Bad luck strikes again

[WormGod]

Well, my second VX in less than 2 years and yet, another accident. Of course, the first VX was totalled, and this one was far from that bad, but, still a headache, nevertheless. Last night, I was slowing down at a red light when I hear some nasty skidding behind me. I look in my mirror just in time to see a big white delivery truck coming up fast. Next thing ya know, BANG! I was rear ended by a Wonder Bread delivery box truck. He pushed me into the car in front of me, but no damage was done to me in the front. The car in front recieved minimal damage. My tailgate was a lot LESS damaged than the sound of the crunch and the force. The plastic cladding on the rear was scraped and torn up pretty good. The estimate I got from the insurance company this morning was a simple rear panel replacement, but I had them take off the panel to look under for any buckles. Luckily, nothing. I got off pretty fair in this accident. Unfortunately, my baby has been tainted now though, heh.

[AlaskaVX]

Bummer bro! We are almost in the same boat only your baby got hurt. That must have been some scary sh it seeing that big truck coming up fast in the mirror! ;eekg;

[Bantan]

Sorry to Hear that. You must have had flashbacks justy over 1 1/2 year later.
Any personal injury?

BTW I was in DC 2 weekends ago for DC carnival saw a motor home on fire (big hole in the side, must have been the LPG tank in the kitchen) on the way down on I95 outside of MD.

[Anita]

Same thing happened to me except the Tacoma truck hit and slid underneath. His truck was totaled -my rear bumper was scuffed with one broken round red reflector. Replaced the cladding. Our truck sure can take an impact in the rear......uh......well, you know what I mean. Strong little cuss...

:bwgr:

[AnalogVX]

I read this post and the other about bad luck and I have some of my own. I, in my own stupidity, backed up into a brick column today. I should have known better. You can't see out rear window as it is and I got comfortable with the visibility and BAM! Scuffed up the cladding and have several paint chips.
Nothing like you have experienced, but bad luck just the same.

[Heraclid]

Hey WormGod, I'm really glad you're ok and the VX held up so well. I was looking at the pics from the earlier accident, and I certainly don't mean to belittle your injuries, but from the looks of things you were downright fortunate you weren't killed. What speed do you think that car was doing on impact, and what do you think the closing speed was? Was the Honda driver drunk? I'm guessing the Honda driver never faced charges from the looks of the car. Yikes.

Again, glad you're ok this time.

[WormGod]

Well, I never really said too much about the outcome of the previous accident, but it turned out worse than I wrote it up. I ended up with a shattered foot which was finally put back together with a titanium plate and 8 screws (all permanent). I'll never run again since it fused my ankle, so I had to kiss football and soccer bye bye. I walk fine and you would probably never know it happened unless I showed the nasty 9" scar along the side of my foot. The driver of the other car was an illegal alien from Peru, which undoubtedly would make the car NOT his. With that said, he had no liscence. The owner of the car had been dropped from his insurance 2 months before so the car was totally illegal also. The owner ended up fleeing the country back to Peru (the driver's cousin) hoping to avoid some sort of civil suit I guess. So, the driver, who WAS drunk, died on impact. The little Civic he was in was ill equipped since it was an 80's model and totally wrapped around him. I was cut out and flown to a trauma unit only because the other driver had died and I had to be cut out. It was a total precautionary tactic the rescue squad follows. I was completely conscious the whole time and was actually talking to the rescue team the whole time about how I had JUST gotten the VX and was mighty pissed. In the end (if there is an end, since my lawyer is still trying to pursue ANYTHING out of this), the final report stated that the impact was probably between 90-100 mph (both cars summed up). Thank God for the VX being a damned safe vehicle!

But, in this recent accident, of course things were different. Ya, it was scary seeing a big old truck squeeling towards you, but the VX once again held up VERY well. At least this time around, I wont have to total another VX. Slap on some new tailgate cladding, and I'll be back in shape again.

[BlackVX]

Oh man, sorry for you WormGod. I'm glad you're ok and your new VX is still in shape.

I don't know why but it seems that I lot of people with VX were rear ended. Is it the design, the lack of lights? Maybe I should buy Tone's tail gate blinker.

I was rear ended too like 2 months ago and my VX had just a minor scratch as the other car went underneath my bumper. The lady was on her cell phone... I wish the DC area had the same laws as NY regarding the cell phones.

