Down to 1 car.

A few weeks ago, while we were getting some snow, Chris had to run to Wal-mart to pick up a few things. He just drives a little GEO Metro. As he was on his way home there was a firetruck going through the intersection, very slowly, and he didn't see it until it was too late. He was going less than 25 MPH because the roads were terrible but when he hit his brakes they locked up and he went skidding and ended up clipping the back end of the firetruck. Shouldn't have been a big deal at all but it tore the front-side of his car up. It definitely made me think about how much worse it could have been if he was going faster. The car is like a little tin box and if that little of an accident ripped the front end apart what would have happened in a slightly worse situation. Makes me shudder.



(if you look close, that is his front panel that is wrapped around the tire)

Oh, and he got a ticket for failure to control his vehicle. That's the part that really gets me. If the city would actually do their job and keep the major roads cleaned off it wouldn't have been an issue. He stopped in plenty of time, he just doesn't have anti-lock breaks and with the road conditions the way the were, it was really slick. Isn't there such a thing as a no-fault accident anymore or have our cities just become so greedy that they will write out a ticket for everything? I told Chris now I understood why they didn't clean the roads off right away. Personally I think they hope for accidents during this time so they CAN make money off of tickets.

Anyway. We have been down to 1 car for the last few weeks and boy does it stink! Not that I have really felt like going anywhere and not like the weather has been nice, but still when you have no other option but to stay home it's not so much fun. We called the Credit Union we have belong too for many many years, but they don't consider the income we bring in through the churches while Chris is at school to be verifiable income, and so they don't count it. Even though we have had loans through them pretty steadily for the last 6 years, and currently have our van payments through them, and I have never been late, they would not give us a loan. He was talking with one of his instructors who told him to try a certain place as he knew the guy and he would give us a loan. Chris went there yesterday and found a pretty decent little $2,000 car. Needless to say, he said the same thing about our income and wouldn't finance us. We would have only needed financing for $1,000 of it but it was a no-go. Once our taxes come in we would have the extra money, but Chris said the way the car was he doubted it would still be there even in just a few days. What a huge bummer! I hate being without a car, especially once the weather turns nice and we want to get out and about.

I told Chris though that I was thankful it was his car he got in an accident in and not the van. Had it been the van we really would have been in trouble. So, while inconvenient and takes a bit getting used to, I feel very blessed that 1) no one was hurt and 2) it wasn't the van.

It is kind of sad though. He bought that car for just $600 about 4 years ago and we never had any major problems with it. When something had to be replaced the parts were always cheap. It will be going to a good home though. He is giving it to his nephew so he can work on it as time goes on and eventually be able to drive it.