I left North Carolina on the way to Florida for Christmas.
My plan was to stop by Parris Island to get a tour of the Marine base there from my cousin, who is a commanding officer.
Somewhere outside of Charlotte on a rain-slicked 6-lane highway, I glanced down at a menu proposal and when I looked up, the car in front of me was at a complete stop.
Slammed on the brakes, sliding… sliding… almost stopped… tink!
Ok, just a small tap, no visible damage to the car in front of me.
I got out of the car to check for any dings on my bumper.
What?
The hood was crumpled up!
I guess the bumper of the SUV lined up perfectly with the soft underbelly of the Hotel Prius hood.
No visible damage to the radiator or anything else inside, but I couldn’t open the hood to be sure.
Just to be safe, I got a tow to the body repair shop recommended by my insurance company.
I wish I had taken a picture of my tow truck driver, who has been doing this for more than a decade.
He regaled me with story after story of crushed and mangled cars, bodies, and heads rolling around the highway.
This should be a mandatory experience for every would-be driver.
Scared straight!
-D