It's only money

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#1 Post by **Bob78164** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 2:18 am

I just have to keep reminding myself that no one got hurt, and property can either be repaired or replaced.

I'm now back East for my sister's wedding. We flew into New York because it was significantly cheaper than flying to Philadelphia. From there, I caught a cab to my mother's place, stopped to consume the baked ziti she'd left for us in the refrigerator, and then drove my mother's car to the Philadelphia suburbs.

So I'm heading down the center lane of the Pennsylvania Turnpike at about 10:30 p.m. local time, maybe 20 minutes from my destination, when I see something very large and relatively stationary in the middle of the road. Actually, it was moving slowly right to left, but it was clearly going to be smack dab in the middle of my lane when I got there. I hit the brakes, hard. That was probably a mistake.

The car started to spin, and I couldn't get it under control. We sideswiped the median (nailing both the front and rear corners of the car, while leaving the door apparently untouched), and retained enough momentum to bounce all the way to the right shoulder. The car wouldn't start, which was a problem because while the front of the car was safely off the road, the rear remained jutting out into the right lane. Have I mentioned, by the way, that my mother's car is black?

Ms. 63 remained in California for this trip because we're on an economy kick, so it was just The Little Guy and me. Fortunately, neither of us was hurt at all. The air bags didn't even deploy. A good Samaritan driving an 18-wheeler stopped his truck in the right lane to make sure no one would hit the jutting out portion of our car, and then he helped me push it the rest of the way to the shoulder, and followed up by calling the cops for assistance. We got the car towed and ourselves picked up by another sister (not the one who's getting married), and we're now where we intended to be (albeit light by one car).

In retrospect, by the way, I think the object I saw was tumbleweed. I didn't recognize it in time because I don't think I've ever seen it in Pennsylvania before. My mother and I will now have an argument about money. I've already told her that we will pay the deductible, and she's told me that she won't take our money. I'm honestly not sure which of us will win that argument, but I plan to point out to her that I'd like my son to see a model for taking responsibility when things go wrong. We'll see how that goes.

Happy holidays, everyone! If I don't check in tomorrow, it will be because of the wedding. Hope y'all have a great one. --Bob

hermillion · #2 Post by **hermillion** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 2:52 am

Well, whew! I'm so very glad you and The Little Guy weren't hurt! Prayers of gratitude are being offered.

I hope the rest of your visit is much less eventful -- except, of course, for the main event for which you made the trip in the first place. Happy marriage wishes to your sister!

thguy65 · #3 Post by **thguy65** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 9:01 am

I'm happy that everyone's doing OK.
Best wishes to your sister and the rest of your family.

"Let's be careful out there!"

etaoin22 · #4 Post by **etaoin22** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 9:06 am

Good to hear that what must have been a very scary experience ended reasonably well. Kudos to the good Samaritan trucker. May your sister have a long and happy marriage.

ne1410s · #5 Post by **ne1410s** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 10:33 am

I'm glad everyone is OK.

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #6 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 10:59 am

The important thing is that you and your son weren't hurt!

I hope that the rest of your trip is less eventful.

silverscreenselect · #7 Post by **silverscreenselect** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 11:01 am

A good rule of thumb on this Bored is that anything you can talk about here the next day is something to be thankful for.

Last night, I had my own scary moment, driving home on the interstate from my daughter's house. It was a very heavy pouring rain and everyone was slowed down to 30-40 mph. That is everyone except the 18 wheeler in the lane to the left of me who apparently felt this was a good chance to make up some time and came barreling past at about 70. That wasn't so bad in and of itself, but he managed to splash up a ton of water right into my windshield (and I'm sure the windshield of everyone else he passed along the way). There was about three seconds where I was just praying that I didn't swerve, he didn't swerve, nobody else swerved or hit the brakes or that there was something ahead of me that I couldn't see. Fortunately, the moment passed.

Glad to hear you made it through, even though your moment was a lot scarier than mine was.

BackInTex · #8 Post by **BackInTex** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 11:26 am

Wow Bob. Glad everything is O.K. and no one was hurt.

I hope the rest of your holidays are brighter.

SportsFan68 · #9 Post by **SportsFan68** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 11:39 am

A Denver friend got his Honda totalled while it was parked (!) in front of his house. Would probably have cost about $2,000 to fix. He was steamed -- really liked the car, and brand-new snow tires all the way around.

Bob Juch · #10 Post by **Bob Juch** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 11:58 am

Bob78164 wrote:I just have to keep reminding myself that no one got hurt, and property can either be repaired or replaced.

