Another one

#2 son drove his 2000 Accent into the back of a car today. I won't know
until we get it appraised but it's close to being totaled.

This is a repeat from 3 years ago when #1 son did the same to his '94
Scoupe. Well, not exactly, that time it was a boat he hit.

I did learn one thing from the first time - this time I have collision
insurance on the car.

Perhaps someone could explain to me why I've been able to drive 34 years and
never have a chargeable accident? Am I being UNREASONABLE to expect the
same from my kids?

 

Yes. And there's no Easter Bunny, either.

Regards,

Neil

 

#2 son drove his 2000 Accent into the back of a car today.

Probaby he y he forgot to drive and started acting like a passenger. The car
just kept going where it thought the driver wanted it to go.

Hyundai arent known for high energy absorbtion in the front end. IE, when it
squashed the bumper bar, it also squashed the radiator, engine and firewall.

Well you could just say that your sons had bad luck. maybe.

You reasonably expect them to be reasonable drivers.
But being a reasonable driver doesnt actually mean you never have a
chargeable accident.

I am thinking of examples like this ... like I am driving down the road
behind Car A, Car B turns onto the same road between me and car A, Car A
then stops to park... obvious result, I hit Car B, and Car B tells the cop
that I just ran into him, nothing else .

Ok so Car B has failed to give way to me and also dangerously drove to close
to car A.
But I have to prove this , and the cop doesnt want to argue about these
things on the road, that means I get a ticket and the damage/insurance bill
and if I want to challenge it, I have to take it to court ...

This happened to me before. I am driving in my lane with a large gap in
front, and approaching a lumpy curved bridge over a railway line... A small
car shoves over into the front of me, and while I am just checking that I
can stop and also steering around the curve and looking to see if I can
change lanes away from the mad driver, and we go up the curve of the bridge.
....ah, screech, crunch,bang....
mad driver has had to stop and left me without anywhere to go. And I didnt
remember what happened, I should have said that to the cops. but I said a
partial truth to the cop - that was that I didnt see them stopping- I didnt
see because I had a car illegally change lanes in front of me, and that car
had illegal tinting on its brake lights (it was almost sunset and the sun
reflected off them) , and it had illegal tinting on its windows (I couldnt
see through)... See it was bad luck. I got caught because someone else put
me in the dangerous position on the road- directly behind them.

 

-- snip --

Urr. ERROR , ERROR, Danger Will Robinson.....

If you hit Car B 100% in the rear, and your car is 100% in the front
damaged, you are 100% AT FAULT! No ifs, ands or Buts! (You were
following too close.

Your example above is YOUR fault, and you had a chargeable accident.

When someone squeezes in, YOU SLOW down (fast), because you are "tail
gating"

 

Perhaps someone could explain to me why I've been able to drive 34 years
and

I don't want to say yes, but in a way, yes.
If I may, I've only been driving 25 years, and one thing I remember was when
I was given the opportunity to drive my father's car (note: my father's car,
I didn't have one of my own) I did EVERYTHING I could to "earn" the next
opportunity to drive the car. And if I didn't earn the opportunity, I
didn't drive. Tickets equaled grounding, and that was it, I paid the ticket
and I didn't drive.

Now, not all kids who have their own car may not be this way, but the ones
in my neighborhood seem to feel that having, whether by being given or
buying on their own, car of their own seems to be the reward for living long
enough to get a drivers license. And sadly, they seem to drive as if there
are no consequences to their method of driving.

 

You see, the world is a joke. You are the "Straight Man". Plus, you get to pay.

 

Never leave too much space in front of your car. If you drive
politely, you are what is referred to as a "sucker". Hence, your
being found at fault. The world hates suckers. You need to be more
agressive.

 

Well my point is the cops think like you!

and since they are morons, I wont argue with you either,

 

I might be a moron, but I don't have an accident.

Sorry, I had to say it, you set me up.

Not to be a jerk, but in your example why didn't Car B hit Car A. Only
YOU hit Car B. The reason is simple, you were not paying attention.
I'm not saying you are a bad driver or anything else, but Car B
obviously was paying attention to leave enough room in front of
Him/Her, but you did not adjust for the current conditions. Car B is
an ass hole, I agree. But ass holes contribute to accidents, not
necessarily cause them.

Let's take the SUV upside down on the freeway. The reason it is upside
down is because of speed, lack of training and the ability to adjust
to current conditions. Not because the tire went flat, or the small
car that cut off the SUV or any number of other excuses.

BTW, I am not a cop. Just a joe that drives for a living.

Happy Holidays

 

I think taking the radio out of a car is a good start to a safer driving
teenager.
Don

 

I think taking the following out would help:

1. The radio
2. The cigarette
3. The coffee cup
4. The dog
5. The Cell Phone
6. The kids.

Some of the above would be hard to remove, but all of the above has
caused a rollover on the freeway. You have a good point, but I guess
the major point is you MUST avoid the distractions.

 

I think taking the radio out of a car is a good start to a safer driving

Amen Brother!*








*No faith, or absence of faith is specified, recommended, offered, or
advised.
Your belief system may vary. Please consult those you consider wise or
learned for further details.

 

Well, Allstate's estimator gave me a repair quote today - $3250. The only
reason the car wasn't totalled was the air bags hadn't deployed.

I'm off to the body shop Monday morning...