All about cars

I know I owe you a vacation wrap up post, but I haven't had time yet. The problem with taking vacation the first two weeks in December is that your behind the holiday ball. I thought I was prepared, but alas, I was not. I hate last minute shopping. I still have some knitting to do, but it's only a couple hours of work, so I'm not stressed about finishing Gift #2.

Cars, part 1
So some of you know I have a horrible, unreasonable phobia of driving on the highway. I don't know where it came from, or why. When learning to drive, the first time I went to merge on a highway I swear I had a heart attack. Living in a metro area, it's almost impossible to go anyplace without going through about 5 onramps, so this has been a bit of an issue with my quality of life. I want to at least hate driving but be capable of doing it if I have to.

So Saturday I drove from Haddonfield to Valley Forge. I didn't die or have a heart attack, but my hands did go numb for about five minutes. I didn't run anyone off the road or cut anyone off, but pardon me if you where stuck behind me when I was going only around 60. I was in right lane so get over it.

Anyway, we're going to see my Mom in upstate NY, and part of the deal is that I have to help drive some of the 4.5 hours there. After 76 and the blue route, the Northeast extention should be a snap. Now if I can only tell my blood pressure that.


Cars, part 2
So after a great day of shopping and no one dying because I was behind the wheel of a 1 ton killing machine, karma had to slap us around a bit.

We went to a party in olde city and parked the car. When we came back, no car. We also discovered that perhaps we had unknowingly blocked a hidden driveway.

So either two things happened. The car was stolen or towed. Since there was no 'no parking' or tow company signs in front of the 'driveway' we randomly called towing companies and the city. No dice.

So we called a cop. We showed him the empty spot where the car was. The THREE of us looking for a legal spot didn't see that it was a driveway. I'd have to take a picture to show you the issue, but for one the front of the 'driveway' was a full curb and a sidewalk. He pronounced that the car was likely stolen since the parking spot looked OK to him, too. He also pointed out the residence looked unoccupied (it was for sale) and it would be a damn fast tow for an unoccupied house.

So sad and dejected we got a cab home. Mr. Nice Cop actually stopped his patrol car in the street to halt a cab for us.

About an hour later, Mr. Nice Cop calls and tells us it was indeed, towed. He even said he would call the towing company and bitch them out for 'stealing' our car. In his opinion the parking spot was not tow-worthy since it was so scantily marked.

So the next day we went to the car towing company, which of course charged us full price for the tow regardless. There is no judge and jury when the parking troll man has your car. So we are out $200, but don't have to buy a new car or deal with that run around. So really when your car goes missing paying the troll is the best outcome.

However, if you live on 3rd and Queen, fucking mark your hidden driveway, jerk. I hope you bend your rims jumping the 3" curb when you drive up the sidewalk to your 'driveway' every day.