SIXTEEN DAYS

One month and a day ago, as I was on my way to work, I was in a car accident right in front of my home.

I'm ok. My car is not.

I live on a busy street so as usual, I watched left, right, left again...and proceeded to go straight (which I am LEGALLY allowed to do).

As I headed STRAIGHT, the car coming from the opposite side of the street HIT ME as he was attempting to make a LEFT turn.

Ok...so lets's stop right there and take a little poll. I ask...WHO WAS AT FAULT?

According to everything I knew (and have read) about the driving laws...someone making a LEFT turn is supposed to YIELD to oncoming traffic. That means bicycles, cars, pedestrians. The guy who hit me CLEARLY did NOT yield.

In his statement to his insurance company, he even told them that he "saw me at my gate waiting to come out." Okay...so riddle me this...if he SAW me at my gate...then WHY didn't he WAIT to see what I was going to do. WHY didn't he WAIT for me to cross the street COMPLETELY, BEFORE he came out to make his LEFT turn?

It makes no sense.

After the collision, he immediately got out of his car, and apologized profusely (that's a sign of being at fault if you ask me).

We exchanged information, his daddy came down the street to see what happened, saw that the damage wasn't bad at all, and he was able to DRIVE away.

I, on the other hand, could no longer start MY vehicle due to the damaged caused by the impact and had to be TOWED back into my driveway. Yes..TOWED!

After weeks of battling with my own insurance company, who was absolutely HORRIBLE, and completely USELESS...it was determined that *I* was at fault because I was "coming out of a private driveway". WHAT?!?

Yes. That is the reaction that I have received from EVERYONE I've told my experience to. NO ONE had ever heard of such a "rule" until now. We were ALL with the understanding that if someone turning LEFT does not YIELD to oncoming traffic, then that person who was turning LEFT is at fault.

Well...live and learn.

Once again, I have learned the hard way, and at a very expensive price.

Since I didn't have collision coverage for as part of my policy, I have to pay for my car to be repaired. As a result, my car is still sitting in the driveway where it's been since April 29th while I scrape and scramble to get the money together for the repairs. That probably won't be for another TWO WEEKS. Even though I get paid tomorrow, that check will go completely to RENT. As I've mentioned in earlier posts...although I get paid TWICE a month, I am only able to LIVE off of ONE.

So...my car will need to sit for another SIXTEEN DAYS before I can get her fixed. Til then, I'll continue to become an expert at our local transit system. Long Beach Transit, and Metro have become my BFFs lately. Looks like that relationship is about to get even stronger.

That's all for now. As usual, there's always SOMETHING going on in MY world. Good or bad...there's always SOMETHING going on.

Now, let's Let the DIALOGUE begin: When was the last time you took public transportation?

Talk to me!

Til next time...