Monday, December 12, 2011

I love my Tank!

Lately I have been seriously wishing for the time when we can finish paying off our van and get a smaller vehicle just for running errands and such. The gas mileage would be so much better and parking and getting around would just be easier than in my extremely large and lumbering vehicle that henceforth will be known as "the Tank".
I am now more grateful than ever for this beast. Plastic and fiberglass parts were not used much in it's construction so it is made of good old fashioned steel and on a commercial truck frame so it sits higher off the ground than most vehicles around it. Tonight I was turning left out of a shopping center across a 4 lane road and managed to get in a nice little fender bender. (Oh, and the kids were NOT with me, just in case you were concerned.) I will come right out and admit that it was my fault. I looked left and there wasn't a car on the road. I paused for a car coming on the right and as soon as I pulled out I hit a small truck barreling in from my left. I'm not sure if he had pulled out of one of the driveways a little further up from where I was or if he had turned the corner onto that street after I had looked that way. In the end it doesn't matter I know you look left then right then left again and I didn't. I hit his passenger side back quarter panel which messed up his rim and busted his tire along with some good dents to the body. Luckily it was an older truck and was made of pretty heavy metal for a little truck so it's not as bad as it could have been.
The impact with the speed he was going and the busted tire caused him to do a 180 in the middle of the road though. It looked pretty bad with him spinning around and it sounded awful between the metal crashing and the tire exploding. I called 911 as soon as I got out of the traffic lane and went to check on the other driver whose truck was now behind the van, I was glad because I was afraid to look at the damage to the front knowing it had to be considerable. It didn't register right away that there was no debris or anything. Anyway neither of us were hurt and when I finally went to look at the damaged I was shocked. I dented my front bumper, it's metal so there's no cracking or breaking apart and looking funky it's just dented. Granted it's a really big dent, or series of dents actually, but still no broken headlights, busted grill, airbag deployment or anything more serious.
I am very grateful to my Heavenly Father for his protection. With greater appreciation I can now say I love my Tank!!!!!!
Shiloh