So my fiance was coming home from work on friday when a car switched lanes and cut off the SUV in front of her. The SUV slammed his breaks and my fiance slid into his rear end. She was on the phone so she knows it was her fault for unsafe following distance, but still upsets me that someone cutting someone off caused the chain reaction. She has her appointment at Progressive at 2:30 for their "Concierege (SP?) Service" to get her rental and get it fixed. She's only had the car for about 1.5 years so hopefully there isn't to much damage, I'm really worried we might end up upside down with the loan!
Now for pics:
(http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/5622/alishawreck.jpg)
(http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/1991/alishawreck1.jpg)
Thankfully she was not hurt, only her pride and the car but those can be fixed easier than broken bones!
Thanks,
Nick
Sorry bro, but glad to hear she's ok :thumb:
SUV's suck for stopping distances ... but you definetly dont want to rear end one of em. They got the damn trailer hitches that are built for bear ...
Y'all be glad this was all. Nothing some nascar style "bodywork" wont fix.
Cool.
Buddha.
What if that SUV had been a motorcycle?
Tell your girl to hang up the F'ing phone and drive!
The phone might or might not have made a difference, who knows, but either way when someone locks brakes in front of you because they were cut off she was screwed. The only reason the person she hit missed the car that cut them off is because the first car cut ACROSS their lane to get in the turn lane.
Sometimes no matter how much you are paying attention and being cautious, drivers make some horrible mistakes that might not affect them but create headaches for everyone else.
Thanks,
Nick
if the SUV would have been a bike then she would have as much damage..j/k..lol.....phone or no phone people are stupid and you have you be ready for the worst to happen at all times. good luck with getting the car fixed and glad shes ok.
Exactly, people are stupid. lol I've never been through an accident process before. I'm worried because we are new to AZ and in OH she would have been cited for failure to yeild or maybe unsafe following due to the accident. Here, they just wrote a report to give to insurance and said go on your way unless your injured?!
We also have progressive and I've never heard anyone go through the Concierge Service? Apparently we just drop the car off and they give us a rental till the car is done? Sounds almost to good to be true, I figured I would have to run around getting quotes to fix it and fight for the money to fix it!
Thanks,
Nick
Quote from: utgunslinger13 on March 02, 2009, 12:33:20 PM
Exactly, people are stupid. lol I've never been through an accident process before. I'm worried because we are new to AZ and in OH she would have been cited for failure to yeild or maybe unsafe following due to the accident. Here, they just wrote a report to give to insurance and said go on your way unless your injured?!
We also have progressive and I've never heard anyone go through the Concierge Service? Apparently we just drop the car off and they give us a rental till the car is done? Sounds almost to good to be true, I figured I would have to run around getting quotes to fix it and fight for the money to fix it!
Thanks,
Nick
Maybe it will be like this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t03S2Jg3KxA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t03S2Jg3KxA)
lol....if they bring out the rental car on rollers like that you have to get a picture of it...i love that commercial
i'm one of the people who really don't think cellphones should be banned or there should be extra laws about them concerning driving. just so you know, i've been hit, as a pedestrian, by a person on their cellphone while driving and not paying attention. i got stiffed, told i shouldn't have been walking there. cellphones aren't they problem. i've never seen a cellphone kill anyone. ANYTHING can be seen as a distraction while driving, anything. that cute blonde walking on the other side of the street you turned your head for 3 seconds to look at? hmm..distraction...but we don't ban cute blondes from walking do we? no, we don't. personal space is personal space. as much as it pisses me off to see someone not paying attention while driving, (on their phone, doing their make-up, lighting a smoke, drinking coffee, changing the radio station while yelling at her 10 brats all out of their seatbelts in her monstrous suv while changing lanes and speeding....), we have to be careful when talking of someone's personal space and laws governing it. i've seem people on bikes using their cellphones to text and/or make phone calls, so it's not just cages.
and if you see the progressive chick tell her I said hi. :tongue2:
I've got my fingers crossed for the rollers!
flo is a pretty great gal ....lol
with that tricked out name tag and all
I started with progressive because they were headquartered out of Columbus and I had a family member working for them when I turned 16 and got a sweet deal. But if I didn't have them, I might be persuaded to get them because of their commercials. Damn good marketing.
