Screeeeeee.....BOOM!!!

I feel at least somewhat responsible for the collision in IF today. I wasn't driving, but I should have been. I was getting slightly tired at that point, tired enough that I asked Mom if she wantedto drive. She'd been pretty out of it in the morning, but seemed okay at this point. We had gone up to IF to do a bit of shopping. Barnes and Noble mainly, for me. Target for both of us. A few random stops here and there.

A few blocks after Mom started driving, I saw her jump when a car changed lanes in front of us. It had been cut slightly close, but not close enough she should have been surprised. I immediately asked if she needed me to drive. I don't remember getting an answer. A few blocks further down, I suddenly noticed that we were still moving full-speed-ahead toward some stopped traffic. "BRAKES! Brakesbrakesbrakesbraksebrakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I yelped. There was much screeching of tires, and I was sure we were going to hit the car in front of us. We didn't. We stopped with maybe three or four inches to spare. Unfortunately, the pickup behind us wasn't so lucky. Nor was the trunk of Mom's car. I hit my head on the headrest of my seat when the pickup hit, but I doubt I'll even have a bruise from it. So no one was hurt. Except for Mythos, Mom's car.

The pickup was just a bit too tall for the back bumper to take all the damage. It scraped across the bumper, collapsing the top part, and then caving in the trunk. However, there was no significant structural or functional damage, in terms of driveability. The most irritating thing on the drive back (Yes, I drove after that) was not being able to see out of the rear view mirror due to the trunk sticking part way up. The second most annoying thing was having to signal left turns by hand. The right turn signal still worked. It had no nice red cover, but it worked. The left turn signal and brake light were dead.

The pickup-driver got a ticket for "following too closely." Mom felt that it was partially her fault and gave the driver a check for half the amount of the ticket. No word from insurance companies yet. I think the pickup driver was calling his as we drove off, but Mom probably won't call until tomorrow, when she's had a chance to calm down a bit. Since the pickup driver got the ticket, it seems likely that it will be his insurance company paying for the damages. Likely, but probably not guaranteed. For the moment, Mom's driving Dad's pickup.