Some days are just car wrecks
Mar. 16th, 2011 06:03 pmI love my car. I bought it new 17 years ago, and it runs great (mostly). I realize that with slightly over 225,000 miles on it I'm going to need a new one fairly soon, but even though I've started saving a new car just isn't my budget. Today, with that in mind, I went a slightly longer yet safer way to head to work, and found myself stopped at a red light at a big intersection close to work. I mention this because had I gone the regular way I would have missed the red light and not been there.
I was sitting at the red light minding my own business when I looked up and thought, "Those two cars are going to hit--" and then I saw the two cars spinning in circles across the intersection. I thought, "I hope those two cars don't hit me" milliseconds before they did, in fact, slide into me.

My car is the white one on the left.
Only the front left fender and the bumper are damaged, but my car is 17 years old. The insurance adjuster was nice, but she said it's very likely that once the other two finish fighting over who was at fault they're going to want to claim my car isn't worth fixing. I may be getting a new car sooner rather than later. We'll see.
I, by the way, am fine, though a little shell-shocked.
I was sitting at the red light minding my own business when I looked up and thought, "Those two cars are going to hit--" and then I saw the two cars spinning in circles across the intersection. I thought, "I hope those two cars don't hit me" milliseconds before they did, in fact, slide into me.
My car is the white one on the left.
Only the front left fender and the bumper are damaged, but my car is 17 years old. The insurance adjuster was nice, but she said it's very likely that once the other two finish fighting over who was at fault they're going to want to claim my car isn't worth fixing. I may be getting a new car sooner rather than later. We'll see.
I, by the way, am fine, though a little shell-shocked.
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Date: 2011-03-17 01:22 am (UTC)If it's only the bumper and fender,
Date: 2011-03-17 01:38 am (UTC)I'm very thankful you're still OK, but I recommend a hot bath (hot tub recommended) and an NSAID (Non Steriod Anti Inflammatory Drug) to ward off stiffness.
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Date: 2011-03-17 01:39 am (UTC)I'm relieved you are OK. Be sure to baby your neck, though. All that snapping cannot be good for it,
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Date: 2011-03-17 01:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 01:51 am (UTC)It's wonderful that that's about it -- meaning you and no one with you was hurt. Wonderful.
Love, C.
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Date: 2011-03-17 03:34 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2011-03-17 02:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 03:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 03:08 am (UTC)---L.
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Date: 2011-03-17 03:41 am (UTC)Holy crap!
Date: 2011-03-17 03:46 am (UTC)Sue em for erectile dysfunction and ear wax injury!
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Date: 2011-03-17 04:56 am (UTC)Twice I have found myself in the situation where the insurance company either doesn't want to fix my car or is offering way more than what it would cost to replace it. In the first, I got estimates (the frame wasn't bent so it was reparable, just really old), salvaged the car and got it repaired myself. Not pretty, but got another 50K miles out of it.
In the second case, the frame was bent. However, I presented repair records to show the car had been meticulously maintained, and was able to negotiate a substantially greater compensation than their original offer.
Good luck!
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Date: 2011-03-17 05:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 05:09 am (UTC)I remember when you bought that car. Has it really been 17 years? Good grief. Tempus fugit all over the place . . .
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Date: 2011-03-17 05:35 am (UTC)As I told Chaz, use your painkiller tablet of choice tonight (aspirin/tylenol). It'll help you sleep and will hopefully help with any bit of trauma your muscles got when they tensed as you saw the impact coming.
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Date: 2011-03-17 05:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 05:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 05:46 am (UTC)HUGS. Glad you're okay.
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Date: 2011-03-17 06:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 07:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 10:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 11:18 am (UTC)Infuriating about the car. And does that leave you without a car for the time being (is that even legal in California)?
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Date: 2011-03-17 03:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 02:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 04:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-19 01:27 am (UTC)You may also point out to the insurance that prior to the accident, it was a great condition. They should pay you enough to get a car of equal condition.