Thanks,
Nick
Quote from: utgunslinger13 on March 02, 2009, 12:53:41 PM
I've got my fingers crossed for the rollers!
Umm, those are "bellmans' carts". As if their concierge service is as sycophantic as you may find in a posh hotel.
I would imagine you will be doing some running around to get it all done.
well we came in with the car, walked around showing the damage and they marked the car and paperwork, handed us a set of keys to another civic and said they will update us within 24 hours to give us a timeframe of the fix! Nice and easy!
Quote from: GeeP on March 02, 2009, 11:34:31 AM
What if that SUV had been a motorcycle?
Tell your girl to hang up the F'ing phone and drive!
+1111111111
bing efffing GO !
i'm glad progressive makes it so easy to crash a car, feel completely innocent, and gives you a nice brand new rental so easily. just pay the monthly, and don't worry. sheesh. :(
this shot looks like an easy $5000 to fix. (http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/1991/alishawreck1.jpg)
call me the effing old guy, but following too close and cellphones isn't punished as it should be.
your an old guy...... :D :thumb:
Glad to see everyone here is so damn high and mighty. Let me step back because I would hate to breath in the special air some people around here seem to think they breath.
shaZam! happens accidents happen hence the word "accident" it happens to all of us from one time to an other no one got hurt and thats the main thing.
You would think so wouldn't you? But apparently there are some people here who think that what really matters is them telling everyone else their oppinions about why you shouldn't be on cell phones.
Look people her and I both know she made a mistake, and what truly matters is that no one was hurt and we have already purchased a hands free headset for her. I'm not in here looking for you to verify she was innocent. I was expecting her to get cited as was she since she was the one who hit the other car.
Now on the other hand if your just going to post about the cell phone or paying attention while she drives, all I'm going to say is this:
Oppinions are like assholes, everyone has one, and you my friend are one.
Thanks and keep on trolling through!
Nick
airbags go off?
What kind of response did you expect from a motorcycle board?
Being "high and mighty" has nothing to do with it. Collectively, we get merged into, cut off, tailgated, left-turned and otherwise have our right-of-way violated every day by inattentive people on cell phones. We pay the highest cost for traffic crashes. Therefore, we tend to be the most sensitive to the mishandling of vehicles.
The fact of the matter is, if she had not been talking on her phone and had not been tailgating, there would have been no crash. Being pre-occupied with other tasks not related to driving while not keeping adequate following distance is NOT an excuse to rear-end another vehicle. That's not an opinion, but a pure fact, and it is the important lesson to take away from the situation.
In aviation, there is no such thing as an "accident". They are all "crashes" and they are all investigated by the NTSB and FAA. Blame is always assigned as a matter of principle, ensuring future safety of the air transportation system and public acceptance of it as a safe method of travel. We do not explain away any error as a mere "accident". To do so is to undermine the continued safety of the system. To explain it away is to provide the groundwork for it to happen again.
Ohgood and I have nothing against you and your fiance. What we take issue with is the casual "oh well, nobody was hurt" attitude you're displaying. That attitude is not conducive to safety.
Quote from: cafeboy on March 02, 2009, 11:12:33 AM
Sorry bro, but glad to hear she's ok :thumb:
Well then...................I would like to show my post, so ummmmmmmmmmm
High and mighty :dunno_white:
No the airbags did not go off, and that post was not directed at you cafeboy so no worries!
Why is everybody so quick to get upset about an accident like this? Just ask yourself this question...would your girlfriend be as forgiving and understanding if you were killed on your bike by a tailgating, cell phone using, (admittedly) inattentive driver...Or would she get all 'high and mighty'?
