Getting2Work

If you drive, the odds are against you in getting involved in an accident.  Last Monday, after my now normal 2 hours commute, I got off the freeway and coasted down the off ramp.  Almost home I thought with a sigh of relief.  The off ramp that I always take spreads out to 2 lanes.  I stay on the right lane since I have to make a right turn on the first cross road which comes up pretty quickly.  On the left lane was a big white SUV and was blocking my view of any oncoming cars.  I inched out to see if I could see around the big SUV.  Well, no luck there!  Sometimes I am not sure if people are mean or just a natural reaction.  I swear as I inched out, so did that SUV.  Sitting up so high and being on the left lane, it really didn’t need to get out that far to see oncoming traffic.  But … whatever … I guess I’ll just have to wait till it moved out of the way.  I am almost done with my commute, I could wait another minute or so until a big bang sounded and I felt something slammed into my car.  I was shocked but realized that the car behind me had just hit me.  We pulled over to the parking lot right next to the off ramp.

The young lady that hit me, thought that since the big SUV was moving out, assumed that I would do the same thing.  Well …. BAD ASSUMPTION!!!! One never assumes anything.  I guess she had never heard of what “assume” stands for!!!  The only situation when one would consider pulling because another vehicle is blocking the oncoming traffic is if that vehicle was a semi-truck.  The time it takes for a semi to pull out into street traffic is a lot longer than it will take for a regular car to pull out.

I called my husband and he had showed up as we were finishing up exchanging information.  There was no injury and no major damages to the cars.  The young lady’s car did hit me hard enough and left an imprint of her license plate and it’s 4 bolts on my rear bumper.  There were also some slight stress marks on my bumper.  Typical of many young people who are equipped with phones with camera, this young lady was no different.  So she took some photos of my bumper with her phone camera.  Not really sure if the photos would show enough details because it was very dark in that parking lot and the flash really was not much help.  Anyway, I suppose she’s figured that in case I would claim more damage than there really was or that I would add other damages (which I had none and keeping my fingers crossed that I won’t have any others) that was not caused by her incident.  I don’t blame her.  After all she doesn’t know me, nor do I her.  As we were leaving, a guy from one of the business told us that that is a horrible ramp and I was the second incident that day.

So I called my insurance company the next day to report the incident.  The gentleman that answered my call was very good and took all the information I had and reassured me that there’s nothing to worry because any other information that I do not have, they will be able to find.  I must had taken down more than he needed because I had asked him, “I have this info and that info, don’t you need that?”  So I gave him all that I took down and described the events to him.  He gave me my claim number, adjuster name, appraiser etc. and what to do and expected.  I thought so far not too bad.  The next day I got a call from a lady who said she was my adjuster.  I thought it was interesting since that was not the name the gentleman gave me.  No problem … I called this other person and just let her know what info I had already given and see what else she needed.  Well, she was out to lunch when I called but her co-worker looked at my claim and said all the information was there.  When I got home that night, I found that Lizzy (my new adjuster) had left a message again.  What the $#%@?  Didn’t her co-worker left her a note?

I called again the next day and again another co-worker answered instead of Lizzy.  This lady told me that if Lizzy was already on the line with another person, her phone would be transferred.  So I took the opportunity to ask this lady more about the deductible and the process.  This is what I found out from her … if I had wanted to go with my own insurance company, I would have to pay the deductible while my insurance company would pay for the difference.  My insurance will refund my deductible only if the other party’s insurance company accept the liability.  But if I don’t want to pay out of my own pocket, I was to contact the other party’s insurance and deal with them myself.  Oh and of course the other insurance company will want to use their own appraiser.  Also if the other party’s insurance company does not accept liability, I (myself) can take them to small claims court.

So I can’t help but think and did ask the little lady on the phone … I pay the insurance company all this money and I have to do all the work?  Oh no, my insurance company will handle things if the other party is uninsured.  Wow, glad to hear that they will actually do something other than raising the rates.

I guess everyone else knows all the details about what to do after any accident and all the claim processes.  I am the only one on this earth that did not know this.  If I had not decided to call again AND AGAIN even though the first and the second person I had talked to told me that they had all the information and told me what I had to do, I would not have known these other details.  Then I got in my mail all these forms from my assigned adjuster, Lizzy to fill out because she hadn’t been able to reach me!!!!!!  SHE HADN’T BEEN ABLE TO REACH ME?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  How about the other way around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Call me an impatient person or whatever.  I expect my insurance company to give me all the details and lay out the steps and processes the first time I call them instead of a little more detail each time I call them back.  Give the information to the person as if that person does not know any of the process and it’s their first time.  Let the person tell you that they know this part or that part of the process.  Or how about doing the work dealing with the other party’s insurance.  I guess I’ve been lucky that I’ve driven so long that this is the first time I actually have to go through this.  Just think this is a very minor incident, can’t imagine if this is a major one.

Of course this is still not over.  Let me count my blessings so I can continue to deal with this …

1. no personal injuries
2. it did not happen ON the freeway going 70 mph
3. my car was not sandwiched so there’s only damage in the rear
4. my car was not pushed hard enough into oncoming traffic and possibly got broad sided beside rear-ended
5. did not have another accident the rest of the way home!

Didn’t write anything over the weekend.  I was having too much fun with my new toy, Wacom pen tablet and also doing homework.  Anyway, this is not a commuting story but it definitely has something to do with why I am commuting … WORK!

We’ve all done it, pulling on someone’s leg or harmlessly kidding around and giving each other grief.  But somehow you can tell when someone was really being mean and hiding behind their “kidding” around front.  I don’t know if I have “sucker” written on my forehead or what, I’ve had my share of people doing that to me.  Unfortunately I am usually so stunned that I don’t know who to react or have any smart come back.  Afterwards I would think of all kinds of things that I could have said.  I would tell myself to be ready for the next time.  Of course when that happens, I am caught by surprised AGAIN.

So I offically changed to working 4/40.  Of course that’s between me, my boss and my team mates.  I get in early  at 5:30am and my lunches are just continue working at my desk.  Okay I do have to go heat up my lunch.  I hardly ever go out for lunch and when I do, I always make up my time.  But when I leave each day, I still feel guilty.  I’ve heard stories about Catholics and their guilt trip.  I’m not Catholic but my upbringing sure drilled that guilt trip in me.

I was leaving last Wednesday when I ran into this one guy who said, “Leaving already!”  This guy had done this to me before and like I said I was so stunned that I didn’t know what to say.  Well, I thought I was a little bit more ready this time.  Unfortunately I was no match to this kind of people because even though I was able to respond once, I was not ready for a second round.

I was quite unhappy with that person but I was just a unhappy with myself.

Good thing I was able to calm down after I got on the road.

Would I be happier if I am like that kind of people?  I don’t think I can or ever want be like that.  Thanks for that guilt full upbringing!  And I am not being sarcastic!

I don’t usually write during the weekday because  I am just too wiped out in the evening.  But after I was done with making a quick dinner for the family, I turned on my computer to go through my emails.  Of course opening up a web browser also brought up the headline news.  Well, this one caught my eyes, Gunman on 101 Freeway overpass in Santa Barbara is arrested.  The gunman was an Army veteran who served in Iraq.  It was a pretty drastic way of making a statement.  The news article also mentioned that he had a gun but it was not loaded.  That was pretty scary considering that if he should even raise his gun like he was going to do something, the police or SWAT might had opened fire.  His younger sister said that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.  I can’t even imagine what it must be like for these service men and women.  I am glad to read that no one was hurt.

That overpass story reminded me of some other people that were making a statement on one of the overpasses along the 405 north.  It was at the slower part of the drive and there was certainly plenty of time to notice and read their signs.  These two people were holding signs indicating that they were against Prop 8.  Not sure how many minds they had changed but I am sure a lot of people read their signs.

I was trying out 4/10 or 4/40 work schedule during the summer months.  It’s way pass summer and a few weeks back management mentioned that if we wanted to flex our work hours we need to be approved on an individual basis.  So yesterday I finally formally request my work schedule change and was approved.  Well, the schedule is 4/40 until there is a need to work OT, then it’s work till the job is done!

I am glad that I now offically don’t work Fridays.  Particularly glad for this Friday (or today) because it’s Halloween!  Hate to get back in the dark with all the candy crazy kids running all over the streets.  We are armed with a BIG bowl filled with candy.  We don’t have decorations outside but we do have the porch lights on so the kids know to approach.  We used to carve pumpkins and put them out.  I actually enjoyed them maybe even more than the kids.  Most of the time my son answered the door but I would go and see what costumes they have on.  It’s especially fun to see the really little ones.  So cute!

Wonder if there are any dark chocolates … I always separate those out!  Maybe I should go do that now!!!!

I had mentioned that I used to drive a stick shift.  I also know that the number of stick shift cars are diminishing.

Back in 1980, more than 35 percent of all cars were sold with a stick. … By 2005 only 6 percent of all buyers bothered with a stick.

