dogs_r_cool55

Last night when I was going home from a friend’s house a drunk driver was on the wrong side of the road. I tried to miss him and I did but unfortunately I hit a bicycle sign instead. The guy didn’t stop and their weren’t any witnesses so now I am stuck with my 1000 dollar deductible. I was wondering how much do you think this will cost to get fix. The link under this text has all the pictures because I couldn’t figure out how to add them to the form.

http://www.geocities.com/the8562000/...?1114300749593

curtgadget

Pics dont work

Slinks

You should've just hit him. Never swerve out of the way of a drunk driver or an animal. Safer to just go into them. Bad stuff happens when u swerve to avoid something.

A-TLvic882

Next time use http://www.imageshack.ws/

ayethetiense

over 4 grand is my guess. maybe in the 5s. keep us posted on the estimate

Tecciztecatl

Oh yeah, that's pretty much what I like to do also. I don't value my life too much and like to gamble on the other guy having insurance, that's why I'll plow right into anything that is in my lane. Hell, I’ll even smash the gas pedal to the floor if a MAC truck swerves into my lane, just so I can clip him before he gets back on his side. I pretty much disregard all laws of physics when hitting an oncoming vehicle or deer; going "into" them is much safer and more fun than going around them.

Funny story, I actually went "into" one of those “Wiener” dogs once. I was coming from the casino in Baden-Baden in my 350 SLC when this elongated dog ran out into the street ... a rather funny looking creature if I do say so myself. Anyway, I freakin' floored it and next thing you know I was all up into that thang ... it took me a while to find my way out.

Thanks for posting the pics A-TLvic882 … yeah, that looks pretty bad. Take the deductible and count yourself lucky that you didn’t get hurt. Sorry about your baby …

crazymjb

Look on the brightside. Gives you a chance to clear your headlights.

kabota

Nice PUN brightside clear headlights

ndx2

glad to hear that you didn't get hurt. the damage doesn't look too bad, but it will still cost you a lot. our headlights and fenders are pretty expensive. since it's driveable, get a quote from a few different places.

slinks is somewhat correct... it's safer to hit the object (deer, trash cans, raccoons, etc) than trying to swerve to avoid it - of course, you should brake as much as you can. but a drunk driver? unless the bastard was going 25 mph or slower in a passenger car, a head-on collision is the last thing you'd want to do.

just curious.. why didn't you go after the guy? i would've called 911/police asap and given them the location... the cops would've easily picked him out.

TheTriads

sorry to hear that buddy. Think about the bright side, you weren't hurt, the car wasn't totalled and everyone's safe. The $1000 is a waste and bad luck on your side, but least you're healthy. Know what i mean?

dogs_r_cool55

Monday I’m going to go around and get a few estimates from body shops. I hope it wont take to long to fix.
The reason I didn’t go after the guy was because we were on a one-way street in a large neighbor hood for about a mile and he was going the wrong way. I didn’t want to risk another accident.

crazymjb

Hey, I didn't even do that intentionally(the brightside clear headlights thingie)

Does the TL pressurize the brake lines in anticipation of a crash?

KJSmitty

???

Only if it's clairvoyant or possessed...

Or do you mean brake assist under what the computer senses as a panic stop??

Slinks

Well first, if you hit something, you've got proof it wasn't your fault. He wouldn't have the $1000 deductible to pay if the drunk drive hit him, plus society would be better off having the drunk get his licence suspended.

The fact is its also possible to die or be injured swerving out of the way and hitting something (ie a pole or a building), another car, or perhaps even a pedestrian (then you might also end up in jail). You could say he got lucky by only hitting a street sign.

So if I had the options of being at fault swerving and hitting something or not being at fault hitting an incompetent driver, I'd *probably* take the driver. And no I wouldn't floor it.

I would probably do something that would minimize the consequences. This wasn't highway driving so he probably wasn't going to die in the accident. If the guy was going unusually fast or if it was a big truck, then I would probably swerve out of the way.

Bottom line if you can take the hit and not be severly injured (and by other accounts on this board, the tl is a pretty safe car) you're probably better off.

In my opinion that rule definitely goes for small animals (dogs, cats, squirrels, deer). The fact is I care about my life which is why I'm not going to risk it by losing control of my vehicle unless I think doing otherwise would result in serious harm.

HEK

LMAO........RFLMAO ... this is too funny.........

BTW sorry about the accident...

NFLblitze1

are you kidding me....he could have died.....

crazymjb

Anticipates. IE, if you pull your foot off the gas peddle really quickly.

mio

why didn't call the cops?

thashizzle

very bright idea to go head on into another car, idiot.

RSA_Secure

Think abt it this way...
If you decide not to swerve - 100% collision
If you decide to swerve out - <100% chances of collision

Having said that a lot depends on the speed, road conditions, traffic, vehicle, etc.. You have to be quick to make a decision taking everything into account. My first reaction would be to swerve out of the way.

Sorry to hear abt your accident dogs_r_cool55. Important thing is you are safe.

RSA_Secure

Think abt it this way...
If you decide not to swerve - 100% collision
If you decide to swerve out - <100% chances of collision

Having said that a lot depends on the speed, road conditions, traffic, vehicle, etc.. You have to make a quick decision taking everything into account.

Sorry to hear abt your accident dogs_r_caool55. Important thing is you are safe.

crazymjb

Then again if he hit this car head on he would have been hurt along with the other driver. However the other driver, being drunk, would have faired much better then some pedestrian, However, if he hit a tree then he would have been more screwed then hitting another car.

SpecialFX

Sorry about the accident. Looks pretty bad, but it could certainly have been worse. You did the right thing.

Intentionally go heard on with another car? That's probably the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Pretty much anything is better than that.

mickey3c

Ok something like this happened to me in Massachusetts on I95 and I also hit a road sign and the other person did not stop. Anyway... you could also be surcharged for accident. I did not mind so much losing 500 deductible, it was the 300 surcharge per year for 6 years that bothered me more.

I had to appeal it to the merit rating board and I won (just from a statement I mailed in since I could not be present for the hearing). They clearly state that even though I was not considered at fault, I would still have to pay the deductible.

You can buy down your deductible but it is like getting the high option on the lose of use insurance. If you do not have a total loss of use for 30 days every 4 years you are throwing money away. Same here. If you bought 500 deductible it could cost you as much as 150 per year more. so after a few years it is not worth it.

Over the long run you will probably pay less in insurance. I know at 20 it is tough, but deal with it the best way you can.

dogs_r_cool55

I got an Estimate today and it came out to $4,044. At least it will only take a week to fix. Unfortunately my deductible is $1000 dollars.

aznkikaz

iTrader: (2)

Tough luck dude...

I wasn't paying attention on day while in traffic and hit someone in the back at about 30 mph.

my knees were shaking when i got out and i was SO AMAZED ALL I SAW WAS THE ACURA SIGN CAME OFF AND A FEW SCRATCHES ON THE BUMPER!! o.O!!!!!

dogs_r_cool55

You were lucky that you got so little damage to your car.

cqq99

The real question is how do you know he was just a drunk driver? He could have been some young driver just being stupid, a criminal fleeing a seen, an undercover cop chasing after someone, a husband rushing his wife to the hospital to deliver their baby, or any of many other situations.

For example last night I was sitting at a stop light waiting to turn left when an old Jeep Cherokee sped around me in the opposite lane to turn left at a RED light. I thought he was going to ram right into me but luckily he did not. Was he a drunk driver? Who knows... Don't always assume that by hitting someone you "think" is a drunk driver that society will be better off.

SpecialFX

Slinks

I don't know this. I assumed it based on the title of the thread. All of your possibilities are valid.

And I didn't say one should go out of their way to hit another person, but that sometimes one shouldn't go out of their way to avoid someone. The fact is this driver was unable to maintain control of his vehicle while avoiding the drunk or not so drunk other driver; and that also put him in a dangerous situation (one that's now his fault and not the drunk or not drunk driver's).
All I'm saying is its not so black and white as to which situation is more dangerous (most ppl on this thread believe not swerving is more dangerious, but as I listed in my previous post on this thread swerving, especially when you're unable to control your vehicle, also has risks).

cqq99

Agree!!! Depends on the situation and who really knows what could of, should of, would of happened in this situation... The fact is that things happen so fast and you never will know what is the "right" thing to do...

BTW my comment was not directed to be mean to you but rather address the thread as whole that nobody really knows what the true situation is. It is always good to read another's point of view.

angler67

Same-way driving, maybe, I agree with the concept, but wrong-way driving??? That's called head-on collision and massive injury and death. It's not a video game where you can just smash into cars. Even if you tried to sid-swipe the person coming at you they can swerve in any direction at any moment resulting in a direct head on. Bad News...