Karma Sucks
A little over 20 years ago I was finally able to buy a brand new very efficient vehicle. My daughter, coincidentally had just gotten her driver's license. So about six months later, while driving along a forbidden stretch of roadway, she managed to not kill herself and her three friends while destroying that vehicle. Hey, at least I never had to change the oil. We were able to buy a new RAV-4 and did not let our daughter drive it for a very long time.
Fast forward to six months ago (Shit ! what is the significance of six months !) when we replaced the well worn RAV-4 for a brand new Prius. So today a semi-tractor trailer crushed the front of the Prius as its driver tried to negotiate a turn in a otherwise very large intersection free of all obstructions except for the aforementioned brand new vehicle. The Prius is heavily damaged (but may not be totaled), we will learn more tomorrow. So, while it may not be destroyed is most certainly is no longer a brand new vehicle.
No humans or any other animals were harmed in the production of this black comedy.
Comments
If we just pay attention,
karma proves itself over an over again 'til we get it right!
Great story - sorry about the vehicle. I totalled my dad's brand spanking new red and white 1969 Ford pick-up when it was only in our posession for five, count them, five days!
Both my kids totalled one of my vehicles. Karma sucks.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Love that, wow five days
That has got to be some kind of record.
Just to clarify for any innocent bystanders · · · I think my situation is hysterically funny. The timing is just too precious and considering what could have happened · · · the truck was huge · · · who really cares about inanimate objects, really.
The car did its second job, saving all inside
Pre-seat belts and plastic, not metal dashboard, it might not have been so. I hope you did not have Allstate insurance, they will pay up and cancel you. I am insurance shopping now for that reason. 2 claims in 2 years, single vehicle occurrences with trees, standing or falling.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
I am with State Farm
I have a knack for picking the good agents. I have one of those driving records that make it real easy for them to like me.
The car crumpled right on schedule and the bags did not even need to deploy. I was not there, but my wife was not too upset, a good sign, indeed. I did a quick accident reconstruction analysis as I approached the wreck so I could see that it would have made a good YouTube video of the "sigh of relief" variety.
Have recently passed 200K miles in my Prius
Got it in 2004 after being on a wait list for I can't remember how many months.
In 2008, I was driving in the fast lane on the freeway passing the downtown in my city when a massive buck jumped in front of me while I was doing about 60. The passenger side of my vehicle crumpled externally, but left the interior totally in tact. (edit: just seeing PriceRip's post - in my case also, air bag did NOT deploy, which was both fine and a bonus b/c I take blood thinners, and the airbag might have caused me to need medical attention). I was able to get safely off the highway and park. The car did not re-start after that. Later found antler holes on the passenger door and a bit of fur. I sent the cops to look for the deer so no one else would have a collision involving him. They never found him... somehow, he made it across four lanes of highway and disappeared.
The car was in the shop for about a month, but I think there was only one residual issue after the collision which was repaired by the Toyota dealership which did the repairs. I've had one issue which cost me some change - a year later, there was a recall on that issue, so if I had had normal driving patterns, it would have been paid for by Toyota. The hybrid battery was poised to go out right at 200K so it has been replaced. That was not cheap, but given that I've essentially had zero major repairs, it's pretty cheap averaged over the past dozen years.
I presume the new ones are as good as the original model which got car of the year (yes, I realize there was a previous model) and that you'll be happy for may years in spite of this event. I remain jealous of the back up camera.
I'm with Auto Club insurance - a member-owned company. They take good care of me. And when I had an occaision to quibble with them about a ding on my driving, I provided pictures and contested it and they conceded. My membership shows that I've been with them longer than I've been a driver since I get credit for the length of which ever parent first signed me up.
'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member
Just passed 12K
On her way to donating blood my wife noted the fuel gauge was low matching the fact that we rolled past the 12K mark a few miles ago. "Ah ha" she thought "tomorrow will be warmer so I can fill the tank." Then of course the "Truck hit the fan" and that thought vanished.
We have been keeping this excellent logbook of details that how will have very little meaning: So much for studying a brand new Prius in the wild.
