Nothing like getting in an accident the night before you have to drive to Staten Island...

All I wanted to do was go see Brüno... It was the perfect plan.  It's the only movie out in the local theaters that I haven't seen, AMC was showing it at 8:00, and I'd get home early enough to do some unpacking and get to bed before the long weekend of driving.

Then, my lousy tires struck!

Getting onto 78E/22E from Rt 100N, I passed around a truck on the new two-lane on ramp.  As I neared the merge lane, my rear end felt like going faster than my front.  My car started skidding as my trunk pulled left and I frantically thought "Do I steer into the skid our out of?! What does either one even mean?!?"

I kept spinning, turning a full 90º, now facing the shoulder, with the side of my car heading down the on-ramp.  I come to a quick stop, and I look back, sure that the truck I passed would be bearing down on me, and thinking, "You know, I've always thought T-Bone steaks suck"

Luckily, the truck was coming to a stop, but my trunk was hanging out into the first lane of the highway.  I saw a car nearing me, trying to stop, but everything happened too fast and she ended up hitting me.

I don't really recall the moment of impact--right now, 2 hours later, the psychosomatic in me is feeling a really sore back and neck, but the realist in me remembers that my back has hurt for months.

After getting to the shoulder, I got out of the car to make sure everyone in the other car was alright.  Just one there, and she was fine.   We were both pretty shaken up, but we exchanged info and waited for her husband to get there (I asked if we should call the police and she wasn't sure so we waited).

After a few minutes, this Honda comes speeding down the highway and stops in front of us--then reverses pretty fast back closer.  A tattooed guy with a chain gets out fuming.  He's fast walking towards me and I'm a little freaked out.  He turns around the car to see his wife and asks "What happened?!"  Then he comes at me, "Were you flying?"

"No.  I was just doing about 40 and spun out into traffic"

"Were you flying?!" as he lifts his fist and winds back, before doing a 180 and going back to his wife.

"She tried to stop but couldn't with the road conditions." I yell after--worried maybe this isn't her first accident and he's going to hit her or something.

As he stands over his wife, he takes the chain off his pants and wraps it around his hand.  Have I mentioned the brass knuckles tattoo on his neck?  Is there some significance to a little body in some of the finger holes?  I think each tear means one kill in prison-tat-language, is this some different version?

He comes over at me, but walks by towards my car.  He turns and comes back at me, raising his fist again like he's going to come at me and hit me, but thinks better and puts it down.

His wife, gets her phone out and I ask, "Do you want me to call the police to report this?" and she agrees, while she continues to copy down my information.

He eventually calms down, and a few minutes later (after having my 911 call drop for about 30 seconds) the police car finally shows up and all I see is this huge clump of tobacco in his lip.  He asks us what happens, gets our information and goes back to his car to write up the report.

While standing there, another car comes up the ramp and spins out behind the cop car!  Luckily, no car was bearing down the right-hand lane, so he can straighten out and leave un-hit.

The cop gets some flares and puts them out to prevent us from starring in one of FOX's gnarly World's Scariest Police Videos where an accident happens at an accident.  I Final Destination-y envision another car spinning out, and a tractor trailer blares its horn before plowing into it, pushing it into the cop car which flies into mine which crushes me into the right-hand barrier.

I slowly move further away from my car and keep a look out so I can jump up onto the bank if necessary.

We wait (in the rain, now) for what feels like half an hour.  A tow truck arrives, because her car is not drivable.

Finally, the cop comes out and gives us each a crash report.  I am told that I'll be receiving a citation for (something like) "Driving Too Fast For Road Conditions"

$500 deductible (possibly times 2), probable insurance hikes, another ticket, points on my license and I still have yet to see Brüno!

While the car is drivable, I'm having some reservations about this weekend now... Krissy's wedding is in Staten Island, then the reception is in NJ, and I was planning on either going into NYC to see a matinee Sunday afternoon, or drive down to Philly to see a few new movies (e.g. The Hurt Locker).  But I'm worried the car is hanging on the precipice of breaking down and leaving me stranded hours from my parents.

Hopefully it will make it, and hopefully I'll only have to pay one deductible (but I'm not counting on it)

Luckily, no one was hurt (that's what you're supposed to say, right?) and the husband didn't kick my ass.  He actually turned out to be a pretty nice guy after he calmed down... He must have apologized like half a dozen times for his behavior.  He even looked at my tires with a penny to see how bad the tread was (as deep as Lincoln's nose).

I definitely didn't feel like I was speeding down the ramp (I know I've gone a lot faster in the past), but I knew my tires were iffy, and I guess I should have gone even slower.  One lousy second and then not knowing how to properly steer out of the skid, causes a lot of inconvenience for three people and one towed car.

Although, I did get a cute girl's phone number :-)