Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
So. Halloween was fun for us. I dressed Gus the dog up as a Nazgul with wings and a Sauron strapped to him. We went trick or treating at a Howl o Ween deal in Leucaudia up the road and was much fun. One woman dressed her two great danes up as camels. The next event was a gathering at a local pet store called Muttropolis. This time I just put a green t-shirt on him and one of my quivers of arrows. Everyone thought he was Robin Hood. Actually he was supposed to be Legolas. Halloween night, we strolled the coast highway in Encinitas where the merchents to a safe halloween deal and it is the total BOMB, because the costumes, decorations, how clever people are -- one woman was Tippi Hedron from the Birds! Lots of single people and childless couples go just to hang out and listen to music, and stroll the avenue.
I don't wanna hear about going green, and saving fuel. not on a foggy freeway at 9:15 at night I want a gas guzzling SUV. I am always squicked out by driving anywhere near a semi --one tipped over on an on ramp about two months ago and crushed a BMW. Anyway, you see these things sometimes kinda wobbly between the lines, etc.
So I am driving home Tuesday from our Business Briefing. I was in the slow lane doing the straight and narrow. In the next lane over is a tractor trailer --and then I see that this guy's wheels are coming right at me.
4tunner scrapes truck. I am knocked sideways, but not spinning. The rear of the 4runner hits the the tires of the trailer.
After I gain control I pull over. He pulls over. Picture this. Fog. Freeway. Nobody stops. Middle aged woman with an Hispanic guy. Ok, the woman is ME and I'm a problem solver.
And he does not speak a word of English. Not one. In fact, I'm not sure but he might have been mute (or terrified).
I can get out of the car-- but the front quarter panel is crumpled so the driver's door doesn't quite open. I can get in and out but carefully. I called a co worker who is bilingual, but his phone is on silent. I call 911.
"Nobody is hurt, car is driveable but this guy doesn't speak English. he seems to be on the phone to his company, kindly send someone the fuck out here to translate."
Dispatcher says, "We'll send someone but if you get it resolved, just call us back."
So the driver has a radio not a phone. Anyway, I talk to the trucking company who tells me that the driver has a log book with him that has his insurance information in it.
Great.
Ok. "Como se llama?" i ask. Twice. No response.
"Tiene una libra con la informacion." I say. Twice. finally he produces the log book, turns to the page with the insurance information.
I write down my info and give it to him.
Holy cow. The cops still haven't arrived . Anyhow, we're as done as I want to be, and I call 911 to say call off the dogs.
I drive home. what is that breeze? Oh, the rear window is blown out. The lift gate is jarred open. Therefore the car won't lock. But the lift gate isn't going anyway-- it won't open, it just won't close.
I call my insurance agency. Lady tells me that I'm lucky the guy stopped. I say, "WTF?"
A lot of times the truckers don't cuz they don't know you're there.
Fancy that. anyway, I file a claim. Next day, I call the adjuster. She asked me if I had the driver's name and driver's license. Did I see damage on the truck? did he have any passengers?
Look, I said, I couldn't get the guy to utter a SOUND. I wasn't about to go down to his truck and see if some bitch had been giving him a blow job or what.
She asked me if there was anything I could have done to avoid the accident. "Not be driving near a semi?" I say. "Be in a different lane? Have left the office earlier or later?"
Anyway, I get a rental car. Then yesterday the appraiser comes out.
Here is where it gets good. Folks, you can pay for cheap insurance or whatever, but it's what happens when you make a claim that you need to pay attention to. This guy was at my house for 2.5 hours assessing the damage. Shopping for parts so they'd be at the collision center. Going into sophisticated software to determine the value of the vehicle. NOT KELLY BLUE BOOK!!! The values Travellers and other high quality firms come up with is HIGHER than that. Also if your appraiser is there for only ten minutes, you're paying for the wrong service.
I think I just pimped Travellers by the way.
He basically has this thing all set to go, estimates when it will be done -- the only glitch is --- he hadn't gotten a fair market value back on the truck.
I had looked in Kelly Blue book and found a lower estimate -- I thought insurance companies gave you deal trade in. so I was kind going, "Shit. these things are selling for more than that on the market. Now what?"
So. About an hour later he comes back. CAME BACK. To tell me that he would have to total the car. He hates doing that since it is driveable. Nothing mechanical at all. He's like me-- when he can't solve a problem for a client, it haunts him. But the value they came back with was pretty high-- this isn't carved in stone since the loss coordinator has to get hold of me. So while all lthe votes are not in, it does appear that I may be able to replace the vehicle with no out of pocket. 2000 4runner limited, with 150K miles. I'm ok with that.
But I am not happy. I have had this 4runner for 9 years. Dings and scratches aside, the aeriel that doesn't go up and down, the rear driver's side window that won't go up and down. The rear passenger side window that is starting to show signs of not wanting to go up and down --- this is MY FUCKING GODDAMNED 4RUNNER. I get a rush when I see it waiting for me in my driveway or when I leave a client's house. I KNOW THIS CAR.
It's like having to put down an animal.
Anyway, there you have it. Here's the silver lining:
I prospected the appraiser to become a client since my outfit used to own Travellers' anyway. I can prospect people I am shopping for cars from. I can prospect at dealerships for used ones, which I wouldn't buy from a dealer anyway due to the inflated price. I got friendly with the auto rental people. You gotta look on the bright side.
i'll probably get a car where the aerial and the windows go up and down.
LESSONS LEARNED
Unless you are driving a Hummer or an Escalade, do not come within a country mile of a semi on a road. Yesterday I drove the same route, and two similar vehicles went by me --- I saw how far their wheels where from the lane divider and realized how close this guy had come to me by not be smack in the center of his lane.
go home on surface streets at night -- that's when the trucks are on the highway.