Of course the next fun mega-anxiety moment comes when later today I have to confront the truck company manager about how they are going to settle this situation to my satisfaction. Yea, right! The problem is no one I have talked to so far seems to understand the significance of the truck crushing the front end of the Prius while shoving the back of the Prius into a full size pickup, damaging it and moving it a few feet. Today is not going to be a good day.
I am the expert, but I have no credibility because I am on the wrong side of the situation.
Just rolled over
150,000 miles in my '97 Rav 4 last night, in fact. Needs a clutch now, drinks a quart every 2000 miles, but still passes smog. And that's the only thing it passes- if it is still making over 50hp, I'd be stunned. Slowest vehicle on the road, and suits me just fine. My hot-car years are far behind in the rearview mirrors now.
Perfect size for carrying my drum kit to gigs- very slowly...
Auto insurance carriers. I have State Farm, and the one claim I've had in the last 30 years didn't get me cancelled. I got hit in my wife's Jeep by a couple of people leaving a bar on a Harley: they nailed me right in the driver's side A pillar while showing off to their friends, and tweeked the frame pretty well. Did I mention that I was stationary at the time? I guess motorcycles don't steer very well when only one wheel is on the ground... They then *sued me*. State Farm settled with them prior to the court date, and I never heard what the amount was. Somehow, my rates didn't even change, which I still regard as a Christmas miracle. To this day, when I'm in traffic anywhere near a motorcycle, I slows down until they goes away so that I don't have to participate in their inevitable wreck...
State Farm has been good to me.
My agent and I are friends from the time he took over the local office. See, I am that guy! You know the one! He tells the funny stories about all the narrowly missed collisions on the way to pay his premium? One year hail created $5000 worth of dents in my 2-door and they covered the repairs. The next year hail created $4000 damage, hilarity ensued as they covered the repairs. I had a carport installed later that year. Insurance premiums are low in Nebraska so I am ahead of the game at this point.
I used to have a neighbor that drove a motorcycle poorly, so I am similarly cautious.
We traded in the bent Jeep
on a used 2010 Prius that had suffered hail damage. Got the Prius for a song, as a result, and love every one of those dents. It's getting close to 100K miles now as well, and is a fine little vehicle.
The Jeep was a bad decision from the get-go. It was a 2005 turbo diesel Liberty (yes, they did make diesel Liberties, and it was every bit as bad an idea as you might think). Within a few weeks of us getting it, diesel prices exceeded regular gas prices, and never dropped back where they should have for the rest of the time we owned the damned thing. After I bent it, it started eating tires and its mileage went down precipitously.
It finally grenaded its fuel injection pump about 4 weeks after we made the last payment on it, which pushed shrapnel throughout the fuel system and damaged all the injectors, plugged the lines, and generally comprehensively self-destructed. We got a quote for a little over $7500 to fix it, and the extended warranty we'd bought for just such an occasion (since diesel repairs can be expensive) declined to cover the repair. So I took the plates off of it and had it towed to the place where we traded it. "Push, pull, or drag" writ large... Hopefully it is beer cans by now- and, come to think of it, hopefully the extended warranty company is as well. Two mistakes that I will not be repeating anytime soon.
Last time I was in an accident
and had my car totaled I felt fine for a couple of days. Then my neck started to hurt. Then it got worse and worse until I went to the chiropractor.
The point is, your wife may indeed be injured. Time will tell. Don't settle up with the trucking firm just yet.
"Please clap." -- Jeb Bush
Super low velocity collision.
Thanks for the reminder: As you say, we will keep a wary eye on the situation, as I never trust assumptions. And as we are trying to get organized to move our stuff 1500 miles west of here, we need to make sure all is fine before we move out. Oh and my daughter is a lawyer.
As usual, you have left me behind, but this is the first time
you left me behind on a subject about which I thought I had at least a casual understanding--okay, very casual.
Are you saying Karma punished you for buying two vehicles that strive to reduce adverse impact on the environment?
Or are you saying Karma punished you because your daughter destroyed the first vehicle? If so, wouldn't that be random?
Passing that, I would think that buying two energy efficient vehicles would have entitled you to some good Karma.
Sometimes, sh*t just happens and it ain't your fault. And Karma says.....
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC-F_VZ2T1c]
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56zYh3k4hpM]
Just when it all looks good: Life's a Piece of Shit . . .
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Wx230gYJw]
I love that clip!
Speaking of cars and the bright side:
Our car was stolen one summer. It had many, many miles on it. We were planning to buy a car as soon as the new models came out (which would cause the price that year's new models to drop substantially). The stolen car had been so close to giving up the ghost, we thought we had dropped all insurance other than collision. Happy surprise: it was still insured for theft. For August, our muggiest month, we got a loaner and its air conditioning actually worked! And though we had driven the stolen car to death, it had a higher book value than we expected.
By the time we had to give up the loaner, the next year's models were out, so we were ready to buy; and the insurance company had given us a nice chunk of cash to put toward the new car. After we had our new car, the police called to tell us they had found the stolen car and we could pick it up; but it was completely stripped. I told them to call the insurance company to pick up the car because it now owned the car. I never heard back from the police or the insurance company, so I didn't even have to deal with the carcass of the stolen car.
Now, that's good Karma! I hope that much and more comes your way.
My carma ran over my dogma
Sorry, sorry. I just had to do it.
Delighted that there are no injuries. I hope the insurance co. totals it out for you, if that is the best thing.
"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage
We may have caught a lucky break.
The shop guy is cautiously optimistic. We peeled back some of the damage (the car is made of plastic) as he talked though his process. In the daylight it was easy to see the details of how the flatbed trailer crushed the front left corner as it slid by and the trailer wheel caught the car shoving it backwards into the pickup. As the tractor continued on the trailer spun the little car a bit before leaving it behind.
So it looks as though the company will be paying a few thousand dollars to replace some surface parts (fenders, hood, lights, bumpers), radiator, and a few support brackets. That what we could see into the first level of damage. As Bryan said, "As we take off the outer layer we will know if we need to go deeper."
I must say I am impressed with how well the various plastic parts absorbed the energy as these events unfolded.
Well, like they say,
you can't beat an old dogma with a new stigma...
Thinking about replacing my old banger with a hybrid
Would like to go all-electric, but every once in a while I need to make a relatively long trip and all-electric isn't efficient for that yet.
There are two places in town I can go to pick some brains about the pros and cons and necessary adjustments - there already is a 220 outlet in the garage that just isn't doing anything (I don't know who had it installed or for what).
Am I one step ahead of the game, or are there more adjustments needed?
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
I wish we could go EV but infrastructure not there.
There are some plugin hybrids on the market. They have the advantage of full EV for short trips and great fuel efficiency for longer trips. Your "every once in a while I need to make a relatively long trip" suggest this option would be the best fit for you. However, if you prefer, I can convince you that a straight hybrid like a Prius is the best option. I am a very good salesman.
With respect to the 220 outlet: Most plugins either attach to a 110 outlet or to a transformer that should be installed by a professional. Your "(I don't know who had it installed or for what)." suggests caution, as in "I wouldn't use it until it is inspected". Many moons ago I narrowly averted disaster by a "just in time" replacement of some old mysterious wiring. the fact that it is there suggests setting up a charging station would be very easy.
One important note on ergonomics: If you decide to go with the plugin hybrid be sure the power cord attaches near the driver side door and that the cord is impossible to ignore as you approach that part of the car.
I am assuming you do not regularly drive down very long steep grades. If you do I would describe some of the disadvantages of hybrid technology.
A technical point: The problem with all-electric vehicles isn't about efficiency, it's about range and power. We do not have the infrastructure to support using them for long trips. The Ashland to Grants Pass distance is about okay for a one-way trip before needing to recharge the battery. The second issue is surge power availability. An all-electric vehicle has only the battery to supply power which means the response might be insufficient depending upon driving conditions.
I'm just glad everyone's okay!
Having had my own share of accidents in my misspent youth, I suspect she'll feel it in the morning, but some aspirin and gentle range of motion should take care of that. If not, it may be doctor time.
Good luck with the repairs or replacement, and with the truck company battle!
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