deer betty

if you’re the praying type, it might be needed…

…i’ve started the claim, and this afternoon i’m gonna try their “online estimate” thing.

thursday night, after working all day on the pflugerville atomic remodel and, as a result, missing the ufc’s work happy hour, we met for a lovely dinner and then began the journey home only for the trip to be interrupted about ten miles from the crib by a six point buck:

which, needless to say, killed that headlight (kinda) and the corner panel.

i say “kinda” on the headlight because it actually still worked on the way home, as did the turn signal, but a rainy night in lakeway the next night changed that for good. and when a light goes out in this car like that you get a warning…

…or five.

i got off light compared to the person behind me. i was driving about sixty-four or so, and i saw the deer coming at the last possible second, and a head check showed a truck in the left lane, so it was hit the deer or the truck. i swerved as far left in the lane as i could, but still nailed him in the head with the right corner, causing the damage you see above, plus some dents in the hood and a couple small ones in each right door as i shot past him. he apparently then stumbled back onto the shoulder and collapsed with his head (and rack) out in the right lane. about a half mile behind me was another car who tried to stop short as to not catch the rack to the grill, only to be rear ended and end up hitting it anyway.

how do i know what was happening so far behind me?

because soon after it happened an “ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHT FAILURE” light lit up alerting me to some damage, so i pulled off to the side of the road and called nik because i knew she was a few miles behind me. when i told her what happened and that i had my hazards on by the side of the road to inspect damage she said she saw me and was pulling over…but what she saw wasn’t me, it was the accident above.

once she got to me she told me about that and how, compared to those other two, at least mine was drivable! we went home from there and it wasn’t until the next morning we saw the whole picture. i’m hoping it’s quickly and easily fixed, and since there was some mistakes made when we flip-flopped insurance companies last year we suddenly don’t have rental car coverage, i guess i’ll be in mr. grey, who currently leaks coolant and has a broken window motor, for the time being.