Car Update

Dec. 15th, 2010 09:53 am
nohanii: (Default)
On Sunday evening, I went to Kohls with my parents to get some Christmas shopping done. On the way there, the subject of the cars came up. Dad wondered aloud why I don't just drive the new Civic all the time. I responded, "Well, is it yours or mine?" It's pretty obviously not mine, considering their zomg look what we bought! attitude upon returning home with it, as opposed to a surprise! presentation.

That opened up the way for me to talk about my feelings regarding the whole car situation. I've been trying to find an opportunity when we were alone together and Mom and Dad are awake, alert, and relatively stress-free. That night seemed rather favorable.

So, I calmly and quietly stated, "Three days before you came home with the car, we had a conversation. I'd requested to use the settlement money to buy a (rather new) used car for myself, like a Kia. Then you came home with a new car. I know you likely didn't mean it this way, but I feel like this is a punishment for getting my car wrecked. I feel like you are treating me like the accident was my fault."

Dad, of course, objected to the notion that he was punishing me or that it was my fault at all. I guess they just haven't given this situation much thought.

I pointed out that, unless I'm just driving to work or around town, I have to ask for permission to take a car. I also pointed out that I will not have a car when I move out (which will hopefully be soon, but no real plans yet). Yes, Mom's name was on my poor old Civic's title, but mine was on the registration.

During that five minute conversation, we came to an agreement: I get to drive the new Civic (or Acura) as long as I live here. Dad promised that I will be able to use the settlement money to buy myself a replacement car when I move out. That seems rather fair to me, though I would prefer to get my own car ASAP, mostly for the freedom having my own car entails.

I had thought that they were planning to use the settlement to pay off their new car. I have since learned that they are planning to sell the older of the two Acuras (the one I currently drive when the Civic's not available), which will bring them back down to four cars for two people, instead of five. I am much happier with the situation as is stands now with the nearly $8000 settlement promised to me.

Wham

Nov. 12th, 2010 03:11 pm
nohanii: (Default)
I was involved in a 4-car pileup on 880 south this morning. My car is totaled.

Amazingly, all 5 people in the four cars (me, Dan, and the other 3 drivers) are fine. I'm pretty sure I won't be getting my car back, though.

Essentially what happened is, a truck cut off an SUV (car #1) two cars in front of me. #1 may or may not have hit the truck -- I'm not sure because the truck didn't stop with the rest of us. When #1 slammed on its brakes, car #2 tried to stop, but rear-ended it. Nothing major. I, as car #3, managed to stop without hitting #2. I had 1-2 feet of room between the two bumpers. Just as my car was settling from the sudden stop, I was rear-ended by car #4 and pushed into car #2 ahead of me. That momentum caused Dan and I to hit our heads on the headrests, but it was minor. When cars 1 and 2 started pulling over to the side of the road, my car wouldn't go. Dan had to get out and push my car to the shoulder. #4 followed.

Amazingly, no one was angry or yelling. Everyone was calm and worried about everyone else. The driver of #1 got out and went car-to-car to check for injuries. The worst of it was bumped heads and adrenaline shakiness. Two CHP officers arrived and double-checked on everyone. We decided to file an incident report with the CHP, so the officers gathered the drivers' information and took statements. CHP #2 said it didn't look like I was at fault, since car #2 only showed evidence of a single impact. CHP #1 called a tow for me, since I wasn't about to try to drive my car.

We got the car taken to a body shop, where they agreed it would probably be totaled. My passenger-side hood is caved in, the radiator and god knows what else is shoved back towards the cabin, the muffler is knocked out and dragging on the ground, the floor of the trunk is pushed forward and up (again mostly on the passenger side), and there's probably more damage that we couldn't see just from looking at it. You can tell from the damage that car #4 lifted my car from behind when it rear-ended me. After statements were taken and information collected, the other three cars drove off, and I got a tow to an auto body shop, where it is awaiting judgment. The final verdict should come sometime on Monday.

Good news is, a) no one was injured, and b) it still turns on and can be driven. Bad news is, the damage is so extensive that it will more than likely be declared a total loss.

I'm surprised that I'm not more upset about the accident. Since it happened, I've been more... disappointed and sad than angry. This still majorly sucks, though. =/

I'll miss my car.

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Catherine

August 2011

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