Trip Report - I wrecked my car yesterday

swede123 · #1 10-11-2005, 12:27 PM

So the first winter storm of the year in Denver hit us yesterday. Lots of heavy snow, lots of morons on the road who forgot about winter driving conditions since last time around.

First I'm stuck on the Interstate trying to get to work. I get about 200 yards in three hours and finally decide enough is enough. Turn around, head back up north.

I get kind of close to my exit, at which point I-25 turns from three to four lanes, the far right one ultimately turning into the offramp for my exit, about a mile ahead. The road at this point was wet, but not snowy, and there's some minor snow flurries and fog. I'm probably going 65 (speed limit is 75) and I move over to the far right lane. I see a car ahead and quickly realize it isn't moving very fast, if at all. At this point I hit the brakes, start sliding, and am rapidly approaching this 4Runner.

There's traffic to my left and a guard rail to my right, so rather than chancing bouncing out in traffic and get hit from the side or something I continue to apply brakes, slowing myself down to 50 maybe. I smash right into the 4Runner, pushing her a good 60 feet forward. My entire front end is completely crushed, but I suffer no immediate damage, other than some airbag burns on my hands and some soreness all around.

The cops are called, we exchange our information while waiting for the tow truck to get done with his business. Her car is barely damaged, the trailer hitch took most of the impact from my car. She then starts talking about neckpains and the cop has to fill out a full report.

About an hour after the initial wreck the cop drops me off at a nearby gas station where my wife picks me up. He then drops the girl from the other car off at the nearby hospital to get checked out.

Observations:
1) I was going too fast for the conditions. I doubt I could have prevented the accident had I gone ten miles slower but at least my car might have stood a chance.
2) I can't help but wonder what the lady was doing sitting stopped in the far right lane of the freeway. At best she was going like 20 mph which seems somewhat dangerous considering it's a 75 mph Interstate.
3) I must say I was impressed with the safety features of my car. I'm 6'8" and it's a pretty tight fit in my '98 Civic. Yet, the crumple zones worked well and none of my body parts banged up against the dash or wheel or anything.
4) I curse myself for the phone call I made back in April of this year, a call to my insurance agent to drop the full coverage on my car. Yup, liability only which means no insurance money to buy a new ride.

Well, that's pretty much it. If anyone has experience with salvage operations that might pay something (anything) for wrecked vehicles I'd appreciate any comments. Heck, a few hundred bucks in my pocket would beat nothing if that's what it came down to.

Swede

tdarko · #2 10-11-2005, 12:35 PM

sorry about your tough day, wrecks are always a pain in the ass. glad everyone is ok.

p.s. the carwash crashed my car into my gf's car last week [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

Patrick del Poker Grande · #3 10-11-2005, 12:37 PM

Damn, that sucks, Swede. I'm sorry to hear it. I'm glad everyone's alright, though, and it sounds like you did pretty much as well as you could have reacting to it.

I heard you got 6-8 inches over that way. I only got enough to turn the grass white at my house near the foothills and it was all gone overnight. That's weird, because usually we get the snow and you guys get the drizzly rain.

mslif · #4 10-11-2005, 12:48 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Damn, that sucks, Swede. I'm sorry to hear it. I'm glad everyone's alright, though, and it sounds like you did pretty much as well as you could have reacting to it.

I heard you got 6-8 inches over that way. I only got enough to turn the grass white at my house near the foothills and it was all gone overnight. That's weird, because usually we get the snow and you guys get the drizzly rain.

[/ QUOTE ]

I live by the Tech Center and I had to dig my car out. Most of the trees in my area are boken... I got another foot of snow yesterday during the day.

Patrick del Poker Grande · #5 10-11-2005, 12:51 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I live by the Tech Center and I had to dig my car out.

[/ QUOTE ]
You live in the Tech Center and work Downtown? Why not take the light rail? Or are you not really that close to a station?

mslif · #6 10-11-2005, 12:59 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I live by the Tech Center and I had to dig my car out.

[/ QUOTE ]
You live in the Tech Center and work Downtown? Why not take the light rail? Or are you not really that close to a station?

[/ QUOTE ]

I never really looked into it. I get free covered parking downtown and I like to have my car in case I have an emergency or errands to run. The commute is not that bad, it only takes me about 30 minutes to get downtown. Also the light rail is always so crowded.

CORed · #7 10-11-2005, 04:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Damn, that sucks, Swede. I'm sorry to hear it. I'm glad everyone's alright, though, and it sounds like you did pretty much as well as you could have reacting to it.

I heard you got 6-8 inches over that way. I only got enough to turn the grass white at my house near the foothills and it was all gone overnight. That's weird, because usually we get the snow and you guys get the drizzly rain.

[/ QUOTE ]

I got only a little snow on the grass, Sunday night (near I-70 and Federal). It changed back to rain on Monday and snow on the grass was gone before the end of the day. It was kind of an odd pattern: Snow south and east, rain west. Snow south and wese and rain north and east is more typical (Denver metro has higher elevations to south and west, for those not familiar with it). I got plenty of moisture, but it was mostly rain or melting snow, no accumulation and no tree damage. Good thing for me. the neighbors on either side of me have huge white poplars (like a cottonwood, but with bigger leaves and wood just as weak), that drop branches like a stripper drops clothes if they get heavy snow with the leaves on. A branch from one of them knocked my power out for an entire weekend in May 2003. Fortunately, I work for the feds and had Monday off, so I sat in front of my computer all day playing *****.

It was one of those wet, near-freezing storms where a couple degrees difference in temperature makes a huge difference.

Too bad about the wreck, OP. If your car's only worth 3K, I think it's totaled. Better to sell it for salvage or part it out and get another one. Good thing nobody was hurt badly. As with most accidents, it looks like you both made mistakes: You, driving too fast and maybe not paying attention as well as you could have. Her, driving much too slow.

Hiding · #8 10-11-2005, 12:37 PM

Sorry about the wreck, that sucks.

Any junkyard will give you a few hundred for a junked car, but there is probably more money in parting it out yourself.

As far as how slow she was going, isn't there a minimum speed limit on the highway? like 45 or 55. If she starts anything over the neck trouble, I think I would consider it.

SmileyEH · #9 10-11-2005, 12:41 PM

I'm the guy that's doing 80 in the left lane everyday, but as soon as the roads get shitty I'm the slowest one on the road. 65 seems way way to fast for slippery conditions. Sucks though, good luck with the repair/new car.

-SmileyEH

mslif · #10 10-11-2005, 12:45 PM

I could not believe how much snow we got! I woke up yesterday and had to dig my car out. I saw quite a few accident on I25 but the highway was pretty cleared by the time I got on it. The traffic was going only about 45 and people were actually driving reasonnably well.

I am glad you were not hurt. It is stranged that she was stopped or barely moving, was she exiting? Were you on the exit ramp?