Let's go ahead and give the GOOD news first, huh? My Dad and Step-Mom sent 200 bucks to help out. We thought that would pay for our boy's Hapkido and put a little toward the car payment. Nice, right? Plus, my Epinions check came. There's the rest of the car payment plus my dentist appointment in ten days. Wonderful, huh? Frees up some money for Christmas.
Or the $500 deductible because the brand new car, with my husband in it, got hit by a damned semi.
Okay. Obviously, I've wandered into the BAD news.
Hubby had taken the car out to the Vienna Metro Station because he was running late and missed his local bus. He was on his way home last night, merging onto the 66. Traffic wasn't much moving, just a few miles per hour. An opening appeared in front of the semi. Hubby looked up, the semi came to a complete halt, so hubby slipped in. And then the semi hit the gas and beat the hell out of our car. The driver claims he didn't see my husband, and I'm sure that's true. And that's the crux of the disaster for us--the cop (who didn't want to give any tickets but buckled because the trucker said he had to be able to show his employers a ticket) decided that, since hubby could see the truck but the truck couldn't see him, the ticket would go to hubby. Even though the truck wasn't moving and hubby was merged enough that he was hit by the center of the semi's bumper, not the passenger side edge, as you would expect with a merging hit. It's only a thirty dollar ticket for improper lane travel, but betcha it costs us a hell of a lot more than that in the long run.
So, the new car. The driver's side tail light assembly is shot--cracked lenses, bent frame, etc. The driver's side rear quarter panel is a mess--badly dented, plus a deep, all-the-way-through rent in the metal. The gas cap door is bent and scraped. The cop said "under two thousand," but I'm thinking probably around two grand, perhaps more with the paint. Oh, and the five hundred dollar deductible coming out of the rent paycheck.
What a mess. It really doesn't ever stop.
On the bright side, my husband didn't get sandwiched between the semi and the vehicle ahead. Believe me, that's the thing I keep trying to focus on. Instead of thinking of the Christmas that just got blown to hell or the summer camp promises that just took a ding. I'm scared to death this is going to do a real number on our insurance premiums, especially since we JUST made a claim last week for the windshield. Two claims in a week on a new car? Yeah, that's going to go over great.
Have no idea if the trucker's insurance/employer is going to try to ding us--hubby says there was nothing more than some small scratches on his bumper, but who knows if that's going to turn into something bigger, claims-wise.
Plus, the ticket? The "$30.00 ticket?" Is actually a $92.00 ticket because of the "convenience fee." What the HELL? Just now figured that out. "Convenience?" I gotta tell ya, this doesn't feel at all CONVENIENT to me. In fact, it feels like a giant, aching, throbbing BOIL in an incredibly INconvenient spot!
I'm trying to be positive here--this is a first accident on an otherwise totally clear record. No accident claims against this policy ever, and the policy has been in effect for almost 18 years. Oh, please, we just need a break here!
Or the $500 deductible because the brand new car, with my husband in it, got hit by a damned semi.
Okay. Obviously, I've wandered into the BAD news.
Hubby had taken the car out to the Vienna Metro Station because he was running late and missed his local bus. He was on his way home last night, merging onto the 66. Traffic wasn't much moving, just a few miles per hour. An opening appeared in front of the semi. Hubby looked up, the semi came to a complete halt, so hubby slipped in. And then the semi hit the gas and beat the hell out of our car. The driver claims he didn't see my husband, and I'm sure that's true. And that's the crux of the disaster for us--the cop (who didn't want to give any tickets but buckled because the trucker said he had to be able to show his employers a ticket) decided that, since hubby could see the truck but the truck couldn't see him, the ticket would go to hubby. Even though the truck wasn't moving and hubby was merged enough that he was hit by the center of the semi's bumper, not the passenger side edge, as you would expect with a merging hit. It's only a thirty dollar ticket for improper lane travel, but betcha it costs us a hell of a lot more than that in the long run.
So, the new car. The driver's side tail light assembly is shot--cracked lenses, bent frame, etc. The driver's side rear quarter panel is a mess--badly dented, plus a deep, all-the-way-through rent in the metal. The gas cap door is bent and scraped. The cop said "under two thousand," but I'm thinking probably around two grand, perhaps more with the paint. Oh, and the five hundred dollar deductible coming out of the rent paycheck.
What a mess. It really doesn't ever stop.
On the bright side, my husband didn't get sandwiched between the semi and the vehicle ahead. Believe me, that's the thing I keep trying to focus on. Instead of thinking of the Christmas that just got blown to hell or the summer camp promises that just took a ding. I'm scared to death this is going to do a real number on our insurance premiums, especially since we JUST made a claim last week for the windshield. Two claims in a week on a new car? Yeah, that's going to go over great.
Have no idea if the trucker's insurance/employer is going to try to ding us--hubby says there was nothing more than some small scratches on his bumper, but who knows if that's going to turn into something bigger, claims-wise.
Plus, the ticket? The "$30.00 ticket?" Is actually a $92.00 ticket because of the "convenience fee." What the HELL? Just now figured that out. "Convenience?" I gotta tell ya, this doesn't feel at all CONVENIENT to me. In fact, it feels like a giant, aching, throbbing BOIL in an incredibly INconvenient spot!
I'm trying to be positive here--this is a first accident on an otherwise totally clear record. No accident claims against this policy ever, and the policy has been in effect for almost 18 years. Oh, please, we just need a break here!
Oh, AND? HURRICANE SANDY! Yes, because the good stuff always comes in waves (and high winds, and heavy rains, and . . . you get it). Gonna get a radio, batteries, and a little more water. Wish us luck! Pictures to be posted as they happen. Within reason, of course!
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