Make sure you know the value of your car before you drop comprehensive and collision.
And ask a few questions about your insurance company. Do they use "Pathways" to come up with vehicle values? how long is the appraiser going to be there? What is their policy on totalling a car? READ THE FIne PRINT. Big name carriers -- he wouldn't say who --- do not do all this. They cut corners.
So that's my story.
I don't wanna hear about going green, and saving fuel. not on a foggy freeway at 9:15 at night I want a gas guzzling SUV. I am always squicked out by driving anywhere near a semi --one tipped over on an on ramp about two months ago and crushed a BMW. Anyway, you see these things sometimes kinda wobbly between the lines, etc.
So I am driving home Tuesday from our Business Briefing. I was in the slow lane doing the straight and narrow. In the next lane over is a tractor trailer --and then I see that this guy's wheels are coming right at me.
4tunner scrapes truck. I am knocked sideways, but not spinning. The rear of the 4runner hits the the tires of the trailer.
After I gain control I pull over. He pulls over. Picture this. Fog. Freeway. Nobody stops. Middle aged woman with an Hispanic guy. Ok, the woman is ME and I'm a problem solver.
And he does not speak a word of English. Not one. In fact, I'm not sure but he might have been mute (or terrified).
I can get out of the car-- but the front quarter panel is crumpled so the driver's door doesn't quite open. I can get in and out but carefully. I called a co worker who is bilingual, but his phone is on silent. I call 911.
"Nobody is hurt, car is driveable but this guy doesn't speak English. he seems to be on the phone to his company, kindly send someone the fuck out here to translate."
Dispatcher says, "We'll send someone but if you get it resolved, just call us back."
So the driver has a radio not a phone. Anyway, I talk to the trucking company who tells me that the driver has a log book with him that has his insurance information in it.
Great.
Ok. "Como se llama?" i ask. Twice. No response.
"Tiene una libra con la informacion." I say. Twice. finally he produces the log book, turns to the page with the insurance information.
I write down my info and give it to him.
Holy cow. The cops still haven't arrived . Anyhow, we're as done as I want to be, and I call 911 to say call off the dogs.
I drive home. what is that breeze? Oh, the rear window is blown out. The lift gate is jarred open. Therefore the car won't lock. But the lift gate isn't going anyway-- it won't open, it just won't close.
I call my insurance agency. Lady tells me that I'm lucky the guy stopped. I say, "WTF?"
A lot of times the truckers don't cuz they don't know you're there.
Fancy that. anyway, I file a claim. Next day, I call the adjuster. She asked me if I had the driver's name and driver's license. Did I see damage on the truck? did he have any passengers?
Look, I said, I couldn't get the guy to utter a SOUND. I wasn't about to go down to his truck and see if some bitch had been giving him a blow job or what.
She asked me if there was anything I could have done to avoid the accident. "Not be driving near a semi?" I say. "Be in a different lane? Have left the office earlier or later?"
Anyway, I get a rental car. Then yesterday the appraiser comes out.
Here is where it gets good. Folks, you can pay for cheap insurance or whatever, but it's what happens when you make a claim that you need to pay attention to. This guy was at my house for 2.5 hours assessing the damage. Shopping for parts so they'd be at the collision center. Going into sophisticated software to determine the value of the vehicle. NOT KELLY BLUE BOOK!!! The values Travellers and other high quality firms come up with is HIGHER than that. Also if your appraiser is there for only ten minutes, you're paying for the wrong service.
I think I just pimped Travellers by the way.
He basically has this thing all set to go, estimates when it will be done -- the only glitch is --- he hadn't gotten a fair market value back on the truck.
I had looked in Kelly Blue book and found a lower estimate -- I thought insurance companies gave you deal trade in. so I was kind going, "Shit. these things are selling for more than that on the market. Now what?"
So. About an hour later he comes back. CAME BACK. To tell me that he would have to total the car. He hates doing that since it is driveable. Nothing mechanical at all. He's like me-- when he can't solve a problem for a client, it haunts him. But the value they came back with was pretty high-- this isn't carved in stone since the loss coordinator has to get hold of me. So while all lthe votes are not in, it does appear that I may be able to replace the vehicle with no out of pocket. 2000 4runner limited, with 150K miles. I'm ok with that.
But I am not happy. I have had this 4runner for 9 years. Dings and scratches aside, the aeriel that doesn't go up and down, the rear driver's side window that won't go up and down. The rear passenger side window that is starting to show signs of not wanting to go up and down --- this is MY FUCKING GODDAMNED 4RUNNER. I get a rush when I see it waiting for me in my driveway or when I leave a client's house. I KNOW THIS CAR.
It's like having to put down an animal.
Anyway, there you have it. Here's the silver lining:
I prospected the appraiser to become a client since my outfit used to own Travellers' anyway. I can prospect people I am shopping for cars from. I can prospect at dealerships for used ones, which I wouldn't buy from a dealer anyway due to the inflated price. I got friendly with the auto rental people. You gotta look on the bright side.
i'll probably get a car where the aerial and the windows go up and down.
LESSONS LEARNED
Unless you are driving a Hummer or an Escalade, do not come within a country mile of a semi on a road. Yesterday I drove the same route, and two similar vehicles went by me --- I saw how far their wheels where from the lane divider and realized how close this guy had come to me by not be smack in the center of his lane.
go home on surface streets at night -- that's when the trucks are on the highway.
Make sure you know the value of your car before you drop comprehensive and collision.
And ask a few questions about your insurance company. Do they use "Pathways" to come up with vehicle values? how long is the appraiser going to be there? What is their policy on totalling a car? READ THE FIne PRINT. Big name carriers -- he wouldn't say who --- do not do all this. They cut corners.
So that's my story.