I woke up at 9:00am and called Eric. I told him about the accident and was happy that he didn't get upset. He was just glad that I was okay. He felt really bad, and asked me several times if I was really okay. I said I felt stiff, but not in pain. After we hung up I got up and started my day.
I was relieved this morning to find that I was just a little stiff in the neck and lower back, but not in any real pain. I only took 2 Advil at 7:30pm last night, so I knew I wasn’t masking any pain. I heated up the pillow in the microwave and put it on my neck and lower back for a while, and then got up. I feel it a little more in my lower back than anywhere else, but my neck feels stiff, too. I spoke to the woman at the insurance company and stressed that I wasn't in a lot of pain, but did feel stiffness in my neck and back. I also told her that I have been advised by several friends that it sometimes takes days or weeks for symptoms to appear, so I wanted it noted that I did get hit hard, my neck did snap back, and that I was feeling it today, but didn't need to go to a doctor.
I thought I was going to have lunch with Tifney, but around 10:00am I got a text from her saying she wasn’t feeling well and wanted to change our date to Friday, which was fine with me. I kind of thought it best to stay close to home today. I was still feeling a little shaky from the accident last night.
I jumped in the shower anyway, got dressed and went down to the car to photograph the damage. I could see in the light of day that she really hit my car off center – on the right side of the bumper. The reverse light on the right side is not only broken, but pushed in, and there are scratches on the bumper on the right side and the license plate is also pushed in and dented.
The left side looks much better. I tried the trunk and it opens fine, so there’s no damage to the body of the car, just the license plate, the bumper, and the right reverse light.
I drove to STARBUCKS and noted the exact place where the accident happened. I had just driven past Ute street (prounced Yute), which is just one block from the STARBUCKS and Balboa Avenue. The light was green, so I’m curious as to why the girl who hit me said she had her foot on the brake and it slid off and onto the gas, causing her to speed up and hit me. Usually, when you are hit from behind, it is because you are stopped (at a light or stop sign) and someone is either going too fast to stop, or slides on ice or water.
Another scenario is that everybody stops, and she’s just going too fast or driving too close to stop in time. That just wasn’t the case here. The three cars involved were all moving in the same direction. The light was green, and I don't think it was turning. She was just going SO fast that she hit me, and caused me to move forward and hit the car in front of me.
When I got out of my car and went to her car she was just getting out and I could see a bunch of CDs on the floor by the brake and gas. My theory is that she was putting a CD in and wasn't paying attention to how fast she was going or that I was in front of her and just hit me. After all, she's only 20!
I think if I HAD been stopped I would have been hurt, because the force of the hit was pretty hard and I was already moving in the same direction. I think I was lucky.
I forgot to mention that when I went to STARBUCKS last night, immediately after the accident, they didn’t have the syrup for my drink, so I got something else and they gave me a coupon for a free drink. So, today when I drove there, I had a free drink, which made me very happy!
I came back and relaxed around the apartment until 3:00pm. Then, I went back out and did a light food shopping. I got a case of SNAPPLE, salad stuff, some ahi tuna, and a few other items and then came back up to the apartment.
I decided that it was a good day to go through papers, which I did while watching TV. I went through one drawer in my two-drawer oak file cabinet, making a pile to shred (I’m going to bring it to the office when I meet Tifney for lunch), a pile to just recycle, and kept the important stuff.
I also went through some of the drawers behind my desk, which hold all sorts of junk. I have to start cleaning things up, sorting things out, and disposing of unnecessary stuff, in order to start the packing process, which I hope to start very soon.
I watched last week’s episode of TOP CHEF, and then tonight’s episode, too. I also watched AMERICAN IDOL. I was pretty happy with the three who made it to the TOP TWELVE. I was ecstatic that Tatiana was eliminated. She was completely annoying. If you are watching the show, you know exactly what I mean. If you weren’t, trust me. She would have driven you CRAZY!
I also watched my favorite new drama – LIE TO ME – which is SO interesting. Check it out next Wednesday!
My Valentine’s Day roses are finally starting to droop, but the purple and pink bouquet Eric sent for Robin is going strong! I am thrilled that the roses lasted more than a week, and I enjoyed them so much. I know they were quality roses, because I've had roses that drooped after 3 or 4 days! I keep telling Eric how much I am enjoying them, and will show him pictures when I get back to NY, so he can see how beautiful they were.
Tomorrow morning at 10:30am a man from the insurance company is coming to look at the damage. They said that if the girl’s insurance company agrees that it was her fault (I find it hard to believe they won’t), they will waive my $500 deductible, which means I can get it fixed free. That will be nice, because otherwise the only thing I’ll fix is the light, which I already know costs almost $200, because I’ve had that light broken TWICE already (on my other PT Cruiser).
I seem to get hit from behind a lot! This is actually the fourth time -- and it was NEVER my fault! It's funny, because after the third time in New York I told Eric I have "rear end paranoia" and tend to look in my rear view a lot, because I'm always afraid someone is going to hit me. He said that's dangerous and I should just be looking ahead and not behind, but if I WAS looking behind last night, I might have anticipated what happened. Okay, maybe not, but you have to admit, I DO have reason to be paranoid!