Gamestop and following traffic laws made me a criminal and cost me the use of my car · 9:44pm Mar 27th, 2021
...no, really.
It just happened a few hours ago. And why did it happen? Because it happens. Roll the bones.
Before I go any further, there are two things I need to say. The first is that other than the rage, sorrow, frustration, and desire to just sit in a dark corner and contemplate the world record for useless weeping, I'm fine. Physically, my neck's a little sore, but I'm reasonably sure I don't have whiplash and if I did? No medical insurance, and so it goes. I'll hopefully feel better in the morning. Physically, anyway.
Second: this blog does not represent any attempt at fundraising. I am not asking for money to fix the problem. Money only fixes the car. The real problem would remain.
I'll explain.
So Gamestop came up in the 'verse's chat server.
A few days ago, I took a very long walk. I had a preorder at Best Buy, for in-store pickup, and my most local store didn't receive any copies. (My mad money for March: the Soul steelbook.) But they made sure I got one -- by holding it at a store about nine miles away.
I... really can't drive very much right now. We've been over that. The car isn't in my name. I paid for it, but I purchased it for my mother, registered it to her for insurance purposes, and I can't transfer the title. Medicaid has first claim on anything which is legally hers, and I'm still waiting to hear from them. (They have to be struggling with a tremendous backlog. I'm trying to keep that in mind.) So if I get stopped, I'm driving a vehicle registered to the dead, which has no active insurance. And I can't even get non-owner's insurance -- something meant for people who don't have their own car, but borrow or rent a lot -- because any vehicle I got into would need to have a living title holder.
So I've been driving as little as possible. And very, very carefully. Obey all traffic laws, don't draw attention, don't get pulled over, don't wind up with the car impounded.
I walked to that other Best Buy. Call it nine miles. Good exercise. I took the bus back, because it's just barely spring and eighteen miles roundtrip after a winter inside is something I need to build towards. And along the way, I saw a road sign. Something which related to Gamestop.
I told everyone that I'd go get a picture.
But I didn't want to walk it again. I'd be out for hours, and -- walking that route on a weekend, with traffic so heavy and sidewalks scant? Too dangerous. So I drove it. Carefully.
Here's the sign. It's a short video, so do play the clip: it flashes through three messages. (I stopped at a Walmart near my U-turn point and posted to Twitter from there.)
https://twitter.com/i/status/1375851013047980032
Time to go home. I found my ramp for the road back, went up to the top, and paused at the Yield sign because there's fast-moving traffic on the merge road. There was a gap, but the vehicle in the left lane seemed to be moving into the right. Wait for him to pass, just to be sure...
...and that was when my car got rammed.
From behind. By the car directly in back of me on the ramp, because apparently I'd just been there too long.
I got rocked, but not too strongly: I was stopped, and he didn't have time to build up speed. Physically, it wasn't that bad. Mentally...
...there was a flash when I saw it all, everything which was about to wreck my life again. I hadn't done anything wrong, I was being safe, and it doesn't matter what I do, does it? Not as long as there's an idiot who thinks my safety is costing him seconds.
Not just that. When it comes to getting hit because I follow Yield signs? This was the second time.
I practically flew out of my car. Marched up to the driver, and screamed "WHAT?"
He stared at me. And his first shaken response was to tell me I didn't have to yell at him.
(I'd call that ultimate white privilege, except he wasn't.)
Are you kidding? You just hit me! You rammed into me! I have every right --
-- he told me that I'd stopped. So somehow that made it my fault.
I asked him if he knew what a Yield sign meant, and that was when he really started to panic. After all, he'd just admitted that I'd stopped and the sign was right there. Cars were starting to move around us, but there was still a knot of traffic beginning to develop. Drawing attention --
-- I have no active insurance and I'm driving a car registered to the dead.
I couldn't stay there. Staying long enough for the police to arrive was risking fines and impound.
I glanced at his car. The front bumper was badly scuffed. Also, there was a major dent partially caving in the driver's door. I doubted this was his first rodeo...
So I yelled one more time. I told him that it was clear he didn't have insurance and he was never going to pay for anything, so goodbye!
And that's the crime. I left the scene of an accident. I'm hoping he didn't get my plate, and that he doesn't want to report anything himself because it's probably not his first rodeo and any insurance rates he might somehow have would go drastically up. But if I'd stayed...
...really hoping not to hear any door knocks for a while. Or a rattle of cuffs.
(If it helps, there's no traffic cameras in that area. I'm guessing that if I don't hear anything for two weeks, I'm clear.)
I went home and surveyed the damage. The left taillight had lost a few pieces of casing (and I just replaced the old one a few months ago). The car didn't seem to be having any problems. Driver's rear wheel guard had lost two bolts, possibly from the impact. But...