It happens! I guess I'd better chime in and get my chiding as well! In '07 I was driving my neon in pooring down rain at 35 mph in front of me was an F-350 that slammed on his brakes at a green light " to make sure my brakes were working". I thought I was at a pretty safe distance but I did not have anti-lock brakes and when I slammed them I hydroplaned right into the back (and no I wasn't on a cell phone). Did nothing to his massive truck. Killed my car and bought me a trip to the hospital with an overnight stay to make sure a lead in my defibrillator was not fractured by the seat belt since the airbag also failed to activate. While sitting ur uhm laying c-spined to a back board already been an hour state trooper waltzes in throws the ticket on my chest and walks out. So, no car, stuck in the hospital, $200 ticket for reckless driving, later found out had two herniated discs in my back. Is it punisment enough or do guys require more. Uhm, people make mistakes! My car insurance is 133 a month for a 2000 dollar car. Yet my moto is 33 a month! Esurance sucks Progressive is great though. But, yeah I want to be treated with dignity when having an accident weather it's my fault or not that is what I pay them for!
I'm sorry about your wife. I kick my self in the butt constantlly cause I really liked my old car. But it's life. She is lucky she didn't get a ticket
Mary
Well ut i wish her the best. whatever caused it is irrelevant. minimum it looks liek a hood bumper cover rad support maybe some other things. idk if it will total it. prolly not. looks liek a newer car soooo. i wish yall best of luck :angel:
Some times no ones hurt but people get SCREWED!!!! BIG TIME
What if the guy she rear ened has poor credit, owes about 6K more than his car is worth... Insurance totals his car and he has to still pay 6K over what they give hom for it ??? Now he and has no way to get his kids to school or go to work for months cause your girl really needed to talk on the phone?...
Or should I say, im not against the phone. there are some who can pay attention and talk w. no problems... others can barely stay on the road just changing the radio or turning the wipers on...
All in all, in an accident. More often than not the person who was not at fault gets WAY more screwed than the person that was at fault. esp. if you have less $$$$
I have been there, got hit by someone who said oooo my bad, i thought my nail apointment as more importaint than driving....
Menwhile, My car gets totaled... I get almost 4K less tan what it was worth ??? and it wasnt even my fault !!!!!
:flipoff:
Someone always gets hurt when you F up someones day.. :flipoff:
And aonther rant... FUC K hands free.. you still will dial, text, hit the voicemail button... I bet people look at their phone more that the road 20+% of the time.
Ahhh rant rant.. nothing against your wife, I just see it all day I drive alot being an IT tech and I see people do things and wonder WHY THE F$$K DO YOU THINK THATS OK ????
Ok.. keep drivin like ya own it
:cheers:
Is the use of mobiles while driving not illegal over there?.......get caught and its an on the spot fine and a few points here........do something really dangerous and you will end up doing time.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7153070.stm
oh, i know, let's ban all things that are deemed "distractions"! lets make laws for everything! no more radio's or gps systems allowed for cars or bikes. no more smoking allowing on cars or bikes. people walking in the street need to be entirely clothed, showing no skin, and no tight clothing, as this may be a distraction as well. no more eating or drinking ANYTHING whilst riding or driving. oh, and while we're at it, mandatory breath analysis systems in EVERY car/bike, since drunk driving is killing lots of folks. hmm..what else can we do...oh, i know...mandatory helment/seatbelt laws, regardless of age or discretion. must be full faced, no matter what type of riding you do. ohh..and, madatory, full race leathers, for all types of bikes, cuz you know, it protects better. get my point yet? :cookoo:
Quote from: sledge on March 03, 2009, 12:30:35 AM
Is the use of mobiles while driving not illegal over there?.......get caught and its an on the spot fine and a few points here........do something really dangerous and you will end up doing time.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7153070.stm
in some places yes. in most,,, no
Quote from: oramac on March 02, 2009, 08:02:24 PM
1) Why is everybody so quick to get upset about an accident like this? Just ask yourself this question...2) would your girlfriend be as forgiving and understanding if you were killed on your bike by a tailgating, cell phone using, (admittedly) inattentive driver...Or 3) would she get all 'high and mighty'?
