I spent almost $1000 on my car yesterday - timing belt, other belts, oil leak fixed by new gaskets, new tubes from spark plugs to engine, new water pump (the pump was the original 1988 part and he had to be at the water pump to do some of the other stuff so it ws only the part charge, no labor), new distributor cap and wire set, rotor, plus new parts for the passenger side window as one of my enthusiastic sons rolled the window down too hard and too far and broke some parts.

Today I was at a mall and when I came out the car wouldn't start. I tried several times before I called AAA, and I was MAD.

The AAA guy came in about 30 minutes, nice smiling young man. He asked for the key, got in, and it started right up. Turns out I had not gotten the gear shift completely into Park even though it looked like it was in Park, and it didn't occur to me to jiggle it before trying to start again. It should have, because a couple of times I have left the car in Drive (with the parking brake on), and of course it wouldn't start until I put it in Park.

Oh well - lesson learned, I hope.

By Trina~moderator on Friday, October 8, 2004 - 02:02 pm:

Oh {{{Ginny}}}, I think we've all done that very same thing at least once. I know I have! The very first time was when I was in high school working at McDonald's. I had to close one night so my Dad let me take his car. When I got out of work at 1:00 a.m. the car wouldn't start. I had to call home and wake my Dad. He got up and drove 30 min. to rescue me. Oh my, I felt AWFUL when I realized what I had done. Dad was upset but he didn't make a big deal out of it. I apologized profusely.

By Vicki on Friday, October 8, 2004 - 02:04 pm:

LOL...that sounds like something that would happen to me!!! At least you got some use out of your AAA membership!!!

By Sue3 on Friday, October 8, 2004 - 02:09 pm:

Ginny ,don`t feel bad.After a concert one night I couldn`t get my car to reverse to back up out of my parking spot.
I tried and tried ,it wouldn`t work.Soooo
I called a friend at 12:30 a.m. to come and help.I had my emergency brake on (because I parked on a hill) !!!!!
Boy did I feel foolish !

By Emily7 on Friday, October 8, 2004 - 02:19 pm:

LOL! BTDT I was 8 months pregnant in the middle of winter. Could not get my van started & had my uncle come get me. Then my dad, brother, & dh went back to the store to check what was wrong with it, I hadn't put it in gear all the way when I turned it off.
I have even started my car to let it warm up & locked myself out. 17, had been drinking, & had to call my dad at 1 in the morning (curfew was 11:30). Talk about being busted!

By Angellew on Friday, October 8, 2004 - 03:54 pm:

LOL!!! Talk about BTDT!!! I waited 2 1/2 hours once for AAA to come and help me when my car wouldn't start... just before I saw them approaching, I remembered that the ignition "kill" switch was still engaged!!! I got it started and, trying to not feel too foolish, told AAA that someone else was nice enough to help me!!! and I got my butt out of there quick!! It happens to all of us!!! But, it's still embarrassing!!!

By Kellyj on Friday, October 8, 2004 - 04:16 pm:

LOL. I did the same thing once. I left my dad's truck in drive and couldn't figure out why the key wouldn't come out of the ignition. So I called my dad in a panic and he asked me if it was in Park. I responded, of course it's in park! Well I went back out to check and sure enough...I had left the car in gear. Thankfully I was able to get a hold of him before he came to get me.

By Cocoabutter on Friday, October 8, 2004 - 07:23 pm:

One time I drove through a HUGE water puddle on the side of the road after a big rain... and the engine quit. I tried to restart it, but it wouldn't start. I called hubby on my cell phone and said I drove through a puddle amd couldn't get the car started, but I didn't tell him I did it ON PURPOSE!

By Annie2 on Friday, October 8, 2004 - 08:35 pm:

I did the same thing when we lived in Okinawa. I went to the store then couldn't start the car. I called dh he came in the POURING rain with all four babies, to put the car in gear for me.

By Boxzgrl on Friday, October 8, 2004 - 08:38 pm:

LOL, BTDT and I think most of us have!

By Coopaveryben on Friday, October 8, 2004 - 10:48 pm:

I did the same thing!!! I pulled up at the school to pick up my son threw the car in park and jumped out...it rolled front and hit the van in front of me. I tried to start it, it wouldn't. I even put the gear shift in and out of park a few time to see it that was the problem...still didn't start. I'm starting to freak out because I am in a good size SUV so my car is a lot taller than the car I am in front and my bumper is on theirs...we are on a hill and if they move I'm going to keep rolling down the hill...into the next car. So I finally find the person....as she is getting ready to pull away...I tell her my car rolled into her...when she moved her car the bumpers were stuck for a moment. Anyway turns out I make a total idiot of myself over this and my DH had left a watch around the gear shift that kept it from going completely into park....so don't feel too bad I've done it too.

By Conni on Friday, October 8, 2004 - 11:26 pm:

(((HUGS))))

OK, here are 2 of my latest embarrassing moments Ginny and I may go anon. lol!!

2 yrs ago I was driving the jet ski across the lake to the boat ramp where dh was going to be waiting with trailer... It is quickly getting dark and the jet ski quits running in the middle of the lake. Ds and I are more concerned about it getting dark and we have NO light pole. No way for boats to see us if we are just floating after dark. So without much thought or troubleshooting, I flagged down a boat, that was full of people btw. They towed us over to the boat ramp. By this time it is dark.

Dh walks over and says 'You mean even the RESERVE tank was empty?' I was so embarrassed as I *knew* to switch it too reserve. I dont know where my head was.


Next embarrassing moment happened this passed summer... I was at a big water park with the kids that I had never been too before. I had 2 things on my mind before we left at the end of the day 1) I needed to change into dry clothes because I had to go in Wal-Mart on the way home. 2) I was with a mixed group of boys and girls--coldnt take them all in the dressing room with me and needed to find a place for them all to sit directly outside the dressing room. I found a bench, sat them down, put the oldest in charge and rattled off some rules before i went to change. I am totally focused on changing FAST so as not to leave the kids alone any longer than neccessary... When I went in, no one was there. I walked in a shower stall, quickly changed, went to leave and there were 3 men using the urinals along the walls. Yep, thats right, blondie here went in the men's dressing room. I left bright red and speechless, with a very sick feeling in my stomach. The kids laughed at me for the rest of the day. LOL!!

Uhhhhh, yeah, I could go on and on AND on with embarrassing stories.

By Emily7 on Saturday, October 9, 2004 - 12:03 am:

Conni I am ROFL with that last one!
That is really good & I needed that thanks.