The Perils of Daily Driving Your Hero

"Burrito de EJ25" (alexcarrillo01)
12/28/2014 at 04:52 • Filed to: None

I was sandwiched on the 405 freeway here in Los Angeles today. 2 years of babying, of scolding people who didn't treat my car better than they did their own mother, of making sure my fluids were in check, my service appointments weren't missed, and keeping it waxed as often as it needed it were for naught.

I mean, I may be overreacting a bit. It wasn't that bad. The car wasn't totaled in the slightest. And, honestly, judging by how empty and weightless the sound of a Subaru door closing is I was frankly shocked by how well it took the Hyundai Sonata's violent ass ramming. Sure, the plastic bumper was smashed into the crash beam so hard that I can see a very faint outline through it and the trunk seems to be catching slightly, but color me impressed.

I guess I should explain what happened, right? It's your run of the mill traffic accident and since this isn't the first time (second time, though, with a different car) I was more composed and ready to deal with the situation.

So, basically, traffic slowed to a stop very suddenly on the freeway and I had to very swiftly step on my brakes, ABS rearing its scary head. I managed to stop alright, but I quickly glanced behind me, realizing before it even happened that car behind me wasn't going to stop in time. I braced, and boom. The hit was hard enough to push me into the car in front of me, knocking my foot off the clutch (but not the brake) and stalling my poor WRX.

I quickly looked around to see if everyone in side my car was okay, looked at my rearview mirror and noticed the guy that hit me waving at me to move over to the shoulder. I started the car up and began to scooting over to the side.

When we pulled off I got out of my car. The guys in the Hyundai got out and asked if everyone was okay. They were.

I turned around and noticed that the black Corolla that I was sent flying into was pulling away. He got out, inspected his bumper, and I guess decided that it wasn't worth the hassle to exchange information to get whatever damage he had on his car fixed. That, or he was probably uninsured, unlicensed, or both.

I exchanged information with the guy who hit me and he had AAA come and tow his Sonata away. I couldn't tell if his car was actually incapacitated. From where I stood, and the pictures I took, it just looked like his front bumper was smashed but my passengers did say she noticed it leaking liquids. So, maybe his radiator was damaged. My car seems okay mechanically. No noises, vibrations, and shifts were their same old notchy selves.

Damaged seems to be limited, for now, to the front and rear bumpers and the trunk lid. One of the exhausts seems to be a little lower than the other. It doesn't seem like there was any frame damage. I checked the rear bumper from inside the trunk and there doesn't seem to be any damage outside of the plastic bumper, but we'll see once the body shop inspects it.

It pains me deeply to see my little Scooby bruised like it is, but it could have been worse and I have to face the facts. The likelihood of someone plowing into me is pretty high up there. And, you know, material things are materials things and blah, blah, blah...

Both parties came out of it uninjured and I don't bare any ill will to the guy in the Sonata. We all fuck up. If I would have reacted a little slower it could have been me plowing into the car in front of me. Mistakes happen. He had a great attitude about it and gave me all the necessary information.

Now we'll let the insurance companies deal with the mess. I have to wait until Monday speak with a claims representative, though. So, poo.

Silver lining? I'll get a new set of bumpers.

P.S.

Moments after finally getting back on the road a dark blue WRX passed me and gave us a very enthusiastic Subaru wave.

P.P.S.

Sorry there aren't any pics. They all have my plate number on 'em. I'll try editing it out soon and updating this post. In the meantime the header picture is my Scooby before he became car bologna.

DISCUSSION (32)

Tohru > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 05:03

2 years of babying, of scolding people who didn't treat my car better than they did their own mother, of making sure my fluids were in check, my service appointments weren't missed, and keeping it waxed as often as it needed it were for naught.

No they weren't. Cars that are taken care of are appraised at a higher value by the insurance estimators and are more likely to be repaired than cars that are not.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 05:11

why worry about your number plate?

pics please.

Axial > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 06:28

Even with an accident on record?

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 06:51

police report?

Burrito de EJ25 > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman
12/28/2014 at 07:40

I called for a CHP officer to report the fleeing driver. He basically told me that it would be a waste of time and not to bother when he arrived. He talked to my insurance company and they agreed that it wasn't necessary.

I didn't catch his license plate number. Just the make, model and color. I was too preoccupied with the car that actually caused the accident.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 07:41

That mustve been one of the worst feelings ever knowing the accident was inevitable.

I had a similar scare a month ago when there was a sudden 7 car pileup ahead of me. I cooked my brakes on the civic and was less than 6 inches from the Sentra ahead of me. I looked in my rearview and see a massive F150 flying up on me and figured that id be toast... thank god he swerved into the next lane at the last second because he had no chance of stopping.

At least your okay. Thats all that matters

Burrito de EJ25 > pip bip - choose Corrour
12/28/2014 at 07:49

Because it's very, very easy to mine personal data from a plate number. Like, shockingly so.

Burrito de EJ25 > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 07:50

Good to know!

Burrito de EJ25 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
12/28/2014 at 07:52

I saw it coming at me in slow motion. All I could do was brace and wait for it.

And you're right. The important part is that we all made it out unscathed.

E92M3 > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 09:37

It's a horrible feeling when your near perfect car gets it's first damage. Always seems to happen right after you spent hours detailing it or doing a ton of maintenance. My wife's first car was sandwiched (by a guy doing 40 mph that was messing with his radio) the day after I did the timing belt, water pump, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, and all the fluids/filters. I literally spent all weekend doing the 90k mile maintenance. Her next car she wrecked 2 hours after I spent 6 hours wash/clay/polish/waxing it. Makes you feel like all those times spent parking far away, washing it by hand instead of using a car wash, etc was a waste of your life. I never can maintain it the same way once it's damaged goods.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 09:40

The moment when you look up and see the vehicle behind you not stopped is pretty terrifying.

Reminds me of a time I was coming up an overpass and some 5 cars all locked up to stop immediately. I was #4, #5 was a big Lexus suv. I'm not sure how I did it but as t the last possible second I juked right and he went left. Thankfully he didn't hit the guardrail but I looked over and his headlights were next to the back of my seat. It would have been a whole bunch of ugly especially if we both went right or kept on straight.

but I'm glad to hear to scoobs will be better soon and nobody was injured.

cayman2007 > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 09:44

Get with your insurance company and a file a diminished value claim, it should help offset the reduced value since your car has "been in an accident". From experience they will offer you $500 off the bat..

cayman2007 > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 09:45

and 100,000 people a day see your plate while yer out & about..

Bird > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 10:34

What data and how? If someone tried to get the dmv info from your plate, you'd receive a letter in the mail stating so.

You drive around all day with the number showing anyway...

Justin Hughes > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 11:10

I feel your pain.

Kinja'd!!!

This happened just six months after I bought my new BRZ. Idiot ran a stop sign ahead of me. I stopped short. The X5 behind me didn't stop short enough. Believe it or not, the X5 got it worse than I did. His front end shattered, all his air bags went off, his driver's door wouldn't open, and his car was electronically immobilized. It even made the automatic call to roadside assistance. I drove out of the intersection with minimal rubbing. Of course, the stop sign runner who caused this drove off.

It's all fixed now, to "like new" condition. Of course, it isn't factory original, and never will be again. So I've started making minor, non-warranty voiding mods, like dipping my wheels gold and adding a ham radio.

Best of luck to you. Find the best shop you can. I used to autocross with a guy who runs one, so that's where I took mine. Was even on my insurance's premium list.

sony1492 > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 11:28

You wanted to report somebody leaving an accident when they weren't at fault? ...mind blown....

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 12:45

At least the person that rear ended you didnt drive away like what happened to me a few winters ago.

Good thing it was my winter beater

Burrito de EJ25 > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time
12/28/2014 at 13:09

Yeah. The dude was great.

Burrito de EJ25 > sony1492
12/28/2014 at 13:10

I was told to initially by my insurance company.

Burrito de EJ25 > cayman2007
12/28/2014 at 13:16

Out there you're anonymous. People aren't reading your comments or social media posts. There's little reason for someone to care about those numbers.

Burrito de EJ25 > cayman2007
12/28/2014 at 13:18

Thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to do that.

Burrito de EJ25 > E92M3
12/28/2014 at 13:22

I'll continue treating it like a Sultan. But yes, I waxed it just last Wednesday. Wax unfortunately doesn't defend against Hyundai Sonatas.

sony1492 > Burrito de EJ25
12/28/2014 at 13:24

Makes since now

Burrito de EJ25 > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/28/2014 at 13:24

Everything slowed down to a crawl the moment I looked up. I was unfortunately boxed into traffic. No opportunity to turn left or right.

Tohru > Bird
12/28/2014 at 17:35

I don't think this reply was meant for me

Bird > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 19:18

Nope it wasn't. Weird, there were in other comments when I commented...

Dsscats > Burrito de EJ25
12/29/2014 at 02:12

Biggest fear right here about driving in LA.

Burrito de EJ25 > Dsscats
12/29/2014 at 10:31

Now that it's possible for those staying in this country to attain a license I'm hoping cases like that will start to dwindle.

Fortunately the he wasn't the at fault vehicle. He saved the guy that hit me money, or rather, his insurance company.

Ryan A. > Justin Hughes
12/31/2014 at 12:56

Am I right to assume that your license plate means you're a ham radio operator? I've seen a few plates like that around Massachusetts and have always wondered what they meant.

Justin Hughes > Ryan A.
12/31/2014 at 13:02

Yes! That's my callsign. The lightning bolt means my antennas are probably going to get hit by lightning, or something.

Or maybe I'm Lightning Bolt Man...

Tohru > E92M3
02/12/2015 at 03:11

Have you considered getting her a Ford Tempo?

RobG-ADV > Burrito de EJ25
02/12/2015 at 13:35

Time to get a dash cam! I bought a Garmin Dash Cam 10 just recently, and I plan to get a second one to point aftward. It could have recorded the plate number of the fleeting Toyota, and in the case of the guy in the BRZ, it might have caught enough details on the stop sign runner to go after him as well.

I did it after several incidents in this f'd up state we call Oregon where people get VERY upset if you dare pass them while they muddle along in the left lane at 55 mph. That and the most recent incident a few weeks ago when I T-boned some woman in a Ford Ranger because she cut through stopped traffic without looking (which I wasn't aware was actually stopped). While it should be pretty cut and dry that it's 100% her fault, she is of course trying to say I was speeding and that she was only going 10 mph, neither of which was even remotely true. Wasn't even possible given the conditions. Nevertheless, it's delaying things getting wrapped up and is irritating to say the least. Had I had the dash cam, it would have been clear exactly what happened.

It's already started doing its job too. Just yesterday I was on a road that was merging into one lane (and I was in the regular lane, not the merging one), getting cut off by an idiot driving a company vehicle with its decals and phone number all over it. I'm writing up the complaint now and offering them a copy of the video footage. :)