Note: For more from Alexandra, visit the "Ask Alexandra" tab on the Chevrolet Volt Facebook page.

I backed my Volt into a pole last week and put a nice little dent in the rear fender. For days, the slashes of yellow paint there shouted out to passing drivers Nice car, bad driver!

I had backed up and didn’t see the pole, which was low, but in truth I might have seen it if I had not been on the phone and in a hurry.  Thank goodness I was at least hands free (Bluetooth, baby!). Does the fact that I was talking about electric cars with a fellow EV driver at the moment I bashed into the pole exonerate me at all?

Nope.

I know I am supposed to be thankful that no one got hurt. “It is just a piece of metal” I have said myself to reassure friends after accidents.   True, but I love my car - not only because it is great to drive, but also what it stands for: innovation, ingenuity, and a future with less dependence on gasoline, so I feel like a neglectful parent who took her eyes away for a second and my kid got a scrape.

Ian got the incriminating yellow paint off yesterday, but the embarrassing dent is still there. I need to get it fixed ASAP, as the Volt’s design has made such a good impression on people coming up to ask me about it and I don’t want to interfere with that. 

This incident has been a reminder: give plenty of time to get to appointments and pay more attention and If I do have to back into a pole, for gosh sakes find one in Viridian Joule.

Alexandra Paul is a longtime electric vehicle advocate, actress and former EV1 driver. She is working with Chevrolet to educate consumers about EVs and the Volt. Full disclosure, Chevrolet is paying her for her time, but her opinions will always be hers.

Comments (4)

Name

Email

Comment smaller | bigger