First of all, getting the car back was a complete nightmare. The state of New Jersey and it's motor vehicle insurance laws completely suck. No insurers even want to deal with this state because the policies are so effed up. In any case, my old insurance company wanted to charge me $2400 to re-insure the car for SIX MONTHS! Paid up front. 100%. Ridiculous. I basically had to sell the car to my roommate who got the car insured and registered so that we could get it out of the $30 dollar a day impound yard before I owed THEM too much money. The police that recovered the car wouldn't sign a release on the vehicle until it was legal. It's just another method for everyone to get their hands in your pocketbook.

enough about that.

This morning I realize that one of the modifications the thief made to the car was to automate the latch that opens up the gas tank. It used to be a lever on the driver's side that you pulled up and the little door popped open. Now there is no lever and I have no idea how to get the thing open. So, I'm driving from Brooklyn to Jersey and I realize that I'm flirting with an empty tank of gas. And then the traffic comes to a complete standstill. I basically start chain smoking and sweating, praying for the car not to run out of gas and trying to rack my brains on where the gas tank relaese could possibly be. Then I think, maybe it's on the little car alarm pad that the thief gave me. Maybe one of those little buttons will open the gas tank. I'll stop and try it. I see a gas station on Staten Island, pull over and try the green button. No dice. Then I think, well, maybe the car needs to be stopped and then the green button will work. I'll keep praying that I make it to work and figure I'll try it there.

I make it to work.

So, now, I'm standing outside the car with the driver's door open because everytime I close it the alarm turns on and then I end up setting the damn thing off. So I try the green button while the car is off. Still no dice. Then I try this button that says 'option'. Suddenly, the car, which is in 1st gear, starts automatically and starts DRIVING AWAY! After a split second I realize what's happening and then all Duke's of Hazard-y, jump in the driver's side and jam on the clutch. I narrowly missed sending my car into a brick wall. I let the engine die and immediately the car alarm goes off. I'm really sweating and my adrenaline is at max capacity and I'm still sitting there with the stupid key and alarm pad in my hand. I turn off the alarm, jam the key in the ignition, throw the car into reverse all shaky like and back it back into my paking spot, making sure to leave the car in neutral. Good lord. I'm used to living in SF where you never leave your car in neutral. AHHHHHHHHH!!!

AND I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND THE GAS TANK RELEASE!!!

I just pried it open with a screw driver and left it like that.

Hello today.