On our way home from watching fireworks, cruising down the freeway feeling generally upbeat albeit scratchy and itchy from sun...when all of a sudden the van just stops. Stops...like stops running, all accesories off...STOPS. If you're counting that makes 3 of my family's cars incapacitated in a matter of 2 weeks. So my dad manages to pull it partly to the shoulder before it just stops moving and dies. At this point my dad is freaking out because 1/4 of the van's back end was still sticking into traffic. We were on the phone with our insurance company when a cop pulls up behind us concerned.
After explaining our situation, he helps us move more fully into the shoulder. He spent a few minutes fiddling around with a flashlight in our undercarriage and he determined that the reason we can't start the car was because our fuel line was leaking. He tried to reconnect it but both he and my dad couldnt fit under the car. He offered to call a tow truck for us but our insurance people had already started looking for one so we told him we would wait and he went on his way.
After explaining our situation, he helps us move more fully into the shoulder. He spent a few minutes fiddling around with a flashlight in our undercarriage and he determined that the reason we can't start the car was because our fuel line was leaking. He tried to reconnect it but both he and my dad couldnt fit under the car. He offered to call a tow truck for us but our insurance people had already started looking for one so we told him we would wait and he went on his way.
Half an hour and a few traffic pics to pass the time later, still no tow truck and the lady from Pemco Ins. kept telling us that they were having issues finding a truck who could fit 5 people in the cab because apparently it was illegal to tow a car with passengers inside...we called my uncle who owns a garage to see if he could pick us up but he wasn't answering. It was about this time that the second police car pulls up.
So again we explain our situation and after we accept his offer of finding us a towtruck, he says "well, you are in a hazard zone and are in danger of getting hit by someone so Im gonna go ahead and push you further up the road where the shoulder is wider so you're a little more safe while you wait for your towtruck". So you know those rubber bar things on the front of a police car? Well, now I know first hand how they are used!! Super cool! :) He pushes us at 45mph down the road about 5 blocks as he gave my dad instructions over the PA system. Once we were safely at an intersection (Dearborn and James exit on I-5 for you curious ones out there) he too was on his way.
15 minutes after the second cop left the tow truck finally comes...or so we thought. A towtruck pulls up in front of us...and then less than a minute later drives away. *shrug* I guess we weren't the only ones stuck that night and he mistook us for someone else. Half hour after that, OUR towtruck arrives. YAY! My dad goes out to meet him and after some weird hand gestures and chatting that I couldn't hear, I guess he convinces the driver to lift up our car just to see if my dad could reconnect the fuel line. From where I was sitting, the driver didnt look too convinced but I guess he finally gave in. My dad can be very convincing when he's running around all intense like that. So they lift the front of the car:
...and my dad (I guess) reconnects the hose and jumps back in the car. 2 seconds later I hear the "beautiful sound of engines starting"...hmmm, I seem to be saying that a lot lately huh? Anyway, the car starts. The towtruck driver lowers the car and drives off. Im sure he was relieved not to have to deal with my frantic father anymore. And we continue on our way.
Fun huh? :( Silver lining in this cloud is that I encountered 2 cops tonight and neither one of them was there to give me a ticket!!! :) Now that Im done with this blog...Im gonna go take a lukewarm shower, slather on some lotion on my suspiciously tight and itchy feeling skin, and pass out with hopes that I dont wake up as pink as a lobster tomorrow. G'night and Happy 4th y'all!!!
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