How I managed to wreck a car when I don't drive (much) or own a car myself
Yesterday, we had a middle school basketball game away. The head coach couldn't make the game, so, as assistant coach, I took the kids. We lost by 2 points, but probably should have won. That isn't the interesting story. The interesting story is what happened when I drove back.Remember, I don't own a car and haven't driven with any regularity since June 2001. That isn't to say I'm a bad driver. I'm a fine driver. However, I was driving the minibus, which is wider and longer than I'm used to.
As I'm a mere 6 blocks from school, I tried to squeeze between two cars. I didn't have as much room as I thought. I should have just waited for the light to change and then I would have had all kinds of space.
However, I didn't and as I was 2/3s of the way through the space, I heard a crunching sound. Then a scraping sound. At that point, I was wedged between two cars. I was literally scraping the side of the parked car and a mere inches from the car slowing inching the other way. I really had no choice but to keep crawling forward.
Scratching and scraping the driver's side of the parked BMW. When I finally got beyond the Beemer, I pulled forward and then over to leave a note. The damage was pretty extensive. Staring with the rear passenger door up to the front fender, anything sticking out had been ripped off. On the ground lay some plastic striping, paint chips and the driver side mirror.
Because I wasn't sure if I was on the school's insurance, I left my Athletic Director's name and the school phone number. As it so happens, the car I hit belonged to a former gym teacher at my school! In fact, he and the AD have some history together! What are the chances that in the 1/2 million cars in DC, I hit this one?!?!?!
As happens, gossip spread around the school like wildfire and I'm the talk of the town. Not that I really want to be.
The damage is probably $5,000 or more, but no one was hurt. That's the silver lining. Now we'll see if the AD lets me drive once softball season starts up (1st week of March - stay tuned for the updates). Not that I really like driving all that much anyway.
posted by Expat Teacher @ 1:02 PM
