Thursday, January 27, 2011

My Streak Has Ended

For the first time ever in my life, I dialed 9-1-1. Yep, that's right. 911.  This is something I think all of us hope they never have to do. Or least hope you never have to do on your own behalf or the behalf of someone you know.  I dialed on my own behalf. 
Fender Bender. Well, actually, more like Rear Ender. And I hate to say it, but I was the rear-er, not the rear-ee.
No I was NOT on my cell.
However, just as pathetic, I was on my GPS. To a location I know only too well. Honestly, people, I feel like such a dolt. My GPS was "Recalculating" and it threw me, because there was no need to recalculate. I knew this route. GPS knew this route. So I was messing with it and when I looked up 2 seconds later, traffic had come to a STANDSTILL. I saw the ever looming back end of the car in front of me and I knew, at my speed I wasn't going to be able to stop in time. I slammed on the breaks, which lessened the impact, the airbags didn't deploy. The person I hit pulled into a parking lot. I followed. Everything was so surreal.
Me:"OMG. Are you ok??"
Guy I Hit: "Yes, you?"
Me: "Just a heart attack."
He chuckled.
My Van's front end was mushed all to heck and back.
GIH: "I guess the handicap mount for the wheel chair took most of the hit." (i saw no wheel chair mount, but ok) Do you have a cell phone?"
Me: "Do you know the number to the police? Or should I just dial 9-1-1??"
GIH: "Um just dial 9-1-1."

People, I have never, EVER had to do this before. 36.5 years old and I have never had to call the cops. I think that is pretty amazing. Have I been in accidents before? Yes. Twice I was clipped on the back. The first time it was not my fault and since I was young, and he was young, we agreed to not call the cops. The second time I was clipped, I felt it wasn't my fault, but the other guy said I pulled out in front of him. I swear to God the guy was not there when I pulled out and considering where he hit me, the very back tail of my truck, it was his fault. That time the cops were called, I'm not sure by who since I didn't have a cell then. I don't even remember if my insurance went up. I don't even remember if I got points on my license. I do remember paying the $270 ticket. Since the police didn't come this time, it is up to me and GIH to go to the station and file a report. The cops said since no one was injured, they didn't have to come. Filing this report is the last thing I'm looking forward to doing.
The absolute WORST part of it? It was my mom's car.  My mom's car that I wouldn't let F drive because he backed it into the house with it and then thought because it was my mom, we didn't need to have it fixed. Uh, no. So I was driving it. We were borrowing it because our van began to die and since my mom is wintering in the south, she didn't need it.  It was the second day I was driving it. TWO DAYS after my mom, great woman that she is, put the insurance back on it, I get in an accident. I feel so incredibly low about it. As though I can't be trusted with the family car.  It is even worse because it was totally preventable. I didn't slide on black ice, or in the snow, I allowed myself to be distracted.  I would like to point out however, that part of the problem is that F won't let me mount the GPS on the window like you are suppose to. Instead, it is propped up down in the ashtry. So I have to looke DOWN at it. If I had been looking UP at it, I think I may have seen this coming and been able to react better. (moving past me being petty..........NOW.)
My body is starting to complain. I am especially tender where the seat belt crossed my chest. Where I also happened to have a hair clip attached to my shirt.  No bruising, yet.  Just real achy. It is my punishment for my bad behavior. I deserve this. The second her car is fixed, it is going back into her garage, where it belongs. This accident has propelled F and I to the decision to go ahead and get our van fixed and hope to hell it last for at least a few more years.
Like I told my mom, who assured me via e-mail that she "still loves" me, this makes up for me not wrecking the family car when I was teen. Right?  RIGHT??


This ad isn't so funny anymore. Let me tell ya.

1 comment:

April said...

Hey DH I have been thinking about you. Email me please?? aprilsreignblog at gmail dot com. Want to check in on F's extended family. Are you getting what I am trying to say?? I'm codependent. I think we have established that.