I'm now back East for my sister's wedding. We flew into New York because it was significantly cheaper than flying to Philadelphia. From there, I caught a cab to my mother's place, stopped to consume the baked ziti she'd left for us in the refrigerator, and then drove my mother's car to the Philadelphia suburbs.

So I'm heading down the center lane of the Pennsylvania Turnpike at about 10:30 p.m. local time, maybe 20 minutes from my destination, when I see something very large and relatively stationary in the middle of the road. Actually, it was moving slowly right to left, but it was clearly going to be smack dab in the middle of my lane when I got there. I hit the brakes, hard. That was probably a mistake.

The car started to spin, and I couldn't get it under control. We sideswiped the median (nailing both the front and rear corners of the car, while leaving the door apparently untouched), and retained enough momentum to bounce all the way to the right shoulder. The car wouldn't start, which was a problem because while the front of the car was safely off the road, the rear remained jutting out into the right lane. Have I mentioned, by the way, that my mother's car is black?

Ms. 63 remained in California for this trip because we're on an economy kick, so it was just The Little Guy and me. Fortunately, neither of us was hurt at all. The air bags didn't even deploy. A good Samaritan driving an 18-wheeler stopped his truck in the right lane to make sure no one would hit the jutting out portion of our car, and then he helped me push it the rest of the way to the shoulder, and followed up by calling the cops for assistance. We got the car towed and ourselves picked up by another sister (not the one who's getting married), and we're now where we intended to be (albeit light by one car).

In retrospect, by the way, I think the object I saw was tumbleweed. I didn't recognize it in time because I don't think I've ever seen it in Pennsylvania before. My mother and I will now have an argument about money. I've already told her that we will pay the deductible, and she's told me that she won't take our money. I'm honestly not sure which of us will win that argument, but I plan to point out to her that I'd like my son to see a model for taking responsibility when things go wrong. We'll see how that goes.

Happy holidays, everyone! If I don't check in tomorrow, it will be because of the wedding. Hope y'all have a great one. --Bob

I'm glad that's all that happened.

Please warn me before you drive back to New York.

kayrharris · #11 Post by **kayrharris** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 12:08 pm

I thought it might have been a deer. Glad you're OK - the car can be repaired.
Be careful the rest of the trip!

a1mamacat · #12 Post by **a1mamacat** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 3:56 pm

good to hear that all that was damaged was the car.

Just bypass Mom and send the deductible to her ins. co. Don't even tell her LOL

cindy.wellman · #13 Post by **cindy.wellman** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 8:19 pm

Bob - How very scary! I'm so glad that you and li'l numbers are doing ok.

SSS - Your story wasn't any less scary. I'm glad you are ok as well. I absolutely hate that raw feeling of being 100% scared. What a long, long 3 seconds that must have been.

silverscreenselect wrote:A good rule of thumb on this Bored is that anything you can talk about here the next day is something to be thankful for.

That really puts things into perspective! Thanks!

ghostjmf · #14 Post by **ghostjmf** » Thu Dec 25, 2008 8:55 pm

You are so lucky. When I read through this at 1st, I thought there must be ice involved, because there is so much around, but you didn't mention any. If there was no ice it was a very bad car thing to happen, but hey, my wheels sometime spin just on the "right" kind of wet surface coming out of a braked position, so who am I to talk.

Very lucky. So glad no-one was hurt.

#15 Post by **Bob78164** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 11:21 am

Bob78164 wrote:I just have to keep reminding myself that no one got hurt, and property can either be repaired or replaced.

It'll be replaced. They totaled the car. --Bob

MarleysGh0st · #16 Post by **MarleysGh0st** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:18 pm

I'm glad you and The Little Guy (didn't he change his nickname to Sparky?) are OK. Wednesday was a nasty day for driving. Damn those Pennsylvania tumbleweeds!

(Actually, I think Kay's impression is right, in that deer do outnumber tumbleweeds by a significant margin, here in the east.)

Bob Juch · #17 Post by **Bob Juch** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 8:02 pm

MarleysGh0st wrote:I'm glad you and The Little Guy (didn't he change his nickname to Sparky?) are OK. Wednesday was a nasty day for driving. Damn those Pennsylvania tumbleweeds!

(Actually, I think Kay's impression is right, in that deer do outnumber tumbleweeds by a significant margin, here in the east.)

Today would be worse. Visibility is about 1/8 mile due to fog. It's worse up here; about 100 feet.

Weyoun · #18 Post by **Weyoun** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:13 am

Glad you are okay. I hate that damn turnpike.

peacock2121 · #19 Post by **peacock2121** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:13 am

So glad you are both fine.

I would love to hear the story your son tells.

"The day daddy spun us around"

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