It jumped up and bit me!

Gentle reader,

Yes, it has been a long time since I have written. Much has happened. I will not go into that now. Suffice to say, I wanted to get these photos and the story uploaded so that my insurance agent and Virginia DOT can take a look.

This morning at about 5:00 AM, I was traveling to work on the inner loop of the I-495 Washington beltway. I'd just crossed over Route 50 and was in the second lane from the right.

All of a sudden, SOMETHING flew up in front of my car and hit it. I briefly saw ORANGE. It scared the heck out of me! I saw to my right a Honda rapidly slowing
and heading for the right side of the road. There isn't much shoulder there.

I wasn't going to join him since I was five minutes from work and the car was driving fine. My heartbeat? That's another story.

Once at work, I got out the flashlight and looked for damage. Whatever it was hit the right edge of the front bumper and traveled across to the left, denting the metal next to the turn signal/parking lamp, breaking it and destroying the left headlight. The lamp is going to be very hard to find.

At first, the headlight wouldn't close, then it started working. I called my State Farm Agent's and reported the incident, but have not yet filed a claim.

I asked all my co-workers, many of whom travel same route if they saw anything. One, who arrived right behind me, saw what he thought was a large cable or hose ten to fifteen feet long on the road and had to swerve around it as other drivers were.

Another reported seeing a VDOT truck with all it's lights going at the location, but no other cars stopped. My thoughts are the VDOT employee picked up whatever it was and VDOT has it.

Once I got home today, I took these photos and then replaced the left headlight and tried to repair the turn signal/parking lamp.

There is orange and white transfer on my car from whatever it was. The beltway is being widened there and chances are it belongs to the company that is doing the work. VDOT will be able to tell me if that is the case. At least I hope so.

I think the metal piece above the bumper needs to be replaced, or a skilled body man can repair it and it plus the bumper repainted. Also the headlight "bucket" is cracked and pieces have fallen off.

NOW, if my car had not had pop-up headlights, which deflected whatever is was, that thing may very well have smashed through the windshield and killed me!

The problem with the car going to a body shop is finding parts. It's 21-years-old and was made in Australia.

I have bid on a lens on eBay ($25.00), but the lamp, I have to wait and watch for. As for the other parts, a parts car? I don't have money or room for such a thing.

The photos:

OK,

Now you've seen the photos, you may be thinking, "That's not so bad." You are right, it's not. However, I love this car and want to keep it forever. I take very good care of it. Today, I made it safe, in that all the lights work and hopefully, the rain will stay out of that lamp until I can get a new lens.

That's it for now!

Scott