I've been trying not to draw attention. And two of the car's back panels had been shoved out of alignment, coming free from what appeared to be -- internal clips? There was a screw visible, and it wasn't supposed to be. They'd popped partially free: not too noticeable from a distance on the passenger side, but the driver's... that was easy to spot. Driving around like that, with Ticket Season about to truly start -- death.
The trunk was also lightly jammed. I still could open and close it, but effort was now required.
Mostly cosmetic damage (although I'm dreading something mechanical coming up later, and that isn't out of the question). But the kind of cosmetic damage which draws attention. Tickets. Questions, followed by impounding.
I told the chat server what had happened, and then emptied out my car. I was about to take it to my old mechanic: the one who can't work on it any more because he's maintaining his own fleet of trucks. I needed advice. Recommendations. And if he told me of a place to go, I'd need to have all the paperwork clear. I have a passport appointment on the 31st --
-- still going: I'll find a bus or something --
-- and that means there were vital documents in the trunk. Better check the glove compartment and take out anything sensitive, since this is going to be days in a shop I don't know. Let's see...
...oh.
Right.
I carry emergency supplies in the car.
As a caregiver.
Medicine.
....my mother's morphine is still in the pull-down storage tray. In a prescription bottle, but it's been two and a half months, I just didn't take it out and...
...yeah. I would have had to explain that. Slowly.
Now I'm really glad I left the impact site.
Okay. To the mechanic. I got lucky, and he was able to see me after fifteen minutes. But he doesn't do body work. He was willing to look it over, and he didn't charge me for taking out the taillight so he could inspect the driver's side impact a little more closer. He even spent about forty minutes trying to get everything back into place. Still no charge.
But he couldn't do anything.
(This link is for pictures of the damage: https://twitter.com/EsteeFIMFic/status/1375905845029048320)
The panels are plastic. The impact pressure warped them. If they had been metal, he would have gone after them with the All-Solving Hammer and gotten everything back into place. But he pushed, and... they pushed back.
This means a body shop. To work on plastic. Possibly replacing the panels entirely.
Some of you are already doing the math. So did I, even while having no idea what the potential total might be. He advised me to just get an estimate.
I told him I wasn't going to bother.
Not today.
Possibly not for a very long time to come.
Money doesn't solve the real problem. Money only fixes the car.
Please listen to me.
Let's say I asked for help. I also dumped out a coin jar, sold some things, did whatever was necessary to fill the fiscal gap, and the body shop took my (I don't have an estimate: this is a number for joke purposes only) three thousand dollars and put everything right.
Two days later, someone from Medicaid's estate recovery division takes the key from my numb hand and thanks me for saving them the trouble.
The real problem is that the car isn't legally mine. The title cannot be transferred until after/if Medicaid declines to claim it, whenever that happens to be.
If I asked for help, and the car was just taken... it's a waste. It felt abusive, to request assistance in the current situation, and I'm not going to do that. Not now.
Here's what I have done. I spent on patch tape for the taillight. ($5.16. My total-to-date repair expense.) This covers the cracks somewhat and brings down the odds of being pulled over during a crisis drive. Any driving from now on is a crisis drive, because either I'm in one bad enough to take the risk, or I'm having one.
I did not order a replacement taillight, on the advice of my mechanic. He feels the warped plastic is putting pressure on the edges: he had real trouble getting the assembly back into place, and feels a new one could fracture from the stress.
Duct tape has been placed over the panel gap lines. Distance camo again. It can't hold them in place, but it's pretty close to matching the shade of the paint.
And now the car sits in my parking space. For what may be a very long time. Of course, someone could ram into it there. After all, it's not moving. The greatest offense.
If I can sort things out with Medicaid... if I retain the vehicle at the end of that, and transfer the title... that's when I can think about repairs, and maybe we'll talk then.
(If I put up a new Ko-Fi goal today... in the chat server, we've been talking about the idea of a postal dropbox, to be located Many Miles Away Near A Dark Scottish Loch. Something where another person could drop by twice a month and see if I had any FIMFic-related physical mail. But it's a scary thought, for several reasons. The silliness involved in assuming I might ever see a single letter or package, and the pain of being wrong. Concerns about attempted doxxing. Wondering just how many hideous MLP toys Admiral Biscuit's been storing up for just such an occasion.)
Right now, anything major is paying to fix what may be someone else's car. There doesn't seem to be any point.
I thought I might be okay if I was just safe and lucky. But I'm so rarely lucky, and -- it doesn't matter if I'm safe, does it?
