Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Flying Tires and False Teeth

Most people, if they incur damage to their vehicle its due to an actual accident. Most people, if ever something actually does come flying at them while driving down the highway can say it was only a stupid bird. Most people do not need to worry that their insurance agent will understand that flying debris was something that was out of their control. Heck, most people don't even need to worry about having a conversation about flying debris with their insurance agents.

Most people are not me. (Which, according to the latest Department of Transportation polls is a very good thing.)

A month or two ago, I was driving home from the doctor with Bug in the car with me, and some car in the lane next to me but ahead of me ran over a piece of metal in the road. That piece of metal came winging out under their tires at me. It hit my hood, taking a rather large strip of paint off and leaving a good sized dent. If it had been even an inch higher, it would have completely missed the hood and come through the windshield. Decapitating me. (Ok, maybe just hitting me in the head, but it WAS flying fairly fast and it WAS metal!)

Today on my way to work it was a flying tire.


I was driving behind a big 18-wheeler when a HUGE tire (picture a wheel that had been filetted like a fish.... that was the chunk of rubber I'm talking about) came flying at my car. It slammed into the front bumper. Go ahead..... look at that picture. You can see the tread marks!!! It did so much damage to that stupid bumper that it rendered my vehicle unsafe to drive. So I called the auto body shop to come and tow it. On the Authorization to Repair, there was this disclaimer:


I have removed all personal belongings from my vehicle including: Garage door openers, Fast Passes, Extra keys, CD's, Change, Meteors and False Teeth.



Excuse me? Meteors and false teeth???? Just how many people are leaving those particular items in their vehicles when they take them in to the shop? For that matter, just how many people are CARRYING AROUND those items in their cars??

When I asked the lady at the shop about it, she said that they have actually had instances where these items have been vacuumed up during the clean up of the car. Ok. Meteors I can somewhat understand, although you'd think a big rock would sort of warrant a second glance. But false teeth?!? How do you accidentally vacuum up TEETH?

Having nothing more to say about that, at least--nothing that didn't sound beyond unbelievably sarcastic, I just signed the silly thing.

I did contemplate asking that the tech NOT vacuum when they are done.

Fortunately, I left my false teeth in my other car. You know, the one that has the ability to avoid flying tires.

10 comments:

Karen said...

Goodness, I'm glad you made it through that with no bodily harm.

I've seen the false teeth disclaimer before but meteors must be local to AZ.

Cecily R said...

First of all, I am SO glad you are okay. Seems like it could have been so much worse.

Secondly, what kind of super vacuum are they using that can suck up dentures AND a big ol' rock?

P.S. I keep my extra wigs, wooden legs and moon rocks in the van. Doesn't everyone?

LunaNik said...

Did you happen to notice what company the truck was from? You could always have called them to see if they would pay for the damages.

Glad you're ok. You have some luck, eh?

The Sports Mama said...

Karen, I'd never heard of either clause, but I can't say I've seen too many meteors here! :)

Cecily, I shudder to think of the size of that vacuum!

Lunanik, I honestly couldn't tell you if that tire came off the truck in front of me, or if he drove over it and it shot out at me.

Burgh Baby said...

I don't even know where to start. Meteors? False Teeth? OK, I think maybe I can see some old geezer leaving his teeth laying around somewhere then deciding it had to be the car vacuum guy that lost them. But meteor? I got nothing.

Kidzmama said...

I need a vacuum that can pick up false teeth and meteors! Holy suckage! It's good to see you still have a sense of humor after something like this.

The Creeper said...

Paul's parents went on a road trip to see his brother just after getting their new car (they live in Michigan, his bro in Washington state). So yeah, long drive, long stretches of NOTHING.

On their way back, they were on one of those secluded stretches of absolutely nothing and as they took off from an intersection, some dog came running out of nowhere and bit their car. Yep. And with cars being made out of nothing but plastic in certain areas, that dog did $3k worth of damage.

So the next time you have to call your insurance agent, just be glad you aren't explaining that it was attacked by a dog.

LOL!

Amy said...

meteors and false teeth...LOL!!!

My sister in law was driving once and her tire (wheel and all) came off her pickup and flew threw someone's living room window. My SIL is a very gentle soul and was mortified!

CableGirl said...

Wow, flying tires on the highway?? How scary.

I love the idea of false teeth being left in someone's car. Guess they weren't going to lunch.

CableGirl said...

Oh yeah... should have said that I'm blog hopping. :)