This is totally off the personal finance topic, but I owe you guys a public service announcement. That photo below is what the back of my car looks like after someone hit me yesterday morning going between 85-90 miles per hour while texting. Not pretty, huh?
My boyfriend and I were traveling along the Pennsylvania Turnpike about a quarter mile away from our final exit after a 2 hour drive. He had decided to come along because I would have to deal with the tenant that I was evicting, and he wanted to see the condition of the house. So there we are, in this two lane stretch of high way. Nothing in front of us, no one beside us, when out of nowhere, this car shot up behind us like a missile and hit us squarely in the back.
When we pulled over to the side of the road and I hopped out of the car to see the damage, I started shaking from probably what was rage. Honestly, my boyfriend thought that I would strangle the young woman, but since we had just passed a state trooper 30 seconds before, he got there before I had the opportunity.
I was really angry because I knew that my car was totaled. My car is paid for with less than 70,000 miles on it, and I had planned on driving it for at least 10 years, but most likely until the wheels fell off. Worse yet, I had JUST spent almost $1,000 at the dealer on Wednesday on a host of things for the car, since I have been driving it back and forth to Pennsylvania every weekend, and I didn’t want to have something happen to the car which would leave me stranded on the side of the road hours away from home.
But, we’re alive, and that’s what matters the most. I’m on my way to the doctor with a lovely bruise right between the eyes, and a massive headache (Update: Whiplash!). My boyfriend had a concussion and pain from where the seat belt grabbed him.
So, do me a favor, please don’t text and drive. Tell your kids, your friends, your spouse and strangers on the street the same thing. The life you save might just be your own.
P.S.
I had given Larry, (also known as Investor Junkie), a ride to the train station the night before and he asked how I liked my car. At this point, I love it and would recommend the Jetta. That bad boy took a hard hit and I was still able to drive it back home.