1 because it's very simple to prevent. how ? don't follow to closely, and hang up the f%$king phone !
2 no, my wife and family would bring suit to satisfy their needs for the next 10-20 years. (this will start a whole new flamewar, i know)
3 high and mighty, or just plain taking responsibility for actions ?
Quote from: scottpA_GS on March 02, 2009, 09:58:59 PM
Some times no ones hurt but people get SCREWED!!!! BIG TIME
What if the guy she rear ened has poor credit, owes about 6K more than his car is worth... Insurance totals his car and he has to still pay 6K over what they give hom for it ??? Now he and has no way to get his kids to school or go to work for months cause your girl really needed to talk on the phone?...
Or should I say, im not against the phone. there are some who can pay attention and talk w. no problems... others can barely stay on the road just changing the radio or turning the wipers on...
All in all, in an accident. More often than not the person who was not at fault gets WAY more screwed than the person that was at fault. esp. if you have less $$$$
I have been there, got hit by someone who said oooo my bad, i thought my nail apointment as more importaint than driving....
Menwhile, My car gets totaled... I get almost 4K less tan what it was worth ??? and it wasnt even my fault !!!!!
:flipoff:
Someone always gets hurt when you F up someones day.. :flipoff:
And aonther rant... FUC K hands free.. you still will dial, text, hit the voicemail button... I bet people look at their phone more that the road 20+% of the time.
Ahhh rant rant.. nothing against your wife, I just see it all day I drive alot being an IT tech and I see people do things and wonder WHY THE F$$K DO YOU THINK THATS OK ????
Ok.. keep drivin like ya own it
:cheers:
agreed. hang up the f%$king phones, drive like you and your kids' lives depend on it. simple.
Quote from: jserio on March 03, 2009, 12:52:08 AM
oh, i know, let's ban all things that are deemed "distractions"! lets make laws for everything! no more radio's or gps systems allowed for cars or bikes. no more smoking allowing on cars or bikes. people walking in the street need to be entirely clothed, showing no skin, and no tight clothing, as this may be a distraction as well. no more eating or drinking ANYTHING whilst riding or driving. oh, and while we're at it, mandatory breath analysis systems in EVERY car/bike, since drunk driving is killing lots of folks. hmm..what else can we do...oh, i know...mandatory helment/seatbelt laws, regardless of age or discretion. must be full faced, no matter what type of riding you do. ohh..and, madatory, full race leathers, for all types of bikes, cuz you know, it protects better. get my point yet? :cookoo:
what's wrong with that ? there are laws in -some- states against driving distracted, but they have no teeth. there are no fines, and the cops patrolling don't enforce them. i've personally seen people slam into others, and never stop the call they're taking. even after the police arrive, they're still taking taht same call. dumb.
Quote from: sledge on March 03, 2009, 12:30:35 AM
Is the use of mobiles while driving not illegal over there?.......get caught and its an on the spot fine and a few points here........do something really dangerous and you will end up doing time.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7153070.stm
sledge - no, sorry. we have so much to learn over here. our ignorance is astounding, incompetence 'excused' away, and arrogance unrelenting. sledge, if/when people finally learn to take responsibility for their actions, i'll be personally coloring myself amazed. there are soooo many typical collisions typical of this scenario, you really would be amazed. and no personal accountability. none.
Quote from: GeeP on March 02, 2009, 05:27:59 PM
What kind of response did you expect from a motorcycle board?
Being "high and mighty" has nothing to do with it. Collectively, we get merged into, cut off, tailgated, left-turned and otherwise have our right-of-way violated every day by inattentive people on cell phones. We pay the highest cost for traffic crashes. Therefore, we tend to be the most sensitive to the mishandling of vehicles.
The fact of the matter is, if she had not been talking on her phone and had not been tailgating, there would have been no crash. Being pre-occupied with other tasks not related to driving while not keeping adequate following distance is NOT an excuse to rear-end another vehicle. That's not an opinion, but a pure fact, and it is the important lesson to take away from the situation.
