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So today was one of those nothing-can-go-right days, more like an everything-must-go-horribly-wrong.
To start off, I had to drive out to Troy from NH, just under 200 miles, I was going to stay there, until later after I got there I realized all the stuff I needed, including a clean towel, was in the back of my sister's car (I'm in a new apartment without anything I need). Anyway, so it was around 95 and humid, and even with the band-aid tune that matt did for me (which had been running like a champ so far!), it was hard to keep the motor from pinging. Let me tell you, it was a very slow, HF-ish drive to NY.
So about halfway there, in Brattleboro, VT, I had to stop for fuel, the Mobil right off the roundabout for those of you who know the area. I pull in off the road, behind a huge ford F250. I couldn't get all the way into the lot, there was a line for the pump. Motorcycle week in NH just ended (Laconia, HUGE rally, different rant), and there was a lot of traffic at all the stations. So I just about come to a stop 4 or 5 feet behind this montrosity, and then I see reverse lights. Panic! I lay on the horn, and then I hear the crunch of a steel trailer hitch going through my fender and lights. Still on the horn, in shock, I yell "WHAT THE [expletive]!". So I get out of my car, and the guy gets out of the truck, he has 2 kids and his wife in there. He yells at me, "watch your language ***hole, I have kids in the back!" Great role model.
So we pull over to the side, I get out to take a look, all shaky, this is my first accident ever. So I don't know what to do, I walk around, and my corner light is inside the engine bay, some inside the trailer hitch, the fender is all bent up, bumper is gouged, popping out, and hanging low on that side, and the hood won't open right. Perfect. So the guy looks at it for about 10 seconds, and says "how do you want to do this, I'll give you 100 cash and call it even?" Yeah right man, 100 bucks. So I say I want to wait for the police to come, and he says, it's a Honda, how much is it worth? So around this time, 2 guys show up who know him, one helps us open the hood, the other starts yelling at me that I was too close, so I basically ignore him, try to stay cool, try to open the hood. The hood opens, and the first friend just about needs a change of pants when he sees the pristine engine bay (I'll get some pics up of that, simple green+toothbrush+pressure washer) that I just cleaned yesterday, with a fresh VTEC valve cover and everything. He turns to the guy who hit me and says, "you're effed". So meanwhile the other guy keeps telling me I was too close, so I loose my cool, turn around and tell him to shut up, in a few more words. I say, I was not moving, he was BACKING UP, without looking. So I go into the station and call the police... they came about an hour later.
While I'm waiting for the cops to come, more people that know the guy keepjust showing up, it's a small town and they see his truck so they stop, whatever. They all keep telling me just take the cash, the cops aren't going to help, whatever. There were a couple that were trying to be really intimidating, and then they start walking around my car with a camera, snapping pics of everything, even like the rear suspension, so I asked them to go away. At this point I'm nervous as hell, chain smoking like a maniac, and sweating to boot. Finally, my stepdad, roommate, and my sister show up, they were coming about a half hour behind me. So I go tell them what happened, chill out a little until the cops come.
So every time any police car drives by, the friends are like half in their cars, some left, more came, whatever... until the town cop is coming around the roundabout, then all but the guy who I yelled at stays. We get a police report, and the guy insists on being a witness, and then when he asks him where he was, he was on the OTHER SIDE of the roundabout! So I give the cop my information, and tell him this whole thing. I made a point to tell him that this guy was trying to settle for cash, and I just wanted to make sure he got my whole story since all the other witnesses were friends of the guy driving the truck.
So then I had to drive to NY, discover my stuff was on it's way back to NH, get locked out of my apartment with no shirt or shoes, and eventually drive back to NH, missing a moose in Vermont by mere inches, I actually pulled over and had to wait because I was so shaky.
What a great day.
But there's good news.
I've been planning on getting a new CRX or at least a new shell, since my interior is good, the mechanical stuff is all good, but the body is crap. So When I got to troy I got the CRX up on the lift at the shop, inspected it carefully. Aside from the hood (Already bad anwyay), lights, bumper, and fender, the crumple zone thing looks like it's starting to fold. I'm hoping it's enough to total the car when I take it for an estimate. If it is, I'll be able to buy it back, keep all my parts, and get a clean shell sooner than I thought to transfer everything to. Unfortunately, unless this all happens in the next 4 days, I'll have to wait until I get back from New Haven. Either way though, I'm trying to look at the bright side... and after all the bad luck with this car I think I can handle a Y49... so pretty...
