NeoConMan Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Wrecked my truck this morning. Mrs. Neo's truck needed some work, and last night I pulled a few parts off. The idea was that I would get parts for her truck, run some errands, and pick her up this afternoon. Execute the needed maintenance this evening, and return her truck to service tonight. With her truck disabled, I drove her to work this morning. Dropped her off in the bowels of the Phoenix 'hood and headed out as the sun came up. There I was - cruising blissfully along 43rd Ave at 30 mph, listening to news on the radio. Multilane street with a left-turn lane in the middle. Heavily urban area. Sun was coming up to my left. I was in the right lane near the curb, looked left at a sign on a building across the street. Looked ahead to the signal at McDowell Rd to see if it was still green. Suddenly the car ahead of me nailed the brakes.... I was already moving my foot to the brake in anticipation of stopping at the up-coming intersection. Problem is, a minivan STOPPED to turn right into an apartment parking lot. WHY did she stop??? At any rate, this was happening without my noticing at first. The kid following her in a Chevy Corsica had to nail the brakes to avoid hitting her from behind. He was coming to a complete stop (from maybe 25) when I saw him. I nailed the brakes, anti-lock took over - with the pulsing brake pedal, and I basically bulldozed him. Squarely in the rear - direct hit. His back window exploded and fell out while plastic and dust flew everywhere. I was then fully stopped, but the Chevy was bounced into the rear of the minivan like a billiard ball. Nobody was injured. The minivan pulled just into the apartment driveway and stopped. The kid in the Chevy couldn't turn in, so he just pulled down the sidewalk - leaking various vital fluids. I left my truck in the traffic lane with flashers on, and got out to ascertain the situation. The kid couldn't get out of his Chevy Corsica - door wouldn't open. He tried the right door - no luck. He turned and looked to me through the opening where his back glass used to be - and tried the right door again. It opened, and he didn't have to crawl through the rear opening after all. I asked if he was OK, he calmly replied that he was - though his lip was bleeding. I apologized, asked his name, and extended a hand to shake. He introduced himself, and we both walked to the minivan. The young woman would not roll her window down or open the door. We could not see inside the back of the van through the tinted windows. I stepped back away from the van to allow her some room, and she finally emerged. She had a little girl with her - 3 of 4 years old - and my heart sank like a stone. Both were unharmed - the van suffered only a scuffed bumper and cracked tail light. Seeing there were no injuries, I pulled out my cell phone and called Phoenix police. (Advice to EVERYBODY - under "Cops", put in the non-emergency dispatch number for every police agency in your area - Highway Patrol, Sheriff...) As I was talking to the dispatcher, I walked to the street in front of my still-running truck. I asked if she wanted me to leave my truck in the lane for the investigation, or move it to free up traffic. She seemed puzzled by the question. As I kicked all the debris out of the traffic lanes, I explained that I saw no need to obstruct a busy street in rush hour. She said that if there were no injuries (i.e., lawsuit) it was up to me. Once it was clean enough to allow traffic to pass, I moved my truck past the still-blocking minivan. Once it was in a parking space, I began a damage assessment - still running + not leaking = The woman in the van asked me if she could leave since her van wan't hurt. Hmmmm...... Wonder what she's hiding from the cops? I told her I would like it if she stayed, but it was up to her. She parked her van and the police arrived in only a minute or two. I explained to the officer that I hit the Corsica, and he was propelled into the van. Handed him my ID, as did the kid driving the Corsica. The minivan woman quickly told him that she was unhurt and her van was undamaged. He looked it over briefly, then allowed her to leave. Hmmmmm..... I used my cell phone camera (for the first time) to snap pics of the vehicles. The Corsica looked like a bomb went off inside. My truck is a GMC Suburban K2500 4 wheel-drive and weighs 6,600 pounds EMPTY - double what a small car weighs. My bumper went over his - I basically drove into his trunk. The tow hooks below my bumper hooked his bumper and pulled it into the trunk as well. His doors would not open because the ROOF of the car was wrinkled. Back doors were wedged into the front doors. Damn.... :unsure: The kid just moved here from Michigan. Got a job at the Blue Beacon truck stop, washing 18-wheelers. Just bought the car - it only had like 60,000 miles on it and WAS very clean. He has an AZ license, the car has AZ plates, he's doing it right and legal. I felt so sorry for him - and told him so. "Welcome to Arizona!" Now I gotta scare up a new grill, bumper, electric fan, etc. Headlights, turn signal on the left side survived. A/C condenser, oil cooler, transmission cooler, radiator are all OK. Fender on the right side has a small wrinkle that the plastic grill molding will hide. Hood is undamaged. Everything (except the missing lights) works fine, the truck is mechanically sound. The only paint required will be for the new grill. All in all, it worked out pretty good. 'cept for that poor kid from Michigan..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschory Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Sorry to hear about this, Neo! Glad everyone was OK. Hope that kid has insurance to cover the damages, just bad luck on his part to be behind someone who stops to turn right. (Really, who does that? It's like people who pull slightly to the right out of their lane so they can make a left turn. If you're not driving a semi or generally large truck, you don't need to do that.) Hope you get everything nice and fixed up in short order, and again, glad you're OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryUK Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 You want to put that to music. Mitchigan blues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Bummer, I hate it when that happens. Glad everyone is ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 Sorry to hear about this, Neo! Glad everyone was OK. Thanks guys. Hope that kid has insurance to cover the damages My insurance will cover it if he files a claim. My higher insurance premiums will cover the insurance claim.