another $1000 down the tubes
 

I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop since Tuesday night.

On my way home after work at 10:30 at night, I was stuck in traffic behind an accident on 676. sat for 10 minutes dead still. then it cleared. just like that. passed over a pile of cat litter or something where the accident had been, but saw no cars. Just cops on the shoulder. great. Off we go. ..... and then we stop!

well, most of us did. I stopped slightly less quickly than the car in front of me, unfortunately. I rear ended an old Taurus with a family of 4 in it. goddamn it.

air bag didn't go off, it didn't hurt.... and I couldn't even tell where I had hit her car. (funny, they live in a trailer park right near Honey Brook where jinx and I had our first apartment)... but my car ( the fucking Juke I was so enjoying) lost 90% of it's power... it felt like i had the clutch in 2/3 of the way, but it's an auto trans.

I limped it onto the shoulder, got out and went to see if everyone was ok. The little girl in the back seat had a bump on her head, but said she was ok. (they wound up taking her to Children's Hosp as a precaution anyway) A philly cop rolled up just then, but they were transporting a prisoner, and it was State Po Po juris anyway, so they called State Police to respond. They just happened to be about 1/4 mile back up the road, so they were right there in a hurry. I looked at my car, and the damage looked negligible there too... but I was not going to try driving it with 10% power on the Schuylkill Expressway, so they called a tow truck. He also arrived very quickly. I guess I finally made the traffic report on KYW... they had to close the east bound ramp to 76 for about 20 minutes.

Now, apparently, 'get this car off the highway' translates to 'take it to the PPA lot in South Philly' ...and tell the stupid prick that wrecked it to get out of the tow truck and come back for the car tomorrow.

I was surprised. I'm like.. Ok, now what? and dude says... 'well, you call someone to come get you.' ...The little building there is dark and closed, and this area is basically abandoned at night.

SO.... at 11:30pm, I'm standing near Oregon and Columbus ave waiting to be rescued. I wonder what happens to a little old lady that has no friends, or cell phone? My ride got there 5 minutes later because I had been in touch from just after the accident... but damn. that's cold hearted, dawg.

anyway, it took my service department 3 tries to get the paperwork and $check amount right in order to retrieve the car from the parking authority. Finally got my dealer tag and phone charger back on Friday, and today they got it up on a lift and determined that although it didn't LOOK too bad, it is pretty fucked up under there. I was hoping to get the car back and for the damage to be less than $1000.... but no such luck. One more thing coming out of my already paltry take home pay.

I keep telling myself that it could have been much worse. No one was hurt, and all that... so I'm lucky, right? RIGHT?

worst part was that it ruined my plans with my kids the next day as I had to go to work and get a new car to drive.

I'm glad you're OK Jim.

That sucks though. $1000!

yeah... i just got done paying for that altima I cracked up last summer. [/dumbass]

I'm glad you're OK, and that everyone else is OK.

Speaking as a commuter, does your job offer safe driving lessons?

Dang, that sucks. Sorry man. I am glad you're okay though.

lol... no, sadly, they don't.
you've seen my commute, right? this happened right where this clip starts (at 5:33 to be precise), but coming the opposite direction.


that video was shot on a 4th July 2010, and there's no traffic. This happened at 10:30 at night on my way home after working 13.5 hours. Might be that my reaction time was a little slow. It's funny, in my minds eye, I can see the brake lights of the car in front of the Taurus I hit shining through the windows of the Taurus. I'm wondering if maybe, their brake lights were not functioning. I didn't notice it at the time, and after rear ending her, it would have been hard to say if that was the reason I hit her. Fact is, I did. so it's my fault. After 7 years of driving this commute, you'd think this would have happened by now. They call the road the 'Sure Kill' for a reason.

I understand that. A little sensitive today...this morning's commute was really bad. Maybe visibility to just the car ahead of you. Then there are those who want to ride on your ass (failure to assure clear distance) and I try to leave some space between me and a car in front of only so someone in an all fire hurry can jump into that space and stop and go with the rest of us. There were (again) a bunch of accidents again this morning and I've had a headache all day.

The construction zone fix is a long-term thing that they are doing to fix "malfunction junction." The thing is, when the retaining walls start pushing everyone into two lanes, the impatient people act like it's everyone else's fault...and often cause those accidents. There's nowhere to go.

I understand too that there are "accidents." Like I said, I'm rethinking my entire routine right now, so sick of the commute I am.

I didn't want to cast aspersions on you...maybe just a reminder to everyone that the life you save may be your own. Or mine. Or my nieces or nephews.

I really am glad you're OK. I hope you know that.

I'm just :( and :zzz:

ah, see.. I thought you were just breaking my balls.

On that road, like you said above, if you stay back to a safe distance, some asshole will run up the right lane, and jam into the space anyway, so you're forced to follow at a 1 second margin. I've been doing it for 7 years, like I said, and have had a couple close calls.. but these cars stopped freaking DEAD. The lady I hit said she thought she was going to hit the car in front of her, but just missed it. I didn't hit hard enough to push her into it either.

I'm glad I'm OK, too. Thanks for that...and to glatt and clobble too.

Ugh. Do you ever get sick of it?

I seem to have lost some fearlessness. Maybe it's just the past few weeks with the rain and stuff, but I keep wondering if it's even worth it. (See $6 gas prices thread.)

I don't break balls, but I might bust your chops. ;)

Jim, that sucks so hard about the car but I AM VERY GLAD that you (and the others) are ok.

oh, yeah... i get sick of it. I used to have a real good reason to do what I do.

I just saw the initial estimate. $5990. gawd.

thanks bri!

Glad it was only stuff and not folks.

I am glad you are alright Jim.

The Sure-kill is renowned for being a car eater. Sorry Jim. Time to look into that organic d*pe operation?

Sorry to hear that Jim. What you going to do now to get to work?