You know how when you're young you have so many questions that may be trivial, and usually aren't answered? Well, I had one of those questions answered today.
Question: How do all those giant orange free standing road construction signs get all scrapped up, you know - with the corners bent and such?
Answer: People hit them! People like me.
The true story is that today after getting gas at the station pretty near my house my car wouldn't start. So, after eliminating several possible problem, and even attempting to jump start it just in case I called AAA who graciously came out to see what was up. A solid thump to the under belly of my car while I was turning it on allowed my car to start. Hoping to not have to be towed, I opted to try to drive it to my auto repair place after the AAA guy diagnosed it as a probable fuel pump failure. Well...I almost made it to the dealership...About two exits from the shop I felt the pump fail and the car start to coast. Knowing this might happen I was already in the right hand lane of the highway, and threw on my 4way blinkers as I went to break.
Sheer dread mixed with panic when I realized that I was breaking and the car wasn't stopping. Not only that, but I was approaching an orange highway sign. I still calmly decided that I'd coast around the sign then back onto the shoulder since the car was still moving. My adrenaline was defiantly going at this point. I went to gently steer the car around the sign to find that my steering wheel was locked. I calmly FREAKED. It was all an internal freaking that included my repeated hitting the breaks, shifting the car into neutral, trying the break some more, and ultimately hitting the giant sign. Let me just say that those things a pretty big up close. It bashed in my right mirror shattering the glass, and at this point I wasn't sure what it did to my paint. I could only imagine an orange streak running the length of my car (shudders). I'm still coasting, although I've slowed down quite a bit, and I see another sign up ahead. I know you shouldn't do this, but please I didn't know what else to try; I threw the car into park, but STILL it kept rolling, so back to neutral I put it thinking that this might be one of those times like in the movie Speed where I cut a hole in my frame and lower myself out of the car. Finally, I managed to get the parking break up, and we stopped. It took me a minute for my hands to stop shaking, haha - don't laugh - yours would have been too!
Sorry for the long story, but in the end my car was safely towed I was picked up by my sister, and there was only a tiny scratch from hitting the sign (aside from the broken mirror). WOOT! Unfortunately, I'm suppose to work tomorrow through Tuesday before I leave to see my family. My car won't even get looked at until Monday, and depending on whats wrong I may or may not be trying to get a new car...Oh the joys....
The nice AAA lady was so sweet and when I called the second time she was like "Awww, sweety you're just having a bad day aren't you!" That was the understatement of the year...It could have been worse, and I've been able to laugh about it, so I guess it could have been worse. I will keep you updated on whether or not my car is getting repaired or if I'm getting a used car...
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