Michael

[Navigator]

Glad to hear all is OK GT. I had a near mis yesterday myself... had a young lady who was so into her phone conversation that her eyes wer close as she blew threw a red light, never stoped or showed any sign of acknowledgement, just yap yap yap. I don't blame devices for peoples stupidity, if it's not the phone, it's the kids in the back seat, or the dog, or the hot coffee, bumble bee, you name, it boils down to driving reqires concentration. I doubt if their are many safe ways to avoid being rear ended with another car blocking front and/or side escape routes, but at the very least in this scenario the damage is recoverable with solid grounds for a law suit. Bread delivery truck, indeed

[Lisa K]

Wow WormGod, glad you're OK - again! Hope it's an easy fix for ya.

I second the vote on banning people from yapping away on cell phones while they're driving. They can't seem to master the vehicle's simple built-in communication device (we call them "turn signals"); let alone blab on the phone and drive (safely) at the same time. Irritating as hell.

[Heraclid]

I wouldn't pretend to know what it's like having gone through that, but I have just a taste of similar foot problems. I can't run either - well, I can, but if I run so much as 20 feet I'll be lame the next day or so because of it. Tore the plantar fascia ligament and developed heel spurs, and now some sort of Achilles tendon issue comes and goes. So I feel for ya man - must be tough.

Wow, I still can't ge tover thinking it is really amazing you weren't hurt a lot more, and looking at the pics, it was pretty directly head-on and not just a glancing blow. I wonder what the Civic weighed - we know the VX is a heavyweight.

I don't want anyone to die, but I am glad the drunk person paid the ultimate price and not you. Too often the innocent person dies and the drunk driver walks away. My wife's mother was killed by a drunk driver in a jacked-up 4X4 while he was being pursued by police. He was also being investigated for insurance fraud. Crossed the centerline doing 70 in a 45 mph zone, head-on crash. Killed her mother and severely injured her father. Drunk guy lived.

I always wondered about the VX in a crash, since nobody ever published crash test data on it (to my knowledge). I mean you can pick up a lot of publications and it's like these never existed (used car ratings/pricing mags, etc.) I am glad to hear it is a tough little truck when push comes to shove.

Re: cell phones, the very first thing that went into my VX was a $25 hands-free device my phone clamps into. No earpiece or anything - just plugs into the cig lighter. Cheap, and worth its weight in gold.

Re: backing up, I'm at that point where I'm getting pretty confident and accustomed to it, so I guess I'd better be careful. I have a narrow garage with boxes stacked on one side of it, and the VX is always garaged, so I have a lot of experience in getting it in and out of tight places already.

Re: people tending to rear-end VXs, I think our brake lights are very bright and fine as is. Blinking could never hurt, but I wouldn't want to be the person sitting behind mine long with those lights in their face. Quite bright.

[WyrreJ]

WormGod - Seems like damage to the driver's left foot is a real common injury in car accidents with any model vehicle. One thing I've often wondered about, and maybe you have too since you've had the unfortunate luck to experience it yourself, is if sitting with your left leg cross underneath would be any safer? Since we have no clutch to work, our left feet have no job to do, making it easy enough to cross under. But, I wonder if that just sets the left knee up to be more vulnerable. Any thoughts?

[Tone]

That REALLY sucks! Hope it is all over from here on out. Many new cars are coming with flashing third brake lights but I believe they flash continuously which would be very annoying. I think they are an increadibly great safety option and they have been proven to reduce rear end collisions.

The flasher I offer is adjustable for duration and rate of flash so sitting at a light, the flashing will stop but can be reactivated by lifting your foot briefly and reapplying the brake pedal as needed. I've got a number of them in use in VXes and other vehicles in NY (and other places) where rear ending seems to occur frequently and they are working well. Plus it looks really cool when a bunch of VXes are traveling together.....

[- s a i n t -]

Glad to hear you're OK. Sorry to hear about the VX but am glad to hear it's one tough little truck!

Just for you, I'm boycotting Wonder Bread for one year!

- s a i n t -

[Pens]

Worm, you need to sue the now disbanded I&NS as we are forced to do nothing about the illegal alien problem. I will be more than happy to speak at your hearing!