So... this happened...

"fhrblig" (fhrblig)
06/23/2018 at 08:11 • Filed to: Crashy smashy

I’ve had a crazy week and I haven’t had time to make a post about this until now.

My parents were in town so my mother could get some medical testing done. She’s fine, fortunately, but will have to have some minor surgery in a month or so. Anyway, they were staying with some friends of theirs in Highlands Ranch (south of Denver) and invited me over for dinner. After dinner, I left for home. I didn’t get very far.

Basically, a high-school-aged guy in a Chevy Sonic made a bad decision on when he should make a left turn. I was going around 40 when I nailed his rear passenger corner and he was spun around pretty bad. My airbag deployed, and so did his side airbags. We were both wearing our seatbelts, so we both walked away.

This picture does not do justice to how completely rekt his car is at this point. After the crash, the police asked him to move it, and I have never heard a car make that kind of screaming noise as it was moved. Meanwhile, my car started, runs, and still drives like there’s nothing mechanically wrong. There was a whole lot of fluid coming from mine, but it was all washer fluid because the tank was destroyed. Modern day crash protection is awesome.

I’ve never before been in an airbag crash. I’d like to never do it again please. This is the extent of my injuries, which were caused by the airbag. It’s pretty minor, but if you’re squeamish, don’t look.

It was the most violent crash I’ve ever been in, and I’ve had my fair share of them in my 26 years of licensed driving. This is my third run in with teenage guys who just had to turn left right freaking meow, but at least this one had insurance.

He was very apologetic after the crash. He knew he messed up, and he was the one who was ticketed. I’m not really mad or anything, just relieved that no one was seriously hurt.

I spoke with my insurance to get the claim process started, and the rep said it came up as probable total. No shock. It’s a five year old Kia. It’s worth about tree-fiddy. Canadian. I have gap coverage, and it’ll be used.

So, how do I feel?

It was a good car to me, but it was just a car. I bought it because I needed a bigger car and also used it to get out of the Fiat, so it was more of a tool to try to drag myself out of my poor financial choices. But it was thoroughly beige. It was pretty to look at, though. And now that I have a company vehicle, it was barely driven and I had no real place to park it anymore. Plus, we now have a much nicer Hyundai Elantra Limited that I can use on the weekends if I drive my partner to work, so I’m not likely to be replacing it anytime soon. Assuming it is totalled, I’ll just go without a car for the first time since I was a teenager, which was around the time when Lincoln was president. If I get anything at all, it’ll be a cheapish pickup truck. But I’m looking forward to being able to put that not-insignificant amount of money toward our debt instead, so I doubt I’m gonna get a replacement.

To all the young’uns of Oppo: WEAR YOUR SEATBELT. I don’t wanna hear any bullshit. This kid would have been catastrophically injured if he wasn’t wearing his. Most of you at one point are going to make a bad decision behind the wheel, not because you’re a bad driver but because you’re human. I don’t want you to die, or have your life tragically altered because of one bad decision.

EDIT: the pic of my car makes it look like my tire is bald, but it’s not. You can see it better in this pic.

The flash just washed out the tread.

DISCUSSION (18)

WilliamsSW > fhrblig
06/23/2018 at 09:39

S h i t - g l a d you’re o k. A n d maybe i t was time t o get r i d o f that car a n y w ays, so i t a l l w o r k s o u t in the e n d?

Have a d r i n k - I’m s u r e y o u needed it a fter that scare.

fhrblig > WilliamsSW
06/23/2018 at 09:48

Like, I didn’t hate it or anything, but I won’t lie. I had daydreams of a meteor hitting it so it would take the payment away. Still, it sucks that it got wrecked because someone made a poor choice. But all in all, I’ll take the outcome of no injuries all around. Poor kid. I know exactly what it’s gonna be like for him. I had a couple accidents when I was his age and it tripled my insurance.

I think I’m gonna pick up a small bottle of scotch today, because yeah.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > fhrblig
06/23/2018 at 10:03

Glad it’s not worse. Cars can be replaced, and thankfully many of them today are super safe.

Planning to get a medical checkup done for hidden injuries? some may not surface until a few days/ weeks after.

Rainbow > fhrblig
06/23/2018 at 10:04

I’m surprised they had him move his car. After my accident, I left my car in the road because the suspension collapsed on one wheel. The cop asked me if I could move it, I told him I didn’t want to risk making it worse, and he just agreed that that was probably best. And mine was nowhere near as bad as that Sonic.

But anyway, glad everyone was okay! If he turned just a fraction of a second later, you both might still be in the hospital today.

fhrblig > Rainbow
06/23/2018 at 10:09

They did because his car was right in the middle of the intersection. By that time his dad was there and his dad was who moved it.

WilliamsSW > fhrblig
06/23/2018 at 10:09

I k n o w that f e e l i n g - that’s a s i g n that i t ’s time f o r the car t o g o.

E n j o y that Scot ch - a n d h o p e y o u r m o m ’s s u r g e r y g o e s w e l l!

fhrblig > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
06/23/2018 at 10:11

Thanks. And as far as my injuries, m y right thumb and wrist were the only things that were sore the next day, and that’s gone already. I guess I was able to brace myself really well because I have none of the back or neck pain that’s common with an accident.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > fhrblig
06/23/2018 at 10:13

Dude that sucks. Change can be a good thing though, even if it takes awhile to adapt. Sounds like you have plenty of choice in what to do next.

Stay wary of your body , sometimes things like whiplash and joint damage don’t present themselves until few days after the crash. Get yourself checked out if you feel any unusual soreness or pain.

fhrblig > WilliamsSW
06/23/2018 at 10:13

Thanks!

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > fhrblig
06/23/2018 at 10:18

Glad it wasn’t worse!

fhrblig > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/23/2018 at 10:20

Thanks! It’s now o fficially been a few days, and still nothing. I think all is well (knock on wood).

I’m really looking forward to having no car payment for a while. It’s muting my interest in looking at cheap trucks, which is good because there are a lot of cheap Rangers out there. I miss my Ranger.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > fhrblig
06/23/2018 at 10:22

If the temptation to pick one up gets to be too much, just look up Ranger crash test videos.

fhrblig > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/23/2018 at 10:43

That should do it.

Seriously, all this crash protection stuff was great. Glad I hit on my passenger side corner though, because the Optima has one of those old-school parking brake pedals that will come forward and introduce itself to your shin bone in a crash.

fhrblig > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/23/2018 at 10:46

Also, I love your screen name now. “No, Grandma, n o!!”

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > fhrblig
06/23/2018 at 10:51

Liz Lemon is my spirit animal.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > fhrblig
06/23/2018 at 11:05

I agree - there’s absolutely no reason to not wear a seatbelt. They save lives, plain an simple.

Chuckles > fhrblig
06/23/2018 at 16:03

I am glad everyone was alright. Enjoy the lack of a car payment for a while. And enjoy that Elantra Limited :-)

fhrblig > Chuckles
06/23/2018 at 16:36

It’s pretty nice, for sure. Sounds like he’ll be able to get it in fairly quick, so we can get it over and done with pretty soon.

Hopefully the rental is an ok car; last time they gave me a Chrysler 200. Not the good one. I took it back and accepted a downgrade to a Beetle which was much better.