On my way home from work today, I ran over something that caused a flat tire. That is when the fun began. I was on I-99 and naturally my car was going uphill when it happened. At first I could not find the jack in my car, but then after a few minutes of searching, I realized it was under the driver’s seat.
The jack for my car is pretty flimsy and as I started to lift the car, it kept sliding and it was scaring me that the car would fall off and crush me or something. Then the stupid tiny tire iron they provide could not give me enough leverage to get the damn nuts off.
I decided to call someone because being on the highway and having cars almost hit you every two seconds is a bit scary. The guy came out and it took him awhile to get the tire off and he said that there was no way I would have removed the lug nuts with that iron. Needless to say, that cost me $70 and I still had to get a tire.
I went to Wal-Mart in Altoona for a new tire and this time actually got one put on in a short amount of time. That only cost me $90. I wish I had something funny about the tire incident, but there was nothing, although, I was sure to check to see if they fixed the correct tire.
I finally made my way home, it was now after 6:00 p.m. (I have been up since 3:45 a.m.) and I was cruising up Cresson mountain being careful not to speed. I was doing 70 mph in 65 zone and saw as I came to a bit of road construction that goes to one lane, that there was no one working, so I figured there was no need to slow down.
Just then I pass a cop sitting under the underpass and figured I was safe. However, he pulls out and puts on the light. He comes up and says that even though there is no one working, you still have to slow down to 50 mph. I apologized and he asked where I was coming from, and I told him I was coming from work.
He then said that I looked like I was having a bad day. I said that I was and told him about the tire. He said he too was having a crappy day, he had to respond to a suicide. He tells me that he is going to run my information and issue me a warning.
He is back there for a long time and I realize that I am getting a ticket. He comes back and says that he has to give me a ticket because I have been pulled over three other times by Cresson cops. They gave me two tickets and a warning in the past few years. I only remember one ticket, but who am I to argue?
He was nice and dropped the ticket down to 60 in a 50, and he made sure to note that it was not an active work zone so I did not get any other PENNDOT fines. He was still very nice about the whole thing and actually a bit sorry that he had to ticket me. He warned me that they will be sitting in that spot until the end of July because PENNDOT feels that they were ignoring that work zone.
We talked about working in State College and he asked me why I do not move closer, to which I told him that I like living in Summerhill and I do not want to live over there. He laughed and said “yeah, who wants to live over that way. Although, you gotta hate goin’ through Cresson by now.”
That made me laugh and I said “nah, maybe this time I will learn my lesson.” Sadly I probably will not learn. I speed, I realize this. I do not get mad at the cops for doing their jobs. It is weird getting a speeding ticket though and the cop does not really want to even give it to you. That was a first for me.
Anyways, this entire day cost me $292. And what the hell do I have to show for it? Some cuts on my hands from grabbing the damaged tire and not seeing the metal wire that caused the flat and a new tire (that I probably did not need), an increase in car insurance, and a grumpy mood.
I am thinking tomorrow will be better…
