Or an exceedingly firm shove in the back.
Had gotten through with my meeting, made a run to the store for nothing of consequence, was waiting to turn right into traffic and WHAM!
A girl in a Chevy pickup truck rammed into the back of me.
Luckily, she wasn't going that fast, but it was enough to send my rear bumper askew, and worse, to do something that made the engine start running like a washing machine full of bowling balls. Couldn't get the transmission into Park, either.
Crap.
Called the police, waited, a motorcycle cop showed up and took our information and wrote up his report (which won't be available until Monday), and then waited until the tow truck showed up. Got flat-towed over to Royal Volvo, waited for the service guy to get me written up, got a ride back here, and I just realized that I don't have anything like a piece of paper or form that says Royal has my car, and that is it MY car, and not to give it to some bum who walks in off the street (because bums LOVE 20 year old Volvos), AND I don't have my parking deck card, and I didn't realize the police report wouldn't be ready until Monday, so I didn't worry about getting the girl's name and phone number and insurance company because the cop said it would be on the report and I figured I could pick it up tomorrow.
AND all I can think about is what will happen if her insurance is some company that consists of a desk, an answering machine, and a Bahamian bank account.
But other than that, it was a very nice morning.
Posted by Terry Oglesby at June 13, 2007 11:07 AMBummer. That really sucks.
Posted by: Nate at June 13, 2007 11:09 AMI'm just glad I didn't run into something. And that I'm not hurt--that I know of. Unless I can get John Edwards to help me break into that Other America I keep hearing about.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 13, 2007 11:15 AMI'm really sorry to hear about that accident--while relieved you are not hurt yourself, I hope your car eventually gets restored back to its pre-accident state! Hopefully the other driver does have REAL insurance.
Posted by: Stan at June 13, 2007 11:22 AMHate to hear about your misfortune. Bummer when your favorite ride gets banged up. Better go see a doctor and get that whip-lash checked out!
Posted by: BillW at June 13, 2007 11:32 AMAfter reading this blurb, I might be looking at more than just a pain in the neck, but one in the posterior, as well.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 13, 2007 11:40 AMJust make sure she doesn’t get John Edwards. He might “prove” you were just another well off white guy illegally waiting for a light to change.
Posted by: jim at June 13, 2007 11:49 AMOh no! I'm just glad you weren't hurt.
Posted by: Kathy at June 13, 2007 11:57 AMYeah, bummer ... dude. Did being in a Volvo make a difference in how you and the car survived, compared to being in, say, your daughter's car? Did you get hard enough to deploy airbags (if you had had them, knowing that the Volvo does not have them)? Glad to hear you're OK and close to normal, whatever that is.
Posted by: Marc V at June 13, 2007 11:58 AMEeeeeyoowch. Sorry to hear about the fender-bender and the bowling ball machinitis. Hope she didn't mess up something you spent hours of moronitude fixing.
Glad you're OK.
Posted by: skinnydan at June 13, 2007 12:10 PMThanks, everyone! Marc, it really didn't look like it did anything to my car, although her front bumper was caved in. Not sure if she did that on my car or someone else she hit in the past. If I'd been in a car with air bags, they shouldn't have gone off since I was hit in the stern, but even if I'd been the offending driver, it probably wasn't fast enough to set anything off.
And Skinnydan, I hope it's not something I spent hours on, as well. I'm hoping it just knocked loose a connection somewhere on the engine that's causing it to vibrate like that. Still not sure what the problem with the tranny might be.
::sigh::
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 13, 2007 12:40 PMSounds like a little driveline misalignment. I'm glad you're OK and that Volvos are built like tanks.
Same thing happened to me years ago in an earlier 244 - hit from the rear by a Rover 3500, sufficient to cannon me into the car in front, damaging it. The insurance claim went all the way down the line as well. The front guy had to claim from me and I had to claim both from the Rover guy. Immensely difficult process.
Posted by: kitchen hand at June 13, 2007 06:50 PMYikes. Glad you are ok. If the insurance people become too difficult a lawyer might become necessary. Not that I know any in Alabama, but they are useful creatures once in a while.
Posted by: Jordana at June 14, 2007 09:17 AMKitchen Hand, you just decribed what would have been the worst case scenario--I'm so fortunate that there was no one coming and that I didn't get bunted into them.
And Jordana, I'm keeping all my options open. And looking for some particularly hungry and aggressive sorts who enjoy playing with insurance corporations.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 14, 2007 09:24 AM