In aviation, there is no such thing as an "accident". They are all "crashes" and they are all investigated by the NTSB and FAA. Blame is always assigned as a matter of principle, ensuring future safety of the air transportation system and public acceptance of it as a safe method of travel. We do not explain away any error as a mere "accident". To do so is to undermine the continued safety of the system. To explain it away is to provide the groundwork for it to happen again.
Ohgood and I have nothing against you and your fiance. What we take issue with is the casual "oh well, nobody was hurt" attitude you're displaying. That attitude is not conducive to safety.
well said. didn't come off as a rant, as i usually fall into.
listen, i'm very glad your fiance is safe and sound. very much so, i'd not wish any harm on her, you, or anyone from a collision. that's just not right. sure, i'd like to vaporize the typical suv driver munching on hot-steaming-fries while texting on his/her cellular, but no, i'm not wishing any harm.
accountability, fines, and real understanding that there are no accidents. there are failures to pay attention, failures to care, and failures to yield. motorcyclists pay the highest price (along with cyclists, pedestrians, and people sitting on park benches) when people in cars don't pay attention.
we have an understanding in my household that no one covered under our insurance is to jabber on a cellphone while -attempting- to drive one of our cars. at first it was considered "you're just a jerk! get with the 00's already !" but then there were enough instances of near misses involving cell phones that people agreed. i still have yet to get extended family members to agree, but they've suffered the effects of rear-ending other drivers, and STILL not admitted fault. yes, they've hit other cars simple becausee of dialing a cellular phone, and refused to let go of the phone. it's a real shame.
driving is such a simple process. we have clear, clean roads, nice reflective painted lines, and TWO traffic lights for each single lane at intersections, but people still crash at them. :( insurance rates are rediculous, agreed. part of the reason why is because of un needed claims. a tiny bump in a parking lot can cost thousands to fix. a collision on a roadway can total both parties cars, and put an un needed hardship on a family. so much senseless waste. :(
ok, now i'm getting into a typical rant, so i'll stop. if you can't see the point, i'm sorry, i've failed. please watch out for motorcyclists.
I 100% agree with GeeP and Ohgood.
Tell her to hang it up. Too many cagers are on their cell phones while driving. I've been in MANY close calls because of these idiots.
Wow, amazing. Guess my story of rearending someone while not on a cell phone got left out. Christ people accidents happen and I bet if your cell rings in your car and it's important you pick it up. Just drop the high and mighty krap. I doubt any of you can claim you have never ever been distracted. If you say that you always keep your hands at 10 and 2 (which have changed) don't ever listen to the radio, never have important issues on your mind, or see a nice car pull up beside you that takes your mind off the task at hand I will call you a liar. Or maybe you're the one going twenty below the speed limit pissing everybody off in the left lane! It happens to all of us. And no the person not at fault doesn't always get the raw end of the deal. Nothing happened to his massive truck(he didn't even have a good reason as to why he slammed the brakes on at a green deep down I almost think he did it on purpose cause he laughed at me!) my car was totaled, the insurance didn't cover the ICD part. I'm still paying for it every single month. Even though I took the course I found out after the fact that it would not save me from higher insurance rates because there was an injury! So, I have to double pay for my own injury! Nobody knows both sides of the story.
I get mad at irresponsible drivers but many times I sit back and say hey I've probably been guilty of the same infraction at some point in my life. I've noticed though that since I've become a motorcyclist I've become an even more responsible driver. I'v been in six incidents seven if you count me dropping the bike on my ankle. Only one was my fault I owned up to it. Even though I was following at the recommended distance, going well below speed limit. I just didnt have money for anti-lock brakes and didn't know how bad the effects of hydroplaning on Floridablack Ice. You know what sucks more about that incident I had done a good deed by dropping a person off at their home because it was raining. I guess no good deed goes unpunished.
I just get so tired when something bad happens to someone there is no empathy. First words out drop the F'n phone. As if one has never been distracted while driving. Sorry, 102 fever.