So I'm grounded. Mass transit and foot range only. There's no other choice. There may not be another choice for months.
And now I have two reasons to dread the knock at the door.
There is another solution, of course. We talked about it in chat, just so I could make sure everyone understood it wasn't going to be attempted today. Because the real problem is that this car isn't legally mine.
So I could just buy another car. Hey, everyone! Look at this link I'm not placing, which does not go to my new vehicle monetary donation goal because that doesn't exist!
...yeah. When it comes to fundraising, that's Kylie Jenner levels of ego (only minus the billion dollars), and I. Am. Not. Doing. It. I'm not that stupid, unrealistic, or self-involved. I do realize that I may have to buy a car if the government takes this one, but that's Future Estee's Problem. I'm not facing that now.
Besides, 'now' is its own problem.
Even if it did work... if I had a new (used) car by the end of the week and nothing else had changed...
...I'd still have the Cobalt.
My apartment comes with one parking space. Residents get a single sticker to place in the window. If a car is left overnight in the lot without that sticker...
...
...not really seeing Medicaid as being willing to pay accumulated impound feeds to get their car back.
But if you had a new car, and the Cobalt was impounded... it’s no longer your problem. They have to pay, you don’t. It’s not your car.
So there’s that to put into consideration.
for whatever its worth you have people here that will still be around to help when anything can actually be done. until then, well i dont have any bad knock-off mlp toys yet but if you do end up getting a drop box i am sure i can find one or two
You need to talk to your lawyer about this. See what they say could happen
5484598
They don't do estate law.
Man, that completely *sucks*. It clearly could have gone worse, but it also clearly should have been a completely uneventful trip were it not for horrible luck.
I think your plan makes sense... hopefully you’ll finally hear whether they want the car sooner rather than later, and you’ll be able to do something about it then. Hang in there, and let us know if there comes a point we can help!
5484604
No, but they might have an idea what Medicaid is likely to do to you for leaving it in the street.
Doesn't hurt to ask.
Asshole driver need more than a good yelling. He need his permit removed.
I still think the insurance company would accept a check from A to pay B's insurance without blinking an eye. Worst case, you're out a stamp.
I’m sorry about your car but also sorry that I’m now following you on Twitter and also 5484670 apparently.
Bicycle? I have a motorbike and a truck (both ancient) but for routine errands my (new and fancy) pedal bike is the first choice, especially in winter. I get that doesn’t work everywhere, I specifically moved to an area it was practical, but could it work for you?
If the medicaid people ask you about the damage to the car, tell them that someone backed into it at the parking lot and went away without leaving any information.
Damn. That's a fucked up day. I relate to you on the insurance thing, my family and I were stuck driving my car very carefully and not for very long until our stimulus checks finally came in this past week and we could afford the shitty rate we qualify for. You don't realize what you have until you don't have it anymore.
I'm sorry you've had to go through this ordeal. I hope this day goes better for you. If you ever do set up the drop box I would write a letter to you. I appreciate what you do so much. It's kind of weird though thinking what to write since there are more mundane and faster ways of actually communicating now it would have to really matter for it to end up in the letter.
I'm sorry to hear this. As you being reported doubtful sure you left the scene but he still hit YOU while you were stopped why doesn't matter really you were stopped. Yes you left the scene of an accident but he's still responsible for rear ending you. In reporting you they are likely to ticket him as well on one or more charges depending how far they want to push it Unassured Clear Distannce for one
Well, that's, uh, not as bad as I first feared when seeing the blog title, at least!
Still, sorry, Estee. Good luck, whatever that may mean for you here.
Estee, that offer to sell you my 2005 Toyota Camry (as soon as I'm done overhauling it) still stands.
~130,000 miles. New battery. New alternator. New hood, front bumper, and bumper cover. Rebuild title. No serious accidents - my insurance company totaled it unnecessarily after a fender-bender. (Repairs cost me $1000 in parts. The battery and alternator were due for replacement anyway. The insurance company's estimator wrote a $4400 estimate.)
Should be ready in mid-April. I just need to finish sprucing up the interior because I've had it for years and it was due for an overhaul.
$3000 + fees (tax, title) if you're willing to come down here to get it. For $3750 + fees I'll deliver it to wherever you are in Yankee-land.
I can probably get $4000 locally, but you're a good person and I can take a slight loss to help you.
5486532
Yes, I agree completely. Your argument has persuaded me in a way no others ever could. Just as soon as I wrap up this post, I'll go get the knife. Instructions on where to find and dispose of my body will be sent under separate cover.
Thank you for showing me the only path to true peace.
5486550
Well, I needed that laugh, so thanks.
But seriously, see the edited comment. You are a good person and I want to help you.