out of our cars and surveyed the damage. All looked fine. She had stopped behind me, but then "her foot slipped off the brake" and she "rolled into me." As the person on the other end of the collision, I think she didn't realize I had stopped and applied some pressure to her accelerator. As I looked at my car's back end, I kept thinking, "If you've damaged the $1500 exhaust system, I'm taking what's left of my car and I'm running you down in the street."
All looked fine, particularly on her car - one of those new sedans that looks like a tank. As I looked at my car, I realized that no, everything wasn't fine. The bumper had come loose and the trunk was no longer in complete alignment. No, it wasn't devestating damage, and yes, I just wanted to continue on my way - but the loud voice in my head kept yelling, "If you let her go, and then find out the trunk isn't water-tight any more, there won't be a damn thing you can do about it." So, we called the cops.
The cop arrived and seemed really annoyed that we had called him out for an accident that clearly didn't meet his criteria for "worthy." He took our information and apologized to the hitter as he handed her a citation. OK, yes, I felt bad that she was getting a ticket, but hey! She hit me! We got back in our cars and headed off. My neck felt a bit stiff, but I thought that it was probably just tension. When I got out of the car, I realized she'd hit me hard enough to jar the sunroof cover loose.
It rained last night so this morning, I'll head out and check the inside of the trunk. My neck is still a bit stiff and my head hurts. I think the headache is related to caffiene, so I'll go get some more coffee. I trust that the neck thing will go away in the next few days. Here's hoping this accident fades into the mist and I'm done with bad luck for a while.
Yesterday, I returned to campus. As I exited the interstate on to the Road of Endless Construction, I yielded oncoming traffic. Unfortunately, the car behind me had different ideas. Yep, you guessed it, BLAM! I believe my exact exclamation went something like, "Jesus Christ, Lady! This is just what I need!" I have to say that I would have expected more cursing coming from me, but there you have it. Diety's name in vain and irony. Good to know that this is how I respond in an emergency.
We got out of our cars and surveyed the damage. All looked fine. She had stopped behind me, but then "her foot slipped off the brake" and she "rolled into me." As the person on the other end of the collision, I think she didn't realize I had stopped and applied some pressure to her accelerator. As I looked at my car's back end, I kept thinking, "If you've damaged the $1500 exhaust system, I'm taking what's left of my car and I'm running you down in the street."
All looked fine, particularly on her car - one of those new sedans that looks like a tank. As I looked at my car, I realized that no, everything wasn't fine. The bumper had come loose and the trunk was no longer in complete alignment. No, it wasn't devestating damage, and yes, I just wanted to continue on my way - but the loud voice in my head kept yelling, "If you let her go, and then find out the trunk isn't water-tight any more, there won't be a damn thing you can do about it." So, we called the cops.
The cop arrived and seemed really annoyed that we had called him out for an accident that clearly didn't meet his criteria for "worthy." He took our information and apologized to the hitter as he handed her a citation. OK, yes, I felt bad that she was getting a ticket, but hey! She hit me! We got back in our cars and headed off. My neck felt a bit stiff, but I thought that it was probably just tension. When I got out of the car, I realized she'd hit me hard enough to jar the sunroof cover loose.
It rained last night so this morning, I'll head out and check the inside of the trunk. My neck is still a bit stiff and my head hurts. I think the headache is related to caffiene, so I'll go get some more coffee. I trust that the neck thing will go away in the next few days. Here's hoping this accident fades into the mist and I'm done with bad luck for a while.
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