Oops! Bruce crunches a car.

Boy is my face ever red. I had a collision today in a press car. These things are not supposed to happen, especially not to me. I'm pretty hard on people who say, "accidents happen" as if they are no one's fault. Guess what? They are always someones fault; in this case my fault.

All I can claim is brain fade. I pulled out of a side street, drove a short distance and stopped about three cars back at a red light. The light turned green just as I stopped and traffic moved forward through the intersection, over a double set of railroad tracks to another green light. The car in front of the Ford Ranger pickup directly in front of me slowed quickly to turn right, the Ranger braked hard, and I braked almost hard enough. Maybe another 10" and there wouldn't have been a "crunch." But there was a crunch and because I didn't stop it most definitely was my fault.

Thankfully no one was hurt (outside of my ego). The lady driving the Ranger was very nice, much nicer than I would have been if some idiot ran into me.

I owe Chrysler a big "I"M SORRY." Not only were they nice enough to loan me a 2010 Chrysler Sebring Convertible, but they allowed me to take it on a longish trip (car companies are not eager to let their press cars rack up too many miles too quickly). Then I stupidly muck up the front end. Way to go Bruce.

There is an up side to this; I am rerunning what happened through my brain constantly, noting what I did wrong and how to make sure I never do it again.

I put almost 900 miles on the Sebring in less than a week. I think I got to know it pretty well. It's a decent car but not something I'd rush out and buy. It's more of a cruiser than something to carve up back roads with. The steering is too light for my taste.

On the plus side, it gets terrific fuel economy. It's rated at 27-mpg on the highway and guess what? It got just over 29-mpg running between 65 and 75 mph. Pretty darn good.

The top is one of these articulated hard-tops. Neat to watch, easy to use, and quiet when they are up.

The Sebring had the optional 3.5-liter V6, which I highly recommend if you're buying a 2010. Out the door this Sebring hit $37,335.

And really, I am so sorry.