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Oh man... Sorry to hear about that. There's not much that feels worse than just plowing your car into something. I think I'm picking up on the hints about the lady in the van. If it is what I think it is, that happens ALL THE TIME in California and I'm afraid of it. No insurance or drivers licence or anything.. You can get totally screwed. I've been on the recieving end of an accident just like that although not nearly as bad. My friends trunk got totally smashed by a truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Neo, glad you're okay. Glad all the others are okay as well. Sometimes this stuff just happens. Sounds like you did what was necessary, and your insurance will take care of the rest. Stay well, friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chase1410 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Not the best way to start out a day eh? Glad to see no-one got hurt, and that your OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 I think I'm picking up on the hints about the lady in the van. If it is what I think it is, that happens ALL THE TIME in California and I'm afraid of it. No insurance or drivers licence or anything.. You can get totally screwed. I didn't say anything.... That's the problem. The cop didn't say anything either. NOBODY will stand up and say anything. In a nutshell - HER STUPIDITY was the root cause of the whole thing. WTF was she DOING??? She said to both of us that she lives there - but then she wanted to leave the "scene" really bad. Hmmmmm..... She drove away, then I saw her later standing in the next parking lot with her daughter. But the cause of the "accident" was my Failure to Control Speed to Avoid an Accident. It was the big white guy in the big white truck - I have the $171 citation to prove it. But yes, the guilt sucks. Scared the hell outta the poor little girl. She was looooooking at me......... And the poor Michigan kid, minding his own business and WHAM! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidl Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Sorry to hear that Neo. Had a very close call yesterday. Also around 30mph but on a 2 lane road. The small car coming toward me, occupied by what seemed to be a pretty elderly couple abruptly turned left,crossing my lane right in front of me. I hit the brakes as hard as they've ever been hit on the truck and stopped about one foot away from the passenger door. The poor older lady had her arms up preparing for impact. There was snow on the road but not at that particular intersection. I drive a Ford Explorer 4x4 SUV. If I had hit that little car, I would have creamed it. I don't know how I wasn't seen. Clear day, fairly large black truck with lights on. I would have felt horrible if I had hit them, their fault or not, the result would have been the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 That sucks, but at least it sounds like you handled it very reasonably and didn't panic quite as much as some people tend to do in these kinds of situations. Hope the kid has insurance (what a bummer considering that he just moved there and all...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnastynebr Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Sorry Neocon. Glad everybody's okay. Sounds like you had the same driver's ed teacher as my wife Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinner 13 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 And THIS is the reason I don't drive any more. in Boston we have reasonable public trans, and I work close to home. Neo, I understand your plight because I lived off Baseline in Tempe for a short stint. Public trans sucks, and if you really got to get anywhere around Phoenix/Tempe/Scottsdale, you HAVE to drive. At Least you're ok, and there is something to be said for rolling heavy American Iron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 That's too bad Neo, did you open fire at those responsible? :D Just kidding. I hope the car was the only thing damaged and that you weren't hurt. Gotta be careful man, you never know when people will do stupid things, especially while they drive (!"#"$"#$"?= idiots... shouldn't have driver's licence to begin with). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnastynebr Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 And THIS is the reason I don't drive any more. in Boston we have reasonable public trans, and I work close to home. Neo, I understand your plight because I lived off Baseline in Tempe for a short stint. Public trans sucks, and if you really got to get anywhere around Phoenix/Tempe/Scottsdale, you HAVE to drive. At Least you're ok, and there is something to be said for rolling heavy American Iron. I'm just an hour or two down the road from you. I take the MTA if I'm going into NY or Boston. Express buses run every hour to Hartford or Hew Haven. If I end up driving, I try to remember at all times that 1 out of every 10 people drives like a ****in' idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Sorry to hear about your truck... I'm glad no one was injured. That's todays bundle of plusses all rolled into one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Glad to hear there were no injuries outside of that guy's fat lip. Automobiles can be fixed or scrapped. Lives and limbs not so much. But the cause of the "accident" was my Failure to Control Speed to Avoid an Accident. It was the big white guy in the big white truck - I have the $171 citation to prove it. That is the stinger with these types of accidents. If you go strictly by the law and not factor in the whole accident's situation, the person who rear ends is at fault. And I am with you that something with the woman in the minivan does not smell right. My guess is either no drivers license or no insurance or both or she was doing something suspicious and didn't want the cops asking questions. I do have one question - what are the insurance laws like in AZ? In Michigan they have "my fault" insurance. If you get into an accident and no ticket is issued you are on the hook for your car and your passengers. Period. It ****ed my sister. She plowed into a car making a left turn in front of her. Totaled her car and f'd up her ankle and back from the combined force of the impact and her slamming on the breaks. Because the cop did not issue the other driver a ticket for failing to yield my sister was on the hook for *everything*. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnastynebr Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Its worth paying the extra $ for better coverage. Last winter, my wife made her final payment on her car and thought about dropping down to liability only. I urged against it. We combined our insurance to save a few bucks, but kept full coverage on both vehicles. A week later, she hit some ice and caused $1500 in damage to her car. We only had to dish out $250 for the deductible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 every evening as i'm driving TO my job in 5:30pm rush hr. traffic I have to avoid sooo many people stopping in traffic (usually no signal) to go into a parking lot..... the layout is basically, 6 lane rd, 3 lanes per direction.....old person or idiot on cellphone in the left lane driving 15 mph UNDER the speed limit......everyone in the center lane driving 30 mph OVER the limit, to keep anybody from cutting in from the left.....right lane completely stopped by people completely stopping in rush hour to turn off the street for a hamburger or chicken leg..... 99% of the time I get in the middle lane at least a mile before we hit the city, and run 30 over the limit, so no poor soul can possibly cut in front of me.... good thing i'm not a cop, because every shift i'd end up with a pocketful of dr. liscences to destroy !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 And I am with you that something with the woman in the minivan does not smell right. My guess is either no drivers license or no insurance or both or she was doing something suspicious and didn't want the cops asking questions. I hate to say this because I DON'T want this to turn into a big political thing.. But down here close to the border we get a lot of drivers with no licence, insurance, or green card. She was likely afraid of getting deported. I can't blame her she's got a little kid and everything. But then on the other side if you get in an accident with them and they don't have insurance or anything... I honestly don't want this thread to be a problem though so use some restraint guys... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 You gotta go green, Neo. I bet you could've stopped easily in a Prius or a Smart Car (or at least done less damage to the poor, unsuspecting citizens rammed into!) Seriously though, glad everyone is okay. Everything else is just inconvenient. I got rear-ended by a kid a few years ago. Spent a few weeks getting it all straightened out. A royal pain, yes. But in the grand scheme of things, just an inconvenience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Total bummer!! It is kind of suspicious the woman leaving without any info from anyone whatsoever? Glad nobody was hurt that's the most important thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Neo most importantly glad your ok, the negative aspect to the American made heavy metal is that doesn't stop like these light weights that cover the road nowadays. Yep never fun the law is pretty straight forward in regards to the failure to control speed to avoid collision (28-701xx). Other sections of the laws require the van to maintain proper speed and to make her turn in safety but that's never gonna be investigated or even considered in a non-injury fender bender especially in Phoenix. Arizona insurance is so high for a reason we drive fast and we stop slow so lot's and lot's of accidents. It's annoying and embarrassing when you do it though (isn't it Neo?) I did almost and identical thing a couple years ago I was in my full size Bronco and the lady in front of me jammed her breaks on right in front of me in a small red BMW convertible that was still sporting a paper plate. I knew It wasn't going to end well and rather than smash into the new expensive sports car, I yanked the wheel into the right lane trying to get around her and clipped (ok clipped is a understatement I SMASHED) into a stopped car in the right turn lane that was a old crappy four door Ford Crown Victoria land yacht with primer for about half the paint that looked like it had already been in more than a couple similar wrecks. The poor young girl that got out of the Ford I hit was all upset though, turned out she was only 17 (ouch) and somehow she thought it was her fault so she kept apologizing over and over and then she even started crying saying it was all her fault. After all my years in police work I had learned the single key lesson in cases like this which is that you never admit guilt no matter what. But in this case I ignored my own rules and told her to calm down and that it wasn't her fault, that it was 100% my fault and that she had just been sitting there parked waiting to turn, when I had decided to hit her instead of a new 3 series BMW. Her dad showed up and when I told him what happened he just kind of laughed. He said they he had bought the Crown Vic for the motor for a older truck he was rebuilding and he was just letting the daughter drive it so she could be in a safe car and so they didn't need to worry about it with her going back and forth to summer school. He said he had only paid 400 bucks for the car, and he still just wanted the engine so if I wanted to give him $200.00 he was good. the police were just standing there watching us (mostly the girl) and he just shrugged saying it was civil matter since nobody was hurt so he was fine with it if the owner was in agreement . So I lucked out and I just smiled handed the guy 200 in cash and he wrote me a sales receipt. I also paid the forty bucks to tow the car to his house and it was over. My Bronco lost some chrome and a bit of paint and I scratched up a rim but with a heavy tubular bumper and rock guards etc. it was fine, so no insurance, and luckily no ticket. The girl even stopped crying and was actually happy when her dad told her she could drive a older mustang they owned instead of the current beater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Neo, glad to hear you and everyone else involved is OK. Been there done that. Long time ago. But poop happens. It is kind of suspicious the woman leaving without any info from anyone whatsoever? Illegal alien. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Glad you're OK Neo. Having seen your truck I can only image the damage done. Sounds like you did everything right to me. But as you know, doing things right doesn't always add up to being lawfully right. I hope it all works out for you in the end. Good luck my friend... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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