A bumper and a tire

So this is what I did this morning. I was merging into traffic and caught the back end of a flat bed trailer. The trailer wasn't damaged. I actually saw the trailer at one point, but as I was trying to get in behind the truck, I could no longer see the trailer and then all of a sudden I remembered, but it was too late. I'm glad no one was in the car with me, because I hollered out quite a slew of words.

The driver of the truck was nice enough to help me put the bumper of my car into the back of my car - since it was no longer capable of being attached to the front of the car. Neither one of us was able to look at the right side of my car because I was still in a traffic lane. The shoulder of the road at this particular spot was not wide enough for a car. I offered the other driver my drivers license info but he declined saying that his trailer didn't get a lick of damage, which was true. So he took off and so did I, for a moment.

Flap Flap Flap...Flat tire.

I hadn't noticed the flat tire because of the cars streaming by, but I've had enough flats to know the sound. I waited until there was, miraculously, no traffic and I drove my car to the other side of the expressway into a median area where there was plenty of room on both sides of the car. I got out, snapped this picture, then called the Emergency Roadside Assistance phone number that I have handy. I have used that number 4 or 5 times now for flat tire services. Sheesh.

They told me it would be 45 minutes. OK.

5 minutes later a Police car pulls up and the Officer asks if I'm fine and if I need to call anyone and then says that he'll make sure that someone is keeping an eye on me. (That was kind of a weird way of putting it, but OK) He drives off.

5 more minutes later I have gotten in touch with my husband and before I get to tell him about the accident another Police Officer pulls up. So I have to tell my dear husband quite quickly that I'm fine and that I need to talk to this Policeman because I'm sitting in the median of the road and I'll call him back in awhile.

This Police Officer is dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. He offers to change the tire. Just as he's finishing up roadside assistance folks called to ask exactly where I'm located. I canceled their services and thanked them. The Officer finishes up the tire change and I thank him half a million times or more. I drive to my original destination and give instructions to my worker bees and turn around and come home. Somewhere between the time the officer volunteered to change the tire and the completion of the change, I did call my husband back. At that point I thought the damage was just the bumper and the slashed tire - but later I found more damage - like the side panel that was crushed in just above the top of the tire and the side piece of that same panel that was totally pulled away from the frame. The interior wheel wells on both sides of the car were damaged. I'm thinking that had something to do with the way the bumper was attached to the car (and then forcibly detached!)

I have Geico Insurance and when the claims agent on the phone asked if anyone was with me in the car, I said just me and my gecko. He laughed and said "good one!" I have an appointment tomorrow morning to take the car to the auto body shop for repairs. We'll see how it goes.

I've never been in an accident before - not involving another car, that is lol The famous incident of my cousin rolling the VW bug when I was 15 years old (I was the passenger in that car) I don't think that counts. OK, I guess have been in a few fender benders, but never when I was the driver, until today. So, now the deed has been done. I don't ever need it to happen again. I know what it's like and I didn't freak out - so that's over.

Now to see how much damage I really did to the car. I'll let you know.

Have a great day!
Kristin