To start off, I had to drive out to Troy from NH, just under 200 miles, I was going to stay there, until later after I got there I realized all the stuff I needed, including a clean towel, was in the back of my sister's car (I'm in a new apartment without anything I need). Anyway, so it was around 95 and humid, and even with the band-aid tune that matt did for me (which had been running like a champ so far!), it was hard to keep the motor from pinging. Let me tell you, it was a very slow, HF-ish drive to NY.
So about halfway there, in Brattleboro, VT, I had to stop for fuel, the Mobil right off the roundabout for those of you who know the area. I pull in off the road, behind a huge ford F250. I couldn't get all the way into the lot, there was a line for the pump. Motorcycle week in NH just ended (Laconia, HUGE rally, different rant), and there was a lot of traffic at all the stations. So I just about come to a stop 4 or 5 feet behind this montrosity, and then I see reverse lights. Panic! I lay on the horn, and then I hear the crunch of a steel trailer hitch going through my fender and lights. Still on the horn, in shock, I yell "WHAT THE [expletive]!". So I get out of my car, and the guy gets out of the truck, he has 2 kids and his wife in there. He yells at me, "watch your language ***hole, I have kids in the back!" Great role model.
So we pull over to the side, I get out to take a look, all shaky, this is my first accident ever. So I don't know what to do, I walk around, and my corner light is inside the engine bay, some inside the trailer hitch, the fender is all bent up, bumper is gouged, popping out, and hanging low on that side, and the hood won't open right. Perfect. So the guy looks at it for about 10 seconds, and says "how do you want to do this, I'll give you 100 cash and call it even?" Yeah right man, 100 bucks. So I say I want to wait for the police to come, and he says, it's a Honda, how much is it worth? So around this time, 2 guys show up who know him, one helps us open the hood, the other starts yelling at me that I was too close, so I basically ignore him, try to stay cool, try to open the hood. The hood opens, and the first friend just about needs a change of pants when he sees the pristine engine bay (I'll get some pics up of that, simple green+toothbrush+pressure washer) that I just cleaned yesterday, with a fresh VTEC valve cover and everything. He turns to the guy who hit me and says, "you're effed". So meanwhile the other guy keeps telling me I was too close, so I loose my cool, turn around and tell him to shut up, in a few more words. I say, I was not moving, he was BACKING UP, without looking. So I go into the station and call the police... they came about an hour later.
While I'm waiting for the cops to come, more people that know the guy keepjust showing up, it's a small town and they see his truck so they stop, whatever. They all keep telling me just take the cash, the cops aren't going to help, whatever. There were a couple that were trying to be really intimidating, and then they start walking around my car with a camera, snapping pics of everything, even like the rear suspension, so I asked them to go away. At this point I'm nervous as hell, chain smoking like a maniac, and sweating to boot. Finally, my stepdad, roommate, and my sister show up, they were coming about a half hour behind me. So I go tell them what happened, chill out a little until the cops come.
So every time any police car drives by, the friends are like half in their cars, some left, more came, whatever... until the town cop is coming around the roundabout, then all but the guy who I yelled at stays. We get a police report, and the guy insists on being a witness, and then when he asks him where he was, he was on the OTHER SIDE of the roundabout! So I give the cop my information, and tell him this whole thing. I made a point to tell him that this guy was trying to settle for cash, and I just wanted to make sure he got my whole story since all the other witnesses were friends of the guy driving the truck.
So then I had to drive to NY, discover my stuff was on it's way back to NH, get locked out of my apartment with no shirt or shoes, and eventually drive back to NH, missing a moose in Vermont by mere inches, I actually pulled over and had to wait because I was so shaky.
What a great day.
But there's good news.
I've been planning on getting a new CRX or at least a new shell, since my interior is good, the mechanical stuff is all good, but the body is crap. So When I got to troy I got the CRX up on the lift at the shop, inspected it carefully. Aside from the hood (Already bad anwyay), lights, bumper, and fender, the crumple zone thing looks like it's starting to fold. I'm hoping it's enough to total the car when I take it for an estimate. If it is, I'll be able to buy it back, keep all my parts, and get a clean shell sooner than I thought to transfer everything to. Unfortunately, unless this all happens in the next 4 days, I'll have to wait until I get back from New Haven. Either way though, I'm trying to look at the bright side... and after all the bad luck with this car I think I can handle a Y49... so pretty...