With the advance in development, the new automatics actually are more fuel efficient and can switch faster than the manuals.  I can believe that with everything being computer controlled.  Sure some of the sport’s car makers said they will always have manual shift.  But if they are the only ones left, what difference does it make for common folk like myself.  I can’t afford them sports cars!!!

Even though I had the link to the article where I quoted above, here’s the title of the article about “The End of Manual Labor? The stick-shift is a fast-fading icon” and Lawrence Ulrich is one luck guy to get to drive some of these great sports cars.  So jealous!

Haven’t been writing for a couple of weeks.  I had signed up for a class which started a couple of weeks ago.  So between the long commute, working 4 days and trying to get a head start with the class, I’ve just been a bit too tired.  I really feel that I have no right to complain or miss any writing.  My husband brings home the bacon and fries them up too.   My kids are old enough that if we need to ask them to fend for themselves they could.  So my life is not that difficult.  I can’t image how any single parent can do it all him/herself.  If they are lucky and have a good support network of family or friends, they can get a break sometimes.  Still … I am tired just thinking about it!

Anyway, this is my first online class at a university and I am really excited.  It really gives me the flexibility that I need and let me think and do my homework properly.  I don’t feel the pressure of being in class.  It still has all the weekly reading assignments and homework but I can pace myself.  Except my pacing is really trying to stay ahead by cramping everything on Fridays and a bit on the weekends.  This class will benefit at work and if I do well I hope this will give me the confidence to pursue more classes.  Who knows maybe I can work up to getting another degree.

Now I just have to keep up with the class and get a good grade.  I do not want to have to pay my company back.  This class is not cheap!

Yesterday was my Friday, so the mood driving home was relaxed.  Left work after 4:30pm and traffic had it’s usual late drive slowness at Western Ave.  But no big deal because I was expecting it.  Speed picked up a bit again until we got to LAX area.  Everyone jogged into place and eventually settled down.  After the traffic settled down, I switch from blasting songs to my audio book and time to kick back.  As I listened, I like looking around at my fellow drivers.  You could see the driver behind pretty clearly since we were going so slow (crawling really).  OMG … it’s Tom Cruise!!!! NOT!!!  Of course not … what’s the chance.  Besides he was driving an old red car where most of it had faded to more of a grey than red.  But I swear … that guy looked A LOT like Tom Cruise.  So I got to drive most of the way with good looking Tom behind me.  Another plus … he was not tail gating!!!!

I have been working 4/10 weeks since summer.  But last Friday I had a 4 hours class at work from 8:00am till noon.  So I could have slept in but I really didn’t want to hit any traffic so I went into work at my regular hour.  Ride was easy like most early mornings.  Since I was one of the few that got there early before most people were in and my office was at the end of the ailse, I got time to send out a few emails (work emails not personal stuff) and read up for the class.  It was a virtual class and this was a class taken on my own time.   Our computers (well, most of our computers) were setup that our IM was signed on when we logged in.  Some people at work knew that I would be in on my own time for the class but since I showed up as being there, all is fair game.  I got a few work questions and discussions.  But I really didn’t mind.  I kinda like that virtual class because I could multi-task.

By mid-morning I was feeling pretty crappy.  I think I was just getting too tired.  Class was pretty good … learned a few new things.  But I was ready to head home when the class was over.  I signed off and packed up and got out by 12:30pm.  Since it was a Friday, a lot of people went out for lunch.  Those who went out were already at wherever they were stuffing their faces and most Friday lunches were longer.  So the surface road was pretty empty, which was great!  Freeway was pretty smooth riding too.  Had a few slow downs but no biggie.

I was able to make it all the way pass the LAX, the Sepulveda Pass and onto the 101 in 1 hour.  That was so great!  Unfortunately spoke too soon and the free ride was over.  There they were … those endless lines of cars … AGAIN!  Man … had the same thing just Wednesday.  It was crawling and whatever was causing the traffic jam was too far ahead to see.  Funny how the mind tried to evaluate the situation … : )  Well, I could get off the freeway at the next exit and take the surface road.  But it was still too far away and with the traffic lights, it will still take me 25 minutes to get home.  So I decided to keep going on the freeway till I get closer before getting off the freeway and take surface road the rest of the way.

So it still took me 1.5 hours to get home last Friday.  Hey, I guess for a Friday afternoon commute, that was pretty good time compared to 2+ hour.  Well, I had to think that way to keep myself from going nuts.  I got home and crashed flopped on the courch and was out.

