The first car I ever "owned" was a little Dodge Neon. It was bought by my sister and while she was away at college, I was given the car. Of course, it was officially her car, I just used it to go to school and meet up with friends.
Well, this car was decently used and was pretty old (I don't remember the year) so it had some problems every now and then. It would run for a long time fine, and then suddenly have massive problems. We always fixed them up and things were good as new, but it could be pretty terrifying when you were driving and suddenly your car stopped working...
So, let's start with the first time my car wanted to ruin my life. This is the only one where the car didn't try to kill me. Instead, it left me stranded. My friends and I always hung out late after school, because as Seniors we got last period off and most of my friends either took the bus or were waiting for their rides home. One of these days, my friend Lauren asked if she could have a ride home. I said sure, since she lives pretty close to the school and it's no trouble at all. After the buses left, we walked to my car and I attempt to start the car. I turn the key and...
Nothing.
I tried multiple times, but not a sound. No attempt at all to come to life. Cursing under my breathe, I call my dad to ask him to come save me. Eventually he came with AAA and got my car started, but I was stuck at school for two hours longer than normal. It was pretty upsetting.
That is also the least impressive story.
One time I picked up my friends Mike and Sarah to go hang out at the mall. We were on our way to Milford (one of the nearby cities and it has the best mall) when suddenly I was having trouble turning. It was like the car was RESISTING me trying to turn the wheel. I pull over and tell everyone that the car doesn't want to turn. I then pull back into traffic so I can move onto a side street, and as I turned it took pretty much all my effort just to get over without dying. I pull over on this road and call my dad, telling him my problem. He shows up and then inspects the car. Turns out the power steering belt had just come off at some point during the drive.
Can you believe that? It just popped off like it wasn't important and disappeared into the street. Needless to say we did not make it to the mall. My dad drove the car to his friend's gas station and he fixed it right up. Was very nice of him.
We also get pretty bad snow days in CT every couple of years. On day, we had a really nasty ice/snow storm and the streets were pretty unsafe to drive. My school liked to close down and delay for any excuse they could come up with, so on this morning I expected to see my school's name and get to stay home. Unfortunately, as I watched the news my school's name never showed up. Pissed off, I got ready for school, right before leaving checking the news and internet for my school's name. Nothing. Angry and defeated, I began my slow and very terrifying drive to school.
I eventually made it to school, at which point I got out of my car and saw my friend Ryan walking away from school. She shouted "George, what are you doing here? School's cancelled." I stopped dead in my tracks and shouted "YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!" I then returned to my car and checked my phone. I had two messages, one from my sister and one from my father, telling me school was cancelled. Wonderful, I made it all the way to school in the storm and now had to drive all the way home.
At this point I was freezing, so I get back in my car and turn the heat on. Instead of warm air blasting out, it started shooting out frozen air. I started shivering so hard. I turn off the air entirely and curl up as best as I can as I drove home, going as fast as I could on the slippery roads. Needless to say when I got home I was very, very angry.
I always seem to have bad luck in the school area when it comes to my car. My friend Sarah and I wanted to visit our friend Mike, as it had been a long time since we had seen him. So after school, we started heading over to his house. Right after we pull out of school, all the electronics in my car start going HAYWIRE. Everything is flashing and blinking and the car starts to act really odd (I mean it already is, but now the car itself is). I have no choice but to pull over right next to a busy intersection. I attempt to start the car, and nothing. I try to do anything and nothing. I call my dad and let him know.
He was at work, so it was going to take him a while to get to us. I "put my flashers on" (explained quotes in a moment) and sit idly on the side of the road. Cars start to pull up behind me, so I wave them around me. I tell Sarah they should know what flashers mean and should just go around. Eventually, a security guard for the college we are across from pulls up behind me. I wave for him to go around and he gets out of his car. He asks what's wrong and I tell him my car won't start and that my dad is on the way. He says he'll sit behind so people know to go around.
Me: "Wait. Aren't my flashers on? I put them on when I first pulled over..."
Guard: "Nope, you've got no flashers on. Don't worry though, I'll sit behind you until your dad shows up."
Turns out the battery in my car wasn't working. It would explain why the flashers weren't working, though I will never understand why I thought they would. Eventually my Dad showed up and he sort of jump started the car, but it was in no form to really DO anything, let alone go anywhere, but first we had to move the car. There is a little parking lot slightly up the hill from where the college is. So, what my dad asked me to do, was drive the car INTO the intersection and then go UPHILL in my barely running car. I did as he asked, and the whole time the car kind of "putt putted" it's way up the hill. Looking back it's pretty hilarious to think about, but at that time it was TERRIFYING. The street I was going on was decently busy, and on top of that I was afraid to go fast or slow down, so I just kind of rolled up the street and into the parking lot.
Eventually the tow truck came and took the car away.
Once more, that wasn't even close to the most terrifying of experiences.
My friend Sarah used to live in a little apartment near her college. It was a nice little place and all of us wanted to go and see it. So one day we decided to go. My friends Sarah, Molly, Richard and Lauren all got into my car and we made the 40 or so minute drive to her school/apartment. It was a really nice apartment and decently sized (it ended up not working out so well, as her roommate was impossible to live with). So after exploring the apartment for a short time, we left to go do other things.
Now, in order to get to the College we have to ride down this "highway" called the Merritt Parkway. It's not really a highway when I think about it, but it gets you quickly from point A to point B. We also have to cross under this tunnel. The first time going through, Richard decided to reenact the death of Princess Diana, so he gave everyone roles and when we exited the tunnel we all played dead (except for me because I was driving and didn't feel like risking everyone's lives).
So as we were exiting the tunnel heading back home, my car suddenly doesn't want to shift.
That's right, my car. Not shifting.
On a very busy highway.
Going uphill.
Needless to say, the car got dead quiet (except of course for the car ROARING as it flew up to 6rpm). I have been in situations where the car won't shift before, so I knew what to do. I very calmly take my foot off and on the gas pedal, trying to force it to shift.
Nothing.
We're going uphill and I can't shift to go faster. I'm in a dead set concentration trying to make sure everyone doesn't die. It was a very long minute or so before the car finally decided to shift and we were able to drive safely. Though I'm pretty sure I didn't drive for the rest of the day.
Honestly, I really did love that car. Though I am still uncertain as to how it actually felt about me. Was kind one minute and then a murderer the next...
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A little side story, also car related.
This one time my friend Sarah and I were driving around and on our way to Milford (she was driving her car this time around). We were taking the back roads as she didn't want to ride on the highway. At one point, while dancing and singing along to her music, she hit her steering wheel and it came loose (she kicked the lever that allows you to adjust the steering wheel, causing it to become unlocked and flop around helplessly as she drove).
She immediately started freaking out. She had to hold up the steering wheel as she drove. I told her to look for the lever, but she couldn't find it. We drove for a while, as there was nowhere to stop and finally came across a restaurant that we could pull into. Watching her attempt to turn was absolutely hysterical. She complained the whole time shouting "THIS IS SO AWKWARD," because, frankly, having to hold up your steering wheel as you turn is not an easy task. We parked in the lot and she finally found the lever to fix her steering wheel. Meanwhile, I am laughing my ass off at this point because of all the faces and noises she was making during this whole mildly terrifying encounter.
Was a wonderful little car ride.
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