Truck is ok as far as I can tell so far, except for the radiator. I am in the same condition as before the wreck (not sure if ok is the right word or not
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So I am going to my second job today, swing thru a taco bell to pick up some eats, and continue onto work. Taco Bell is maybe a half mile from O'Reillys where I work. I turn north, across the two southbound lanes, as well as the center turn lane, and get into the 1st northbound lane. The rear in my truck has been welded (like that when I got it) so obviously it makes some noise when you turn. I make it like 500 feet doen the road and see a girl in a Sebring convert pulling out of a car dealer. She is inching forward, so I let off the throttle. She starts to pull out, and I stab the clutch and the brakes. All 4 tires lock up, the truck starts bouncing, and I just hold on. She looks right at me, continues at the same pace, and I end up putting my bumper into the driver door/quarter area. BOOM. Glass flies up onto my hood. My hot fresh taco bell and cold super extra ridiculously large Mt Dew go flying. I pull into the turn lane to get out of traffic. No sooner than I stop, a cop pulls up. I think great, since I have no idea where my phone went. He asks if I'm ok etc., and then goes over to the girl. At this time an employee from the dealer comes out and starts barking up my ass about not giving her time to get out, spinning tires, blah blah blah. I say I was in the road when I hit her, and that I had the right of way. Since when does traffic stop to let a car out from the parking lot? I decide to quite talking to this guy since I am getting pissed and I have nothing to do with him. The cops hears this, and turns instant a-hole on me. I explain to him the welded rear end deal, but he doesn't care. I tell him I was out on the road already when the impact occured, and that I never broke the speed limit (40 mph). He then tells me that i could be charged with a misdemeanor for wreckless driving. I ask why. He say because of the speed involved. I ask how fast I was going. He tells me it doesn't matter, as long as there is something to contribute to a wreck. He then proceeds to call a wrecker. I tell him I don't need one, despite my truck dumping antifreeze all over since the fan and the radiator got real upclose and personal. I'm 1/4 mile from work, so its no big deal. Then he tells me to clean up the antifreeze, points me to napa, and tells me to get some oil dry. I head in there, couldn't find it, and call O'Reillys and have some delivered. 100lbs later, its mostly cleaned up, and I begin to sweep up glass. The cop took my info, then told me I need to go to the station tomorrow to fill out a statement. Luckily for me, the radiator shop in this town is also a bail bondsman, so maybe I can get a package deal. I went to work, and felt sick all night. It's like I need to ralph, but nothing would come up.
All I gotta say is thank you to George, who built the truck, for the hellacious winch bumper that saved the intercooler.
I'll worry about getting a lawyer after I find out what they are going to do. The bumper is made by warn. I used to think their stuff was overpriced, but now i know its worth it.
