Thursday, January 6, 2011

A little wreck is a big hassle

It doesn't look too bad, does it?



We got less than an inch of snow Tuesday afternoon but it was enough to glaze over the roads. Clarence was taking a back way home, after running some errands after work. As he came through a little town west of us, a car couldn't stop at a corner he was passing and ran into him. Thankfully, they were both moving slowly and no one was hurt.

The car doesn't even look too badly damaged, really. Clarence was pushed across the street and hit the opposing curb, which bent the back wheel on the driver's side, but it still doesn't look all that bad.

Clarence put the spare tire on the back so I took it in yesterday for an estimate. That little dent, and a new wheel, will cost well over $3,000.00 to fix. It seems crazy, doesn't it? All that plastic moulding is quite pricey, I was told...like $500 just for the gray plastic for the back door. The guy writing the estimate told me Vibes get totaled, when they aren't all that badly damaged, just because the plastic is so expensive.

Still, there is much to be thankful for...

  • Neither driver was injured.
  • The guy at the bump shop was thorough and treated me well (I always dread the way I'll be treated, being a female going into those male-dominated places).
  • The insurance people have been helpful and the process is moving along.
  • Although the car will take a week or more to fix, it looks like we'll be able to coordinate it with our trip to Florida so we will be inconvenienced a minimal amount.
  • The car is drivable in the meantime, so we don't have to alter our scheduled events.


I wish I could say I was thankful the night it happened. I wasn't. Well, I was thankful that he wasn't hurt. But, all I could think about was how much it was going to inconvenience *me* because Clarence would have to take the van to work and *I'd* be left to figure out all the details of getting it fixed, and *I'd* be the one without transportation and having to cancel/reschedule things. Pretty selfish, eh?

Finding things to be thankful for is my baby step in the right direction.

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4 comments:

  1. I am so glad no one was hurt. It is always an inconvenience to have an accident of any kind....I am sorry it happened to you guys.

    I had a nightmare the other night that I was in an accident because the brakes failed. What a horrible feeling even in a dream. Must have been the Nyquil!

    We are enjoying the goodies you sent us!!!

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  2. Tim was hit by a car backing out of a parking space the week of Christmas. The lady who hit him lied to her insurance and we are still waiting to hear whether they are going to pay for it or not. The estimate was $1,700! Yikes!

    Glad Clarence is okay. I understand about having to deal with all the details. Keep us posted!

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  3. Me too! Doesn't seem selfish to me. I live in dread of something happening to my "classic" car. May I just add that w/o ice this would not have happened!! Glad the vacation plans are still on track. Take a deep breathe and it will all get done. LAS

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  4. not selfish...just honest! i got rear ended a few months ago...it was a total pain! i also could not believe how much it cost to fix the car...luckily the other person's insurance paid!

    we are getting 6 to 10 more inches of snow tonight...as for the soup I made an italian pasta/bean soup and potato (my fav). i hope you all stay warm! i grew up in michigan...i remember those winters!

    xo,

    annie

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Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with me!