The headline “The 65 mpg Ford the U.S. Can’t Have” at businessweek.com caught my eyes.  Okay, so this was not today’s headline, hot off the press but it’s still warm enough for me to notice.  How could it not?  It’s an American car that gets 65mgp!!!!  Oh but wait … we’re not getting this in the US!!!!

Here’s a few points mentioned in the Business Week article as to why the Ford management feel that they can’t make a business case in the US:

1. Ford’s 2009 Fiesta ECOnetic runs on diesel … diesel as old-tech … whether the U.S. ever will embrace diesel fuel
2. the engines are built in Britain, so labor costs are high
3. price of the Fiesta to around $24,400 … Ford doesn’t believe it could charge enough to make money on an imported ECOnetic

So what’s up with us?!!!  Are we really that narrow minded in the US.  I would like to think not!  I’m a pretty average individual.  If I come across a topic that hit home for me, I would certainly hunt down more information so that when I have to make a decision, it will be a more informed decision.  Fuel price and clean air certainly are hot topics right now.

Yes, Toyota and Honda made and still is making the most noise in hybrid and fuel efficient cars.  But has there been any campaign for the new diesel?  Anyone care to point out …

• the new diesel vehicles are as clean or cleaner than gasoline
• 30% or more fuel-efficient

Here’s one from Honda.  The video/song is a bit child like and cute but you’ll get it.

As for the cost … I can understand that diesel engine is very different and we don’t have any plant here.  Okay, as Business Week’s follow up article’s point #5 pointed out, it’s not that easy.  But I am sure we would love the possibility of more jobs here in the US.

Here’s more points made in the follow up article from Business Week.  Yes, it’s not so simple … state taxes, regulations, prejudice, cost, etc.  But other car companies such as Honda, Nissan and Hyundai have diesel cars for the US in their plans.  Volkswagen and Mercedes both had cars approved by California and will be coming next year.  If we associate diesel as dirty and polluting, then use some other name like what VW (Jetta TDI) and Mercedes (Bluetec) did.  If we don’t think ahead and work together, we’ll be playing catch up again.

Thursday commute ended up on an annoying note!

With a 4/10 schedule, my Thursday is like others’ Friday.  So I was really ready to mentally wind down.  Morning commute was pretty uneventful.  The work day was going along it’s usual pace … trying to get things done … ran into problems … solved problems (myself and/or with others) … and the cycle goes on.  Since I was not planning on going into work today, I stayed a little longer than usual to get things going and send out emails so other team members can continue on tomorrow so we won’t lose as much time.

Since I left late, I expected to run into more traffic.  I reminded myself not to get anxious of the time.  After all it was the end of the work week for me.  Sure enough, there were more spots where traffic slowed, and the LAX dead stop started way before we actually got to LAX.  But no problem, I was mentally prepared and I have my audio books that I subscribe to at Freebooks.com (see it on my list of “Commuters’ Boredom Busters”).  After we reached to persistent slow stretch, I called my daughter to relay the message to rest of the family not to be alarmed that I was getting home late.

It was getting dark half way through the Sepulveda Pass.  I had to join the rest of the commuters and turned my head lights on.  That’s one of the reasons why I might go back to driving 5 days.  I don’t think I want to drive both ways in the dark.  It just has this negative psychological effort on me!

It had been a long day and I was feeling it.  After 2 hours on the freeway, I finally reached my exit and got off the freeway.  It’s either the change of speed or knowing that I was almost home gave me a feeling as if a heavy load was lifted off my shoulders. But I still had a stretch on the surface road before actually reaching home.

Somewhere on one of the surface roads, a big pick up was waiting to turn left onto the road.  This was one of the samll streets and there was one car in front of me close by.  The pick up thought it had time to pull out in front of the car ahead of me.  But instead of going straight,  the car in front of me moved over for a left turn.  The pick up couldn’t make it and stopped in our right lane.  But It did managed to stop in time without hitting the car that was ahead of me.  Unfortunately instead of waiting till I passed, he decided to make the rest of his left turn in front of me.  I can understand that sitting in lane is not a good thing for him.  But there is no one else coming and it’s wasn’t like I had stopped in the middle of my lane either.  I hadn’t expected him to go.  I had to brake hard and pulled right to avoid it.  I swear it was just like in the movie as I watched the side of the pick up zooming up to me.  I just missed the left tail corner of his pick up.  I was very lucky that there were no other cars to my right or close behind.

My heart was pounding.  Good thing I only had a few more blocks to go and the rest of the way traffic was light and uneventful.  Freeway driving can be bad, but I swear surface road can be as bad if not worse.