Up 'n' Over

There is a walled courtyard around our house, and the car is kept in a carport that is part of this courtyard, with a wooden trellis roof that is covered with a climbing plant. This does a pretty good job of keeping the sun off the car when it's parked at home. The carport area has an electrically-operated up 'n' over garage door that you can open and close by either pressing a wall-mounted switch in the carport or by using the wireless remote control that I keep in the car.

The other day Karen had just started cooking dinner - Friday Roast, leg of lamb, Yum! - when we realized we had no potatoes. Friday roast wtihout roast potatoes? I don't think so! So I leap up from the sofa, grab my car keys and stride out of the door in search of spuds, to Karen's farewell cry of, "Hurry up!".

I jump into the car press the remote to open the garage door, then start the engine while the door is opening. Into reverse, release the handbrake, and start to edge out into the road when I hear (and feel) a rasping, nerve-jangling screeching sound of metal on metal.

Yes, I've reversed to early, while the door was still raising, and hit the door with the roof of the car. I now have a scratched roof and a manually-operated up 'n' over garage door. :-(

...got the spuds though...