I got into a fender bender on the Bay Bridge last night driving to Ikea in Emeryville. It was a frightening experience, and my passenger door on the driver's side got scraped and dinged. I'd go into it it more, but it's a long story and I think I'm still in shock and trauma. This is my first car accident, and I wish someone would put out a manual on what you're supposed to do, because obviously I'm stupid and clueless. Thank god for car insurance.

I have to go down the CHP on Monday because the driver who hit me didn't get off the freeway with me. Isn't that what you're supposed to do? Pull over to the side of the road when you can to exchange insurance company info and names. There was no place to pull over on the bridge, and I was so freaked out that by the time I was looking for a place to pull over, I was already on the 80 split heading towards Berkeley. I pulled over at the nearest exit thinking the driver who hit me would follow me, but he didn't. It was a big semitruck hauling something so maybe he couldn't do it. I called my insurance company and waited for the guy to show up, but he never did.

Then my car insurance company told me to call 911, so I did that. I was so shocked, I didn't even think to write the license plate of the vehicle down before I drove off the bridge. I just thought the guy would follow me off. Now I'm thinking I should have just stayed in my car and waited for the CHP to show up, and cause on hell of a traffic jam on the bridge. I didn't because the truck driver guy, who didn't even get out of his truck to talk to me, waved me off and I automatically assumed he was telling me to drive off the bridge so we could pull over and talk. It was so all so confusing, and it was Friday rush hour traffic.

The 911 operator said I was a victim of a hit and run, since the truck hit me and I have to file a counter report. I wanted to wait for the police to come and talk to me, but she said there were already so many other accidents already that I might have to wait two hours before the police showed up. I was so unnerved I think I started freaking out on the phone, and the 911 operator tried to calm me down and told me that the best thing was to file a claim on Monday.

I went to Ikea, where I was supposed to meet my friend. She came and we ate in the Ikea cafeteria and I told her my story. I was in shock and babbling, and she just listened me me and let me talk. She said she had had a bad day at work, so she could only listen and I was fine with that. I just needed someone to listen to me. She shopped and I whined and babbled on for two hours.

I was so afraid to get back on the freeway, that my friend suggested I come over and have a drink with her to her house. I went to her house, but decided I couldn't even have half a beer if I was going to drive, so I just drank some juice and we talked some more, or rather I whined some more.

I wanted to spend the night at my friend's house because I was so afraid of gettting back on the freeway, but I made myself leave and somehow I drove home, parked my car and went home. As soon as entered my apartment, the tears fell. I just felt so sorry for myself, and so stupid like I did the wrong thing getting myself into an accident.

I think what happened is the truck driver and I were trying to get into the same lane from opposite sides. My car is so small, he probably didn't see mes so he ended up hitting me. I like to think of myself as a very careful driver, but I guess accident happens.

My friends say it could have been worse. My car could have been totalled instead of just dinged and scraped. The truck could have hit and my car could have swerved and smashed into the car in the other lane, or I could have been seriously injured or killed. Instead, I'm just out $500 for the deductible on my car insurance and freaked out. I wonder if my insurance will go up. Probably. I wonder what the CHP will say on Monday. I am in such unfamiliar territory because this is my first accident.

I'm trying to look on the bright side, but it's hard. I have so many expenses from moving, that I didn't need one more. And to make it worse, my bathroom sink blocked up this morning and won't drain, and who knows when that will get fixed.

Bad things come in threes, and I think I'm up to number six since the year started. What a life huh?