Monday, October 6, 2008

Next time....just HIT it!

So yesterday I took a drive to run a few errands. I stopped first at Sonic to get a Route 44 Iced Tea, because after all, it was happy hour and I was being fiscally responsible by saving money on half priced drinks! As I pulled out on to the main drag and accelerated speed, I VERY quickly had to slam on my breaks to avoid a 2 car collision right in front of me. The momentum of my actions sent my 44 ounces of iced tea hurling into the air, but I quickly grabbed the drink, mopped up what I could, and pulled into the nearby McDonald's parking lot. (Mind you, NONE of this would have happened if I would have just stuck with my usual McD's drink).

I shut off my car, and the car would not start for 25 minutes. In tears, I called my ex-husband who is quite knowledgeable about cars and asked him to come help me. After all, there I was, completely stranded, with a Mercedes Benz that won't even start! After many attempts, we got the car started, figured out how to manually override the gear shifter, and drive it in first gear all the way to the Mercedes dealership. Along the way, I called my BFF Erin and just broke down crying hysterically. I was just so tired, and so sick of being sick, and overwhelmed by the brevity of dealing with car decisions all alone, single, and 27.

Last night as I went to bed, I had the distinct presence of mind to say, "God, I truly can't handle this on my own. I give this one to you. I have 450 kids who need me tomorrow, and no financial resources to fall back on, and I need you to help me make sound financial decisions tomorrow." Off to dreamland I drifted.

Needless to say, the estimate came in at $1600.00! YIKES! I quickly called my dad in Indiana, had him call the dealership for me as a MAN and see if he got a different answer, emailed my BFF and begged for her perspective, but proceeded with my day under the knowledge that God was in control.

The prognosis was this: when I slammed on the breaks and the drink fell forward, the liquid fell into the encasement that holds the all computerized gear shaft, fried the computer, and therefore was failing to send messages to the transmission to tell it to drive, reverse, shift gears, etc...apparently the only time this happens is when a drink spills, or someone leaves their sunroof open and it rains on the console. GRRR!!!

I called my insurance agent to see if this could be covered, and after she stopped laughing at me, her response, was "Next time you just avoid slamming on the breaks, and just HIT the car in front of you. That way it will be covered by insurance!!" SERIOUSLY????? Wow!!

When it is all said and done, I have managed to find a great option to help cover these expenses, and my car should be fixed by Thursday. So the moral of the story is.........JUST HIT IT!! Just kidding! DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE.......AT ALL!! :)

1 comment:

Kristie said...

Aw man! That stinks! How sad that the insurance person ACTUALLY told you to hit another car...sheesh. Hope it all turns out ok!