My First Accident

I got into a car accident today. I don’t know if you can call it a car accident, no one else was involved except for me and a guardrail. It was raining and I was getting off at an exit I don’t normally take. I was going about 30 (I really don’t how fast I was going, that’s part of my general driving problem) and had to turn around a sharp curve. I couldn’t make it at 30 so I tried to slow down, but instead of slowing I hydroplaned into the guardrail, totaling the front left side of my car. I was shaken, but I thought the damage was only cosmetic, so I pulled over to the side the best I could and called my boyfriend.

As I was recounting the accident I began smelling an odd fume. I thought it might be a leak so I wasn’t concerned. I hung up with by boyfriend and began calling AAA for a tow. That was when I noticed the smoke rising from the hood. I rushed out of my car and then saw the accompanying flames. My car was on fire!!! I don’t know cars very well, so I don’t even know what part of what under the hood is prone to fires. Whatever it is I successfully ignited it. I called 911, but before any emergency service arrived a trucker spotted the fire, and quickly extinguished it.

Had the story ended there I could have escaped with a questionably totaled car. But, my call brought the troops out. The fire department was very helpful in disabling the stuff (I told you I don’t know cars) that needed to be disabled to prevent further damage, and the police were nice for a little while. They asked me to detail the incident; they then told me not to feel so bad because it has happened a lot there (hmmm). Well, after I took their advice and decided not to “feel so bad” they tried to console me even further with a traffic ticket. What!!? I didn’t cause any damage to the guardrail (at least I don’t think I did). They wrote me up for going “too fast for the conditions.” So now I may be out of the car I bought only 4 months ago, and my insurance is going to be outrageous for the next 3 years.

I don’t want to end on such a negative note. So here is a lollipop smiley for you: