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19 August 2005

New Episode of Crash

Last night, when my fiancee, Maria and I left a local S2000 meet, we headed home. When I got back to my house, Maria called and told me that she had a flat and she was pulling over at the Shell in a local mall So I jumped back into my S2000 and went over there.

When I got there, I went to park and a guy in a black MKIV VW Jetta backed up into Maria's passenger side front door. He also narrowly missed hitting Maria by inches. In fact, at first I thought that he had ran her over. So anyways the damage to the car is slight, a dented and scraped up door. The scrapes can probably be buffed out, the dent isn't bad but too big for dent wizard so we'll decide if its worth fixing or not when we sell the car next year for her new car. The other driver is some kid with bloodshot eyes and the stink of Budweiser on him.

Immediately after I confirmed Maria was OK, I took a picture of the kid's license plate with my phone in case he decided to run. At first the kid said he had insurance, then when asked for his information, he didn't have insurance, then he did have insurance again, then he didn't, he did, didn't, he flip-flopped and bs'ed us more than Bush-Kerry during the election. At that point, I said fine I'm calling the police. Then he offered $200 to settle, claimed to be an agent with Progressive Insurance and said that the damage is no more than $200. He started going into previous damage to the car, that it was an old car, etc. I said no, previous damage and the car's age has no bearing... I want $500 (on the high side but within reason - I thought it to be a fair offer to settle). He replied are you serious? $500? I replied nah I'm not serious, I'm just joking. I mean do you see me laughing or joking because I'm not. Then he went up to $300. No, $500. Then $400, no $500 take it or I'm calling the cops. He said no you're playing me Miami-style, so I dailed 911 and he goes fine I'll go get the money. As he left to go the cash from the ATM across the street, I reminded him that he have his information and I have pictures of the accident and his tag and should he leave, its a hit and run and I will press charges and makes sure he goes to jail. I didn't want to go with the guy since I noticed that he had a gun inside his car.

So the kid comes back 15 minutes later. Maria thought that he left. I was about to call the cops on him and he shows up. He said that hes broke and only has $300. I said nope $500 was the deal, find another $200 in cash now or I'm calling the cops. He went back to his car and "found" another $150. He pleaded with me over $450. Finally, even though I knew he was bs'ing us, we said fine give us the $450 and we're call it a day. So he gives us a bundle of $20 bills and a $10. I count it... $350. Maria counts it... $350. Dude you're short, f*ck you, I'm done playing around, I'm calling the cops. I call the police and while talking to the dispatcher, hes pleading with me... $400. I told him no its $450 as we agreed and if you try to f*ck me one more time, it'll be back to $500. Finally he gave up the $450, and I'm counting the money with the cop on the phone. 20-40-60-80-100. 20-40-60-80-200. 20-40-60-80-300. 20-40-60-80-400. 20-20-10. 450.

Then the kid left, but he kept driving around the Shell station several times. Knowing that he was drunk and had a gun, we were afraid that he might come back and try something. I quickly changed Maria's tire to her spare and we went home.

The end of another award-winning car accident story. Stay tuned for the next episode of Crash narrated by yours truly coming to a computer screen near you hopefully not too soon.

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09 May 2005

Flying Mattresses and Falling Boats

Friday night 10PM. Driving home on the expressway. Two identical stock Civic sedans race by me going at least 90MPH. Nearing the toll now. One Civic slows down, the other keeps going at a high rate of speed, then BOOM! All I see was wood exploding into hundreds of pieces then a flying mattress. Wait! A flying mattress, oh yes! The mattress with wings hits the Civic's windshield at a angle, bounces off and is coming straight at me. I swerve hard left, pretending that the mattress was a great big cone from autox. Two wood pieces were there to greet me, I swerve right, narrowing missing the chaos. I look back... the Civic crashed up against the side railing and theres Ford F150 with the hazards on at the emergency lane. I assume it was from where the flying mattress and exploding wood headboard originated from.

Saturday afternoon 4PM. What the hell is up with all this traffic on a Saturday afternoon? I'm stuck in traffic on the expressway for the past hour. Finally I see emergency vehicles up ahead in the horizon. I inch closer and closer. Blue VW Jetta, front end destroyed, roof damage, probably flipped. Ouch. A big wrecker lifting a smashed up boat from the ditch. Wait! A boat?!?! Yes apparently someone didn't secure their trailer correctly, ergo boat falls off trailer, hits a few random cars and ends up in the ditch. Ouch.

Theres never a dull day or night in Miami traffic...

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Tommy Chang