Fender Bender

I like to consider myself to be a safe driver... fast, yes but very safe. But even fast, safe drivers are bound to have accidents. For instance, before yesterday the only collision I had ever been involved in was when I was hit by a house. I kid you not! An 18-wheeler was pulling half of a double-wide mobile home around a corner (that was obvious to everyone watching he wouldn't clear) when the house started getting really close to my car (I was stopped on the street that he was turning onto... a very narrow two-lane road.) I tried to back up, but there was a line of cars behind me. Rather than stopping to wait for me to move, the driver kept right on making his turn and sat there and watched while my car was slowly pushed off of the road by his house (during the process of which my windshield was broken, side mirror dislocated, front bumper removed and side door given a new, very stylish concave design.) Fortunately, my mom and I were fine and the driver's company just paid for everything up front rather than having me file a claim with their insurance. No harm done.

But as luck would have it, I had another accident yesterday (also while I wasn't moving... I'm noticing a pattern here.) But the real kicker? I wasn't even driving my car! I was test-driving a brand new Saturn Outlook! I wasn't even planning on buying one (yet), I just love the car and decided to take one for a spin while mine was getting an oil-change and inspection. I was in Lewisville, about to get on the service road to I-35 to head back to the dealership when, just as I started to pull out, this black car shot out of nowhere and almost crashed into the car that I was going to pull out of behind. Well, any SAFE (and sane) driver would apply the brakes so as not to RUN INTO that little black car or the car behind it that had to slam on his brakes. Following which there was a nice little SLAM! sound as our car was pushed forward several inches by the SUV behind us. Fortunately, there was more damage done to his car than the Outlook (especially since the cop asked in a very joking manner "So, is this one of those "You break it, you buy it" kind of deals?" (ha, ha.... nice one) But the thing that really got to me was when the guy WHO RAN INTO US proceeded to yell at ME and tell me in some very strong language that there was no traffic and that I need to learn how to drive. I tried to tell him in the nicest voice that I could muster that, as far as I'm aware, the rules of the road state that, at a yield sign, you can't go unless the car in front of you goes... period... the end. (He didn't like that too much.) Those of you who know that I don't like confrontations also know that it isn't because I'm afraid of them but because I always rise to the occasion and make matters worse. I must say that I'm very proud of my performance yesterday. Given the circumstances, I only yelled back at him a very little bit (I mean, don't tell me that your running into me was MY fault, but if you're going to insist on it, at least take your stinking bluetooth phone piece off of your ear before you do it!!!!) Needless to say, I sat in the car while waiting for the police officer to show up. What's the moral of this story? I give the Saturn Outlook 5 stars on its safety features as I have tested them personally! :-)