There's really no eloquent way for me to start this one...I'm just at a loss for words, really. So, I'll be direct.

I wrecked my car Monday night. Yes, my.... ssssss....Precious.... is now battle-scarred.

I was on my way home from work, around 7 pm-ish...visibility was still pretty good, traffic was moderate. Now, there is a road I travel when going to and from work. It's 2 lane, speed limit is 45 mph. It is a popular route for many an 8-5er. Several months ago, two completely unnecessary stoplights were added midway up the road. The intent, I suppose, was to alleviate the wait for the unfortunates trying to get onto the main road during rush hour traffic. Unfortunately, the idea was poorly executed. What exists are two lights perhaps 4 car lengths apart, if that, that do not always change predictably.

Such was the case Monday. I was following a Dodge truck, and doing around 30-ish mph and behind him a good ways...well, as I come to the first light, it changes to yellow. I figure I can make both lights, so I don't slow down. It is after making this judgment call that I realize...the second light is already red, and that truck is suddenly very, very close....all I can do is hit my brakes and choose, do I hit the truck, or swerve off the road and hit a phone pole. I rear-ended the truck.

There were no injuries (thank God for that); the truck seems to have suffered nothing less than a scratched bumper. The truck's driver was very understanding/cool about what happened... As for my car... By some miracle, nothing crucial appears to have been damaged, as nothing was leaking and it ran fine the remaining 20 miles home, other than pulling to the right a bit. But my entire front assembly thingie is mangled and my hood is now 3 inches shorter. The state trooper was very lenient with me, though, for which I am grateful. But there goes my spotless driving record, damnit..........

I'm not going to try to make excuses and act like it wasn't my fault; it was. Bad judgment call on my part and given the circumstances, 30 mph, while well within the legal limit, was still too fast. But those lights are a menace. I am not the first person to do what I did tonight on account of those same two lights; there's been several wrecks there in the last couple months. And as much as I hate to say this, it's only a matter of time before someone dies there. God, I know it's not right to hate, but I hate Hickory, NC. I really do.

Today, I got an estimate on costs to repair my car...looks like it will be between $1300 if I can find a "parts car", or around $2600 if I can't. Ugh. But it's my first car, I'm attached to it...and I cannot bring myself to take a car that runs/drives fine to a junkyard, no matter how ugly it looks in front right now. *sighs*