Bought a 2008 Honda Civic about 2 weeks ago (that's good).
Put it in a ditch this morning driving home from work (that's not so good). It's the same 3-4 mile stretch of country road I drive to and fro work everyday. It pees a lot of people off because whenever there is bad weather the county (Shelby) never, never touches this stretch of road. They don't plow it, treat it, etc. And while it's not a main road, like a state route, many Honda associates travel this road everyday to get to the plant because we have to.
You will never see a county plow or salt truck on this road; but you can't spit and not hit a Sheriff, who patrol it like crazy trying to nail Honda employees with speeding tickets. We have learned all their hiding spots though.
So I'm driving (creeping) about 25 mph down the road and I see the car about 100 yards ahead of me fishtail and then go off the leftside of the road and hit a telephone pole. So being the good Samaritan that I am I plan on stopping and offer assistance since it's out in the country and I always carry my cellphone.
When I get to the spot where he fishtailed, I soon realize WHY? It was pure whiteout to begin with. So you don't see the patch of snow that had drifted over that side of the road only. Even going as slow as I was, when I hit it, all was lost. It sucked me in like a black hole, grabbed the front end, and all I could do was hold onto the steering wheel, yell ****, and ride it out. I slid past him and down into the ditch and tore up my front bumper/fender. Got a sheriff's report, got it towed out, drove it into town, notified my agent, got an estimate ($1100.00). Nothing really major was damaged, so I am thankful for that.
Got home and there was one of those traffic light camera notices from a place called Safelight. It occurred in Springfield, Ohio over the Christmas Holidays. I'm originally from there, and we had gone down to visit my brother's family. It seems my wife tried to make a redlight while shopping with the sister-in-law. The video shows she didn't make it. It was close, but not conclusive enough to have a fighting chance of beating it. The check is in the mail.
So that shopping trip is costing me another $100.
My brother lives says the citizens are simply outraged over the eight of them they have installed. They have turned into nice revenue makers for the city.