I’m 26F and share an apartment with my roommate (27M). He’s always been chill about me borrowing his car for quick errands as long as I fill up the tank.
Yesterday I needed to pick up groceries in a hurry so I grabbed his keys and drove to the store. On the way back I was juggling my phone and a coffee cup while trying to find my parking spot. I misjudged a turn, clipped a mailbox, and spun the car into a light pole. The front bumper and headlight are smashed and there’s mailbox pieces strewn across the sidewalk.
I called my roommate and confessed everything. He’s furious that I wrecked his car and angry I didn’t call him first. He says I’ll have to pay for all repairs and replace the mailbox. I feel terrible for the stress and cost I’ve put on him. TIFU.
TL;DR: I borrowed my roommate’s car without warning, lost control pulling into my spot, smashed into a mailbox and light pole, and now I’m on the hook for repair bills and a new mailbox.
Comments
He had insurance right?
Right?
Are you learning something from that?
At least you were mature enough to admit and confess. I expected less, sadly.
It’s only money. Cars and mailboxes can be fixed or replaced. Good thing you didn’t hit a person.
Stop juggling ANYTHING while you’re driving. Driving requires your complete attention.
This sounds like the plot of a certain type of film.
> I was juggling my phone and a coffee cup while trying to find my parking spot.
This is definitely a pay-to-learn moment. Maybe offer to handle all the calls with the repair shop and the mailbox folks to take some of the load off him.
Op as you know juggling things while driving is a less than stellar idea have you considered getting tested for adhd?
These things happen, he knew when you borrowed the car that this was a possibility. He might not let you borrow the car again but really as long as you make up for it, your relationship with him will be fine.
If you want to go through insurance, say this is the first time you borrowed the car. Don’t tell them you do this often. If you aren’t on the insurance and say you borrow it often, you won’t be covered.
You are definitely on the hook for the cost of both, in fact you should be doing something above and beyond that to make up for your own stupidity. What the heck were you doing juggling your phone and coffee and trying to drive? My god, you are lucky you only hit a mailbox and not another car or pedestrian. if you are driving, just DRIVE! put down your phone (which is illegal anyways) and put down your coffee, you can drink when you are stopped at a light or when you get to your destination. I mean how fast were you going that you spun out and hit a lamp post? Go back and take the driving course again and learn to drive properly, you learnt nothing the first time.
Lot of learnings up here
I gotta ask, how fast were you driving that clipping a mailbox causes your car to go into a spin?
At least you took accountability. That’s more than most.
On top of the obvious, how did you know he wasn’t going to need his car before you took it?
Don’t use the phone while driving…
You’d be very lucky if he doesn’t press charges on you.
Why the fuck can’t people just focus on driving? Like there’s no reason to multitask when on the road operating a vehicle. Zero.
How you juggle items that need one hand?? U got no hands on the wheel? Lmao
Accidents happen, but your roommate has every right to be upset, especially since it’s his car and he trusted you with it. It’s good that you’re taking responsibility and planning to cover the damage, that goes a long way in repairing trust.
I get it, that sounds like a total mess, but at least you’re owning up to it which is really key, I mean, how exactly did you not see the mailbox coming?
Why were you playing with your phone and a cup of coffee while driving a vehicle, let alone a vehicle that doesn’t belong to you?
You should not be on the road driving a 3,000+ pound weapon of mass destruction if you can’t pay attention to operating it.
You don’t sound like you should be driving anyway, and now you won’t be.
Why do you have your phone or coffee cup in your hands whilst driving…
Funny how everyone here acts like they never looked at their phone or something…. We all know we shouldn’t…
It’s normal to apologize and pay for repairs. Only inconvenience for your roommate is the lack of the car because it needs to be fixed.