By the way I find GPS owners to be way more distracted then even those on phones. Don't know how many times I've been cut off by owners of such devices. You can tell cause at certain spots around here you can almost tell the voice says turn and they turn who cares if there is someone already in the lane!
Honestly, I think the wheel should be taken away from us and explore technologies where we don't drive. Kinda like in IRobot. That way vehicles can go much faster and you can do whatever you damn well please!
Mary
well said mary, that was the point i was trying to make as well.
p.s.- get well, fevers suck. especially fever dreams.... :cookoo: :cheers:
Mary,
Thank you, maybe my cussing at them wasn't the best way to get my point across but I was tired of reading it. You said it well, and I'm done discussing that portion of this thread.
On a different note, found out that there is only $3,714 worth of damage so no where near as bad as I originally thought. They said should take about 2 weeks and we should have the car back. Thank you to all those who expressed their sympathies.
Thanks,
Nick
Quote from: Toogoofy317 on March 03, 2009, 08:35:11 PM
Wow, amazing. Guess my story of rearending someone while not on a cell phone got left out. Christ people accidents happen and I bet if your cell rings in your car and it's important you pick it up. Just drop the high and mighty krap. I doubt any of you can claim you have never ever been distracted. If you say that you always keep your hands at 10 and 2 (which have changed) don't ever listen to the radio, never have important issues on your mind, or see a nice car pull up beside you that takes your mind off the task at hand I will call you a liar. Or maybe you're the one going twenty below the speed limit pissing everybody off in the left lane! It happens to all of us. And no the person not at fault doesn't always get the raw end of the deal. Nothing happened to his massive truck(he didn't even have a good reason as to why he slammed the brakes on at a green deep down I almost think he did it on purpose cause he laughed at me!) my car was totaled, the insurance didn't cover the ICD part. I'm still paying for it every single month. Even though I took the course I found out after the fact that it would not save me from higher insurance rates because there was an injury! So, I have to double pay for my own injury! Nobody knows both sides of the story.
I get mad at irresponsible drivers but many times I sit back and say hey I've probably been guilty of the same infraction at some point in my life. I've noticed though that since I've become a motorcyclist I've become an even more responsible driver. I'v been in six incidents seven if you count me dropping the bike on my ankle. Only one was my fault I owned up to it. Even though I was following at the recommended distance, going well below speed limit. I just didnt have money for anti-lock brakes and didn't know how bad the effects of hydroplaning on Floridablack Ice. You know what sucks more about that incident I had done a good deed by dropping a person off at their home because it was raining. I guess no good deed goes unpunished.
I just get so tired when something bad happens to someone there is no empathy. First words out drop the F'n phone. As if one has never been distracted while driving. Sorry, 102 fever.
By the way I find GPS owners to be way more distracted then even those on phones. Don't know how many times I've been cut off by owners of such devices. You can tell cause at certain spots around here you can almost tell the voice says turn and they turn who cares if there is someone already in the lane!
Honestly, I think the wheel should be taken away from us and explore technologies where we don't drive. Kinda like in IRobot. That way vehicles can go much faster and you can do whatever you damn well please!
Mary
^ yep mary, i want my flying car, like yesterday. ;)
but since flying cars will never happen, i'd prefer a high speed rail so i can take a 2 hour nap and wake up in New York to spend the afternoon with grandpa. or fall asleep drunk at midnight and wake up in willits, ca for a hot organic breakfast.
remember, it's a motorcycle forum, so empathy for distracted drivers is going to be few and far between. differences in opinion are a good thing. it'd be awefully boring if we all agreed, all the time.
Quote from: Toogoofy317 on March 03, 2009, 08:35:11 PM
...Christ people accidents happen and I bet if your cell rings in your car and it's important you pick it up. Just drop the high and mighty krap. I doubt any of you can claim you have never ever been distracted. If you say that you always keep your hands at 10 and 2 (which have changed) don't ever listen to the radio, never have important issues on your mind, or see a nice car pull up beside you that takes your mind off the task at hand I will call you a liar..
