Started out bad enough. The internet at work wasn't up, so we had a lot of disgruntled people. That should have been a sufficient warning as to what was in store for me later. It had been raining all day. Not unusual in the DC area of perpetual gloom. I was a little annoyed as I drove to the commissary to get groceries for the week. My administration section had screwed up my paperwork, and I'm stuck in the Marine Corps for another few weeks, possibly denying me the opportunity to have Christmas with the family for the first time in half a decade. With two fifty pound bags of salt in the back, and some groceries up front, I was on my way off of Andrews AFB towards home. I was doing 15mph in second gear coming out the back gate. There's a slight curve leading out of base onto the main road. I begin turning. Once I'm heading straight, I ease on the throttle Driving Miss Daisy style to get up to speed (People that go under the speed limit where I live get rearended). Then I begin to see the area I just came from as my rear swings clockwise. I ease off the throttle, hit the clutch, but that's all I have time for. I hop the curb, and tap a metal pole. Nobody is coming in my direction except for a truck that goes wide around me. The car starts back up, and I pull off the curb and into a neraby parking lot, that just happens to be the area "Honda and Acura Specialists". Great. I survey the damage. The tap from the pole made a small dent above the driver's side tire, and chipped paint. The alignment is a little off. I was really suprised it wasn't totally fubared. The pole didn't suffer any structural damage. My stock rims are a little scratched (they were before from the previous owner. No biggie). One of the Honda guys came out and said that happens about once a week there. Bad pavement or something. For some reason, it doesn't make me feel better in the least. I call a friend, telling him I'm not thinking clearly and I need him to walk me through inspecting my car for further damage. I check everything I can. Thankfully nothing else was damaged. When I got home I checked tire pressure. I dropped them a couple psi. I remember thinking "I feel a lot safer driving the FD with the 100 pounds of salt in the back". Thankfully nobody was near the curb I did automotive acrobatics on, and nobody was near me when I spun. I've had the car a couple years, drove it the rain many times. New tires. I've been waiting to buy a civic until I moved (my last daily driver finally kicked the can). I think I'll be stopping by the Honda dealership this weekend.

 

sucks dude. thats why i left my FD in california when i came back to DC to work. ive lived most of my life in the northern VA/ DC area and i have never seen it rain so much (and so much traffic) in this area as its doing right now. its rediculous... youre right about the perma-gloom, its depressing. even though i miss my car im kinda glad i left her behind... its for her own safety.

p.s... i feel ya on the admin paperwork issue too. i just got out of the navy and my admin is still dragging their feet on my final paycheck