Titan vs Expedition - AKA the camping trip that wasn't meant to be

Crazy seeing me on the 'net tonight, eh?? I should be on the camping trip I'd mentioned enjoying lovely fall foliage, right? Wrong!! Here's how today went:

7:30-10 am - Never-ending chatter of coworkers who obviously have nothing better to do than run their mouths. Headphones are cranked WAY up

10-10:30 am - Annoying co-workers take their 30 minute break (yeah, we're only given 15 minutes by law but somehow they're just twice as special or maybe just twice the size of regular ppl so they feel they have somehow earned 30 minutes)

10:30-10:45 - Take my own break with Brent to a)enjoy 15 more minutes without annoying coworkers and enjoy my state granted break. We've only started taking breaks this week and I have to say I enjoy it. And you don't even have to be a nasty smoker to take them! Genius!!

10:45-12 - More work with loud music to snuffle the sound of coworkers who STILL have no actual work to do.

12- Tell Brent I'm at a good stopping place and see if he's ready to have lunch. Normally we lunch around 12:30, but I was at an excellent stopping place so it didn't make sense to start my next task. Since we WERE going camping (sans Pippin) we came home to get him and take him to the kennel. I don't think Brent has ever been with me to drop him off before, he just doesn't enjoy that stuff. For some unknown, divine intervention reason today he did. We've been taking the Jeep (Wrangler) everywhere lately, but for some reason today we took the Expedition. Also, I normally strap Pippin into his harness with special seat belt adapter in the back seat, but today I just held him in my lap. So, off we headed to the kennel, about a 10 mile drive from our house. We're at the exit off the interstate making a left turn into the main road when this Nissan Titan truck completely blows the red light, slamming into us in the driver's side of the car at 50 miles per hour. I have no idea how she blew this light. This is a 4 lane road, very busy, and other cars WERE STOPPED for the red light. There were no skid marks or anything from her, complete oblivion. She said she 'just didn't see the light', she 'was unfamiliar with the area'. Man, I hope you never have to travel with this witch. We didn't have much time to react, everything happened so fast. Brent tried to swerve some but she was coming too fast. She hit us so hard he couldn't get out on the driver's side door, and the passenger door on that side is also 'sealed' shut now, except for the places where both the driver and rear driver passenger door is now gaping open. Doesn't really matter since she also ripped the running boards clean off my SUV and there's no way at 5 feet 2 I could get up into my car without them. I really, really think we would have been in serious shape if we were in a small car at the speed she was going. I don't even know how we would have faired in the Jeep, I sort of think we would have flipped over. Brent goes into these ballistic modes when stuff like this happens. If something is trying to hurt me or Pippin he becomes super human and will absolutely let you have it. He climbed out the back passenger side door and started yelling at this woman/total redneck (who seriously needs a bra and to get out of the sun) instantly. She didn't have much to say. Some friendly witnesses stopped to make sure we were all OK and to call the police. A city employee in the area stayed until he arrived. At some point when Pippin and I quit shaking I got out of the car to calm Brent down and have him call our friend P to say the camping trip was now off b/c the camping mobile was a little smashed and to call work to let them know what had happened. I also informed the redneck that we were about to go camping and because of her stupidity our trip was now off. And that we would be late going back to work. I wanted to make sure she knew that her actions have consequences. Sounds silly but I was pissed. Really pissed. So, the police officer got there, she told him she ran the light and he helped us finish pulling the running board off our car so that it would be 'drivable'. We exchanged insurance information and from the sound of her questions this was NOT the first wreck she's been involved in. She also kept saying that her car was leased and 'Nissan was going to be really mad at her this time'. Uh yeah, I really don't care - pay attention to major intersections and this won't happen!!! I don't know anything about leases, but hopefully they will stick it to her. Her car was a 2005. So, we headed out of there and back towards work to shut down our computers and call it a day. Driving back it sounded like we were in the Jeep because of the "ajar" doors on the driver's side. Nice. We were suddenly 'those people' we always point at and say 'so that's how our car would hold up in a wreck' or 'Oh, don't park next to them'.

We took Pippin to work, told our bosses this day was a bust and headed home. I always keep my new little camera in my purse so Brent had taken a ton of accident photos. We were going to print them out to take them to the insurance place with us. As we pulled in our driveway a car pulled in behind us. S, who we were going to camp with, had been in the area at a training class and heard what happened and wanted to make sure we were OK. Very sweet of her!! It took our minds off the trauma for a while which was great. We changed and headed over to the insurance place only to be told they have no actual reps here, that we need to call a 1-800 number. Well, isn't that convenient?? So we called from the parking lot, gave them the info, and they're assign an agent on Monday. It was 3:30 by now and we still hadn't had lunch. We stopped by the BBQ place for some sandwiches. We couldn't go through the drivethrough because that window won't go down SINCE A STUPID REDNECK SMASHED into my car, so we had to both get out on my side. Climbing over the console of an Expedition is NOT an easy thing!!

Tonight, instead of our fun camping trip we just went out to dinner with P&S. Oh well, maybe next time. I'm really impressed with how the Expy held up. It's making me re-think downsizing and getting something smaller. We're not sure if it's totaled, some other friends looked at it and said the frame looks like it may be intact, but the whole driver's side is seriously smashed in. It just doesn't look like my pretty SUV anymore!! As far as injuries go, my left elbow is scraped and I think I banged my right knee a little. Brent banged his left shin and Pippin even ended up with a little scratch on his chest, probably my finger nails grabbing him tight during the crash. But all in all we're VERY lucky.

Here are some pics, I am zonked and ready for bed!