I don't argue the point you make. However, there's no disputing that if I were to get in an accident in the above situation...
I WOULD BE AT FAULT, WRONG, AND THE BAD DRIVER IN THE STORY. I've been the bad driver in the story. When I was in high school (many years ago) I wrecked into a guardrail going too fast on wet roads trying to get home to call my girlfriend. I hit a bridge support watching the car behind me (that was following to closely) in my rearview mirror. And, I got hit when I failed to yield the right of way to a car because I was distracted by friends in my car. I could blame the first accident on the roads or antilock brakes...but it was MY FAULT. I could blame the second on the person behind me tailgating...but it was MY FAULT. I could blame the last on my friends for distracting me / blocking my view...but it was MY FAULT. I accept the blame, and I expect no sympathy because I am angry with myself every time I find myself in those types of situations.
The fact is, I was lucky, Mary was lucky, and utgunslinger's gf was lucky. Lucky that they didn't get hurt, and that it was only sheetmetal that got damaged and money that was lost. If it was me and my bike that made that rather large dent on the above car, I don't think anyone would feel as fortunate.
Finally, the last three accidents I've had have not been my fault. I was sideswiped from behind, had a near head-on with a driver that 'didn't see me' when she turned left across my lane and got hit at 35mph (luckily we were in a car, but it still took my wife 6 mos. of physical therapy to recover), and the last time I was rearended by a driver doing all of 40mph that slammed into me while I was stopped at a red light. My daughter was in the van (thank God for modern child seats/restraints), and the 2001 Town and Country was totalled. I didn't hit the car in front of me because I left the proper distance between us when I stopped. I've changed my driving habits because of my experiences: When in traffic; I don't answer my phone if I have to look at it. I don't make calls with my phone. I never text in my car...period. I don't adjust my stereo if I have to look at it. I don't look at my daughter when she is saying 'daddy, daddy, daddy!', because I know the consequences of these actions.
I guess it can be summed up in this cliche: A wise man learns from his mistakes, but a wiser man learns from the mistakes of others.
I am only a wise man trying to encourage others to be wiser than me.
Quote from: ohgood on March 04, 2009, 05:24:30 AM
^ yep mary, i want my flying car, like yesterday. ;)
but since flying cars will never happen, i'd prefer a high speed rail so i can take a 2 hour nap and wake up in New York to spend the afternoon with grandpa. or fall asleep drunk at midnight and wake up in willits, ca for a hot organic breakfast.
remember, it's a motorcycle forum, so empathy for distracted drivers is going to be few and far between. differences in opinion are a good thing. it'd be awefully boring if we all agreed, all the time.
+1
Quote from: oramac on March 04, 2009, 06:29:46 AM
I don't argue the point you make. However, there's no disputing that if I were to get in an accident in the above situation...I WOULD BE AT FAULT, WRONG, AND THE BAD DRIVER IN THE STORY. I've been the bad driver in the story. When I was in high school (many years ago) I wrecked into a guardrail going too fast on wet roads trying to get home to call my girlfriend. I hit a bridge support watching the car behind me (that was following to closely) in my rearview mirror. And, I got hit when I failed to yield the right of way to a car because I was distracted by friends in my car. I could blame the first accident on the roads or antilock brakes...but it was MY FAULT. I could blame the second on the person behind me tailgating...but it was MY FAULT. I could blame the last on my friends for distracting me / blocking my view...but it was MY FAULT. I accept the blame, and I expect no sympathy because I am angry with myself every time I find myself in those types of situations.
The fact is, I was lucky, Mary was lucky, and utgunslinger's gf was lucky. Lucky that they didn't get hurt, and that it was only sheetmetal that got damaged and money that was lost. If it was me and my bike that made that rather large dent on the above car, I don't think anyone would feel as fortunate.
Finally, the last three accidents I've had have not been my fault. I was sideswiped from behind, had a near head-on with a driver that 'didn't see me' when she turned left across my lane and got hit at 35mph (luckily we were in a car, but it still took my wife 6 mos. of physical therapy to recover), and the last time I was rearended by a driver doing all of 40mph that slammed into me while I was stopped at a red light. My daughter was in the van (thank God for modern child seats/restraints), and the 2001 Town and Country was totalled. I didn't hit the car in front of me because I left the proper distance between us when I stopped. I've changed my driving habits because of my experiences: When in traffic; I don't answer my phone if I have to look at it. I don't make calls with my phone. I never text in my car...period. I don't adjust my stereo if I have to look at it. I don't look at my daughter when she is saying 'daddy, daddy, daddy!', because I know the consequences of these actions.
I guess it can be summed up in this cliche: A wise man learns from his mistakes, but a wiser man learns from the mistakes of others.
I am only a wise man trying to encourage others to be wiser than me.
+1 to EVERYTHING! Utgun's gf may not have been the INITIAL cause of the entire accident, but she also didn't contribute to the PREVENTION of the accident.
I've been rear ended before... the kid was trying to beat the red light WHILE I was still in front. So you COULD say that the traffic light was a distraction. The argument that cell phones aren't a bigger distraction than the radio or other passengers is total BS.
I've gotta get ready for work, so I'm cutting this post short. I've got SOOOO much on my mind about this topic.
PS. I was rear-ended while on a BIKE. NOT FUN.
PSS. Mary - not to start an e-argument, but you accuse some of us as acting all "high and mighty"... What about you? You're sitting at your keyboard typing a lecture to us. I think you are just as guilty as 'us' for acting "high and mighty".
here is my brief opinion:
While driving you should drive. Driving does not include talking on the cell, txting, reading the paper, making appointments in a planner, reading said planner, or any one of the other countless things I have seen while on the road.
That being said, I agree were her being on the cell may or may not have made a difference because she was tailgating as well.
Just FYI, 46% of all the accidents I have been involved in were caused by people on cells or txting. 30% drunks and the rest were just people in a hurry, or some other reason. I have been involved in 13 not at fault accidents involving other vehicles, none on the moto thus far [knocks on wood till knuckles bleed].
PS: my insurance is just starting to get where it should be and my wife goes and gets a speeding ticket dammit!
No I just counter your argument in the same tone becaues we are that the same. And if you think two herniated discs in your back is getting off light you got another thing coming. Also, I said that the accident was my fault and I paid all of my penalties for it!
And also, this may well be a motorcycle forum but I can betcha about 90% of all of us have cars also so that puts us in both situations. I do get a little more irritated when I get cut off on my bike versus my car. But, honestly in my case both can be just as deadly. I drive a convertible and if I flip or another car goes airborne I'm done for. There is always dangers in whatever we do!
One of my accidents occured while on a bicycle when a car came out of the Disney parking lot at 45mph he was in a hurry to get home. Doctor said the dislocated hip wouldn't be a problem then but would come back to haunt me. I didn't sue the guy and now eight years later I'm feeling the accident because my pelvis does not align properly anymore and when I walk at work after two hours I'm in excruciating pain. Guy didn't even get a ticket for it. Or when the tourist cut me off actually striking my bumper I lost control and hit a guard rail, Or the semi truck that lost a retreaded tire that was as long as my little pick up truck was wide hitting my windshield causing loss of control and a roll over. Neither of those two bothered to even stop. So, I think I have been on both the recieving and the giving! I'm not even going to get into getting ran over by a bicycle when I was 12!
I'm sorry but when it's our time to go it's our time to go. I'm not saying to try and speed it up but is it anymore heart breaking for let's say a 25 y/o getting into an accident and dying or having a sudden cardiac arrest in a basketball game in front of your eyes? Bad things happen! I know first hand being an EMT for six years. Try consoling either mother at either scene.
And finally law enforcement has completely gotten rid of the term "accident" anyhow because there is always a cause it just doesn't "happen" something some how someway someway is always at fault!