My parents were in a car accident

[The Baskinator]

This is kind of a lecture on speeding, what with all the car threads that have popped up.

My parents were heading home after visiting me today. They were slowing down to make a left-hand turn when a 19-year-old kid in a Chevy Blazer rear-ended them at 60mph (in a 35mph zone), according to the Sheriff's Dept. officer who spoke to us. They're alive. They have whiplash and some other minor injuries and soreness, but they're alive, and that's what matters.

But their 2004 Chevy Impala? Not so lucky.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/3011300075_7202ccd0df_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/baskinator/3011300075/)

According to the officer, there were no signs that the kid applied the brakes, and my parent didn't hear any squealing. This is what happens when you aren't paying attention behind the wheel. My mom had to be taken away on a board, strapped into one of those heavy-duty neck-straightening contraptions, as did my father. Arriving there to see them moving my crying mother out of the car was one of the scariest, most sobering things I've ever seen. Three ambulances, six cop cars, firetrucks, tow trucks... Yeah.

The kid claimed "his brakes didn't work." The officer sort of laughed at that, and told us that it's not a defense, and this was clearly his fault. Now it's up to insurance companies to battle it out, I guess.

Slow the **** down, people. My parents could have died, had they been completely stopped or not wearing their seatbelts. My dog almost died, too.

If any of you kill my parents or my dog with your cars, I will hunt you down and make you pay. :mad: Hell, I felt like walking down to the unconscious douchebag who hit them and giving him a piece of my mind. And my fist. :p

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

That doesn't look like a serious accident, but I agree that doing 25mph over the speed limit, especially in a residential area, is ridiculous.

[alexgk]

That's what happens when you let immature, stupid kids go behind the wheel. A car gives the sensation of power and coolness, but c'mon, most of them aren't responsible enough...

[Jeff]

Even at 20 km/h, my dad managed to break his leg a few years back. He took his motorcycle through a construction zone on the highway (can't remember where he was going), and I guess being old and all, he doesn't have the reaction time as us young people do. A guy slammed on his brakes and he didn't react fast enough. He sold the bike the following year for good reasons.

Glad their okay though.

[LiquiD]

Glad they're ok mate thats all that matters...

[Water12356]

Thats insane basky! Im glad they are ok. I definately wouldnt be suprised if that kid got some jail time... I think he needs it... I almost never go 10 over the limit and people around here pass me even then. :eek: freakin Chicago drivers...

[Mr.Fibbles]

"my brakes didn't work" <-- best defense from a stupid kid who is lucky he still has his license.
It is good to know that your parents weren't badly hurt.

I try to drive with traffic whether that be 10 over or the actual speed limit (I hate going below the speed limit, but when you are driving on the highway at or near rush hour, you don't have a choice.) After a few incidents that were not reported or near collisions, I have gotten rather attentive while driving and after getting a (bs) speeding ticket I keep close to the speed limit.
I hate people who speed through traffic weaving in and out of lanes because they didn't properly manage their time (or because they think they are more important than me).

[Bludd]

I'm happy they are mostly OK. Is the kid going to lose his license?

[Llama Gibbz]

Brakes didnt work? :doh:
Then hes liable for for driving a unsafe vehicle.

Hope your parents recover quickly and the kid learned his lesson.

[Destructor]

That's a weird accident. The kid probably accelerated too early, carelessly assuming the turning car would be clear by the time he sped past it, and was also probably following way too close. Either those, or he was speeding along and not paying attention to the road at all.

[Towelie2k4]

Good to hear no-one was seriously hurt. Hope this makes the kid wake up to himself.

[MeatWagon]

Some idiot did the same thing to my dad who was waiting at the traffic lights. Totaled our car, but my dad was ok. Idiot was speeding and not paying attention.

Hope your parents recover ok

[SonnyBonds]

Glad they're ok. Events like these really serve to remind us how frail life really is.

[Dave-ros]

At least the :doh:-worthy idiot got caught on this occasion. Mr. and Mrs. Baskinator were very lucky! :o

[NutWrench]

Holy crap. I'm glad your parents are going to be ok, Baskinator.

[Hyperactive Slob]

Good to hear they're OK. I wish dumbass teens or early 20 somethings would undertsand that driving is a responsibility not a damn race.

[Waiter]

Glad to hear they're OK, Basky. I hope the whiplash injuries arent very severe, as that can be quite serious in some cases. All the best to the Baskymother and Baskyfather.

[sherrybaby]

Car accidents are scary. Even little fender benders are terrifying (to me). I've been in a few of those so I can't imagine how scary this would have been for you and your parents. I'm glad they are ok.

[jimbob]

most people seriously underestimate how much longer it takes to fully stop on an emergency brake with just a few more miles. even just 20 miles faster nearly triples the distance. so yeah, dont f-in speed!

glad your parents are OK, wich is all that matters, the car is replacable lifes are not.

[Scream]

A friend of mine was in a similar accident a few years back being rear ended by someone at high speed like that while he waited to turn left. The driver that rear-ended him simply wasn't paying attention.

Cell phones and all kinds of other hand-held gadgets (MP3 players, GPSes etc), screwing with the radio excessively while driving, and all the other distractions that people allow into their car make all the difference in their ability to react and avoid an accident, versus killing themselves or somebody else. You can successfully drive from A to B a thousand times while doing all these things, but all it takes is one time for something slightly unpredictable to happen in front of you, and if you've got that damn phone stuck on your ear the chances of you reacting in time to avoid an accident are significantly less than if you didn't have the phone in the car. Proven statistically and through countless studies, no debate. Turn the damn thing off while you're driving.

People's driving habits are terrible as well. I tend to be a 5-10kmph over the speed limit guy (which is about 6mph) in non-residential areas. I cannot believe the way so many people tailgate. It does absolutely nothing to get them anywhere any more quickly. All it does is make them more dangerous to themselves and the vehicle that they are riding the bumper of. It's idiotic. If you can pass, pass. If you can't, lay back in your place with a couple seconds between you and the guy in front of you and drive with traffic.

As for the lane-change bandits (who are often the same people who are the tailgaters), pretty much on a daily basis I'll have one of these morons zoom by me, only to catch up with them kilometres later as they have to stop at all the same lights I do. It's pointless, and just makes them unpredictable on the road for other drivers, and therefore more dangerous. The key to driving safely is driving in a way that is predictable to other drivers. Surprises while driving are what cause accidents.

Oh, and for God's sake, use your friggin' turn signals when turning and changing lanes. Not tough. