Respect the Double Yellow

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678) 12/28/2015 at 09:31 • Filed to: None

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My car is now a victim of others’ disrespect of the double yellow. If there could only be one rule when it comes to driving, it should be to never cross the double yellow. Speeding, running yellow lights, and aggressive/reckless driving all are acceptable in comparison to crossing those sacred lines. Going out for a ‘spirited’ drive is fine when driven within your limits. However, going beyond those limits and using the road as a playground, heads into purely dangerous territory.

Warning: Graphic images ahead but there is a happier ending!

Yes that looks bad and yes I was mad. But thankfully, I was completely unscathed and uninjured. My car may have been damaged, but no harm was done to me. That is what I need to be thankful of and it took me some time to truly come to terms with. At first I was angry. I was angry at the world and I just wanted to undo the entire day. I questioned even being out that day and wondered if I had just stayed home, how much easier life would have been. I can talk about the circumstances of what happened, but that is another story. Long story short, oncoming car came around a blind turn basically half into my lane, I swerved to avoid a very bad head on collision, and understeered into a low rock wall; other car was nowhere to be seen afterwards.

Although I was upset about the incident (there is nothing accidental about driving someone into a wall), my main focus was on bringing my car back to life. The suspension on the front right corner was destroyed mostly and had been repaired by a nearby shop using parts from another Miata. Since I was going to be repairing everything else on my own and not through any insurance, the body work would be up to me. It seemed like an insurmountable task but I can assure you I was determined and that progress most definitely has been made.

Thanks to some help on the local NJ Miatas facebook page, I was able to source some much needed parts for my repair. For a total cost of just under $400 I acquired a MSM front bumper cover (with the lip), a passenger fender, and door all in excellent condition. The only thing I would need to do is paint to match and then install on my car. Painting is definitely harder than I thought, but it is a learning process.

So right after I got the parts, I got to work with sanding down the parts, doing some body work on the imperfections, and then priming and painting. I managed to eventually get the fender, bumper, and bumper lip finished and looking pretty good. I still need to wet sand and polish the clearcoat but you will see that my results are not half bad so far.

I did not have time to do the door yet but the paint on it is in really good shape so it will wait until after the winter. New fender was painted but I ran out of paint for the bumper, so it waited another week or so before installation. Both the door and fender were pretty easy to swap out and everything looked much better with fewer destroyed panels on the car.

My car looked kinda funny for a few days with a missing passenger side mirror and of course the still destroyed rear quarter panel was an eyesore. Determination has not faltered though and I continued to work on it.

As a temporary patch for the damage, I just grinded off the severe scratches, sanded down what I could, and threw some primer on it. This would keep rust from settling in and just to make the car look more acceptable to me. I have a real repair planned (which involves cutting and welding) but that will take time.

I also removed my old mirror and placed it on the new door so that I could drive around normally and have the car look a little bit more symmetrical. The screws were a pain to remove but at least I got to buy a new tool (impact driver).

I also got around to painting and installing the new bumper! Those dang plastic clips were annoying but after replacing many of them with bolts/nuts, everything held together much nicer. The paint is not complete as I mentioned earlier, but it will be great after some more effort. License plate is mounted using a Garage Star relocation kit, so I did not have to drill holes in the freshly painted bumper! Still have to figure out how to mount it to the side, since I like that look.

Via my favorite autoparts website, rockauto, I sourced a new quarter panel piece for ~$50 and this will be used to create a thorough repair of my car. I already found a guy who said he could make that repair relatively easy. It will not be perfect but it will be fine by me. I know that nothing will line up “perfectly” but that does not matter to me. The door opens/shuts fine, the frame is straight, and nothing is wrong now with how it drives. A little bit of body imperfection is fine for me to live with.

I also sold my wheels for $100. The front passenger wheel was destroyed (top left), the rear passenger wheel was rather scuffed (top right), and the other two (bottom) were good but not perfect (little bit of rust and paint chipping). Plus the tires were dead all seasons. So I sold them at a good price to another NJ Miatas member who plans to replace the one wheel and use them for highway cruising with much better tires.

With the money from the wheel sale, I went out and bought a set of wheels with summer tires from another local NJ Miatas member. These wheels were a bit dirty and a little ricey for my tastes, but for $250 with good BF Goodrich Sport comp 2 summer tires, I am very happy with that. They are 195/50 R15 on 15x8 wheels which is not ideal for my purposes, but honestly I like them a lot. They are about the same weight as my previous 16x6.5 wheels which is fine by me (somewhere in the 16-17 pound range). They just need a good cleaning, maybe some work on the edges, and I would like to paint them bronze, but we shall see!

Anyways, this post has gone on long enough. I still have lots of work to do but I want everyone to know that I am staying positive and focusing on the fun parts of driving my car. I want to install a roll bar and ice race this winter, I want to upgrade my suspension (quality shocks and springs), and I am looking forward to many auto-x over next summer. Plus I still plan to keep this car forever.

While I may not be able to get my car to look exactly like this photo again, it is a work in progress and I will certainly be enjoying the car just the same either way. If anything, I just have a greater respect for the double yellow lines than I ever did before. Driving within my limits is something I have always known but I just respect it even more. I know that being the idiot to run someone off the road is not something I ever want to be.

Rainbow > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 09:50

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Well damn. Glad it wasn’t worse. And it looks like your car is coming along nicely so far! Keep up the good work!

E92M3 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 09:50

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It depends really. One should never cross the double yellow in a curve. However there are times I’ve passed on double yellows where there should have been dotted yellows. Times when there was a half mile of sight, and I could see there was no oncoming traffic. Colorado is famous for not using dotted yellows when there’s straight road for a mile, but there’s a driveway somewhere in that mile.

Bullitt Ride > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 10:03

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Was the front suspension unloading from a dip in the road? It looks to have no negative camber at all, especially compared to the rear.

450X_FTW > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 10:07

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So did you cross the double yellow or did someone else and caused you to have an accident?

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > 450X_FTW 12/28/2015 at 10:25

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Sounds like someone else did and forced him into a rock wall

Tripper > E92M3 12/28/2015 at 10:38

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It’s legal to pass across double yellows in Vermont, as long as there are no signs saying “Do Not Pass”. At least it was when I was in school in VT.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > 450X_FTW 12/28/2015 at 10:46

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Sorry, I guess I was not all that clear about it. I was perfectly on my side of the road when some a-hole came flying at me on the wrong side of the road. I was able to avoid the guy but I had very little room to move out of the way and came into contact with the rock wall on my right. Maybe if my tires were better and if it was not a little wet out, then I could have saved it. But there is no point in me dwelling on that.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 12/28/2015 at 10:46

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yup, exactly that.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 10:47

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Really sorry that happened, but hats off to you for how you’ve handled it. And a nice build thread of the repairs, too.

Also, a pox on the other driver, especially for just taking off.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Bullitt Ride 12/28/2015 at 10:47

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This shot is right after a tight turn so that is likely the scenario. I am running completely stock so I have not been messing with camber.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Tripper 12/28/2015 at 10:48

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Hmm didn’t know that was legal anywhere. I always wait for the dashed lines to pass, no matter how frustrating it is to wait.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > E92M3 12/28/2015 at 10:52

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Well that philosophy is a slippery slope. I have always thought of the double yellow lines as a finite boundary that shall never be crossed intentionally. If you cross them when they "should be dotted", who is really to determine that? This is of course assuming engineers designed the road though. Sure the same thing happens with speed limit signs, that someone other than an engineer decided to change it arbitrarily. But I have always used the solid double lines as a guideline that it is unsafe to pass. I have never lived outside of NJ though, so other states could possibly have different laws I suppose.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Rainbow 12/28/2015 at 10:55

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Slowly but surely. I am just glad to have my car back in operational order. Body was not perfect or anything beforehand, I did not pay very much for the car, and I am perfectly capable (and can afford) to eventually fix everything. Would have been nice to save the money and spend it other things though!

Urambo Tauro > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 10:58

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Apex-hunting is not a good enough reason for crossing the double yellow. Especially when it comes to blind corners.

I like going out for a fun drive as much as anyone else, but the “apex” does not have to be the edge of the blacktop. Shooting for the apex of your own lane can be challenging enough, and limiting oneself like that makes for good practice in its own way.

cazzyodo > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 10:58

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This exact thing almost happened to me the other day. Roads are designed to be able to be driven within the lines and it drives me insane when people swing for turns or cross the lines when it isn’t necessary. On blind turns and generally twisty roads it happens far too often!

Glad you’re ok and putting it all together.

Tripper > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 10:58

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Most areas that I came across in Vermont where I considered it safe to pass over the doubles, had a “do not pass” sign anyway. The only places were it was actually allowed were long straight stretches of one lane rural highways.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Urambo Tauro 12/28/2015 at 11:07

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Exactly. I have done a fair bit of canyon carving in rental cars and a little bit in Miata. I always am trying to reach towards my limits, but I have not once crossed the line. I have gotten the cars to slide a little bit but still kept things controllable. Sure all of that should still be "at the track" but it is possible to safely "hoon" on the streets. But of course, going beyond said limits is where it becomes a problem. I keep the "going past that limit" to the auto-x days only. There I can spin out, take out cones, and make myself look like a fool without harming anyone.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > cazzyodo 12/28/2015 at 11:11

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It actually bothers me more when people are crossing the damn lines all casually and shit. Like they aren’t even driving hard or fast. They are just careless and make wide turns and don’t keep to their lanes. That is just lazy and makes even less sense to me!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 12/28/2015 at 11:13

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In my mind, I hope that the other guy just didn’t see me crash. I have to assume more faith in humanity, otherwise I would go mad with hate for the world lol.

And yeah I nearly immediately went into "how do I fix this" mode instead of just staying angry or upset. I consider myself a problem solver instead of getting emotional when shit hits the fan. So it has worked out well for keeping me motivated. I am hoping the rear quarter panel repair goes well and then I will feel much more successful.

cazzyodo > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 11:16

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Derp da derp derp lines derp hi derp horn derp derp yolo.

JGrabowMSt > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 11:17

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Well Im glad to you you’re okay, and maybe its safe to assume this is the reason for your hiding from the meetups? Being busy bringing your baby back to life?

Thats pretty messed up...if you need help, feel free to ask, Ill help however I can.

XJDano > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 11:45

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When I was younger and first learning to drive, my dad would always tell me that the doublE lines are there to keep me safe and not to keep me from having a good time.

Well I may have not obeyed all the rules of the road, but that one I consider the Holy Grail of road rules.

I myself was always afraid of hitting someone else and injuring myself & others. My dad saying it all the time on top of that got annoying, but I got used to it. I guess my other activities while driving would make him think I would consider such a thing.

I am still weary of passing on a 2 lane road even on the stripes. I have to be damned sure I have enough room to pass. A lot of times I can't Garuntee that driving my metro so I try to calm myself and just be patient.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > XJDano 12/28/2015 at 13:03

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Yes, patience is key when driving a slow car and passing people. I had a rental Spark for a work trip. I was still passing people on 2 lane country roads. It must have looked hilarious to get passed by that thing. I of course had to floor it and be going slightly downhill. Still needed a hell of a lot of room to make the pass too haha.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > JGrabowMSt 12/28/2015 at 13:07

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Nah, I haven’t been hiding from the meetups. I would gladly bring my janky ride to any of those! I have just been busy with the holidays and my girlfriend being in town (only priority higher than cars in my life). And thanks man, I appreciate the offer. I have been managing well though with it. I have to learn how to paint better but otherwise its a smooth path to recovery. I am not mad anymore either, shit happens. Just glad to be still driving the shit out of my car.

JGrabowMSt > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 14:02

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Definitely, ive had my share of issues, and luckily walked away from all of them. Too bad you didnt decide to go Exocet, amirite?!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > JGrabowMSt 12/28/2015 at 14:47

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Haha if my frame was screwed up, yeah exocet would have been the solution! But yeah it could be worse for sure. I definitely am all for the mods though now, keeping it stock used to be higher on my list but not anymore.

JGrabowMSt > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 15:47

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I actually have a christmas present for you, we’ll have to meet up sometime soon!

pip bip - choose Corrour > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/28/2015 at 17:32

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that sucks!

E92M3 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/29/2015 at 10:43

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Well one has to factor in the vehicle they are driving, and the vehicle they are passing too. Some of those roads I wouldn’t have passed had I been driving a a Uhaul or something with horrible acceleration. Sometimes there was literally a tractor in the road going 20 MPH in a 55 MPH zone. This was rural Colorado, where laws are treated mostly as suggestions anyway.