I have dented and damaged nearly 20 vehicles since I started driving at 14. It's true. My parents had a little yellow Honda Civic four door station wagon. That vehicle had so many quarter panel repairs my friend started calling it the Banana Split because none of the new yellow sections quite matched anymore. I loved that little car. In high school some big burly friends picked it up in the parking lot turned it sideways then parked their cars around it like a star. I came out of the building to find my car oddly positioned in the parking lot with an array of vehicles around it. My brain still can't quite wrap around that sight.
The last time I was associated with damaging that Honda I was test driving vehicles at a dealership. The sales man and I got out of the car then walked into the showroom to chat. We came back outside to find that the test drive vehicle had rolled into the passenger side door of the Banana Split. We (the sales boy) had not engaged the parking brake apparently. Technically this was his accident and the dealership was responsible. Whew! My dad and I arranged for the repairs then skeedadled home let me tell you! I'm pretty sure my dad never ever returned.
In college I had a blue Ford Pinto. I got rear ended by a bus on my birthday. Another time, in my sporty Chevy Monza, I missed a red light and ran into a nice couple and their car. I'll never forget what the police man said to me after we wrapped up the paperwork, "It's not the drunk driver and it's not the sleepy driver who is most dangerous on the road, it is the emotionally charged driver. Why don't you go get yourself a cup of coffee before heading home." Apparently he was concerned about sending a weeping Tracey back into traffic. My mother sent me flowers after that accident.
Coincidentally the Ford insurance adjuster had changed jobs so we got reacquainted during the Chevy repairs. I forget his name but I'll bet he remembers mine.
Fast forward many miles and a couple cars later (plus I paid my own vehicle insurance). I was large and pregnant with my second baby when I backed my GMC Jimmy into the rear driver's side door of Dave's Buick Regal. Nice big dent that day. Again the water works. Went to blubber the bad news to Dave who, god love him, knew better than to be angry with his hysterical pregnant wife. He gave me a hug but no flowers and sent me on my way.
A couple years later when I traded the Regal in for an amazing blue GMC Suburban (the last of it's kind with a 40 gallon gas tank!) the manager at the dealership just shook his head, bit his tongue and gave us $2000 trade in value for my last victim.
I share this with you today because you may notice a long white stripe of paint on the passenger side rear quarter panel of my black Honda Odyssey. Well, that's just trim paint from the garage. Nothing a good body shop can't buff out.
Jordan, I'll be sending you flowers today.
The last time I was associated with damaging that Honda I was test driving vehicles at a dealership. The sales man and I got out of the car then walked into the showroom to chat. We came back outside to find that the test drive vehicle had rolled into the passenger side door of the Banana Split. We (the sales boy) had not engaged the parking brake apparently. Technically this was his accident and the dealership was responsible. Whew! My dad and I arranged for the repairs then skeedadled home let me tell you! I'm pretty sure my dad never ever returned.
In college I had a blue Ford Pinto. I got rear ended by a bus on my birthday. Another time, in my sporty Chevy Monza, I missed a red light and ran into a nice couple and their car. I'll never forget what the police man said to me after we wrapped up the paperwork, "It's not the drunk driver and it's not the sleepy driver who is most dangerous on the road, it is the emotionally charged driver. Why don't you go get yourself a cup of coffee before heading home." Apparently he was concerned about sending a weeping Tracey back into traffic. My mother sent me flowers after that accident.
Coincidentally the Ford insurance adjuster had changed jobs so we got reacquainted during the Chevy repairs. I forget his name but I'll bet he remembers mine.
Fast forward many miles and a couple cars later (plus I paid my own vehicle insurance). I was large and pregnant with my second baby when I backed my GMC Jimmy into the rear driver's side door of Dave's Buick Regal. Nice big dent that day. Again the water works. Went to blubber the bad news to Dave who, god love him, knew better than to be angry with his hysterical pregnant wife. He gave me a hug but no flowers and sent me on my way.
A couple years later when I traded the Regal in for an amazing blue GMC Suburban (the last of it's kind with a 40 gallon gas tank!) the manager at the dealership just shook his head, bit his tongue and gave us $2000 trade in value for my last victim.
I share this with you today because you may notice a long white stripe of paint on the passenger side rear quarter panel of my black Honda Odyssey. Well, that's just trim paint from the garage. Nothing a good body shop can't buff out.
Jordan, I'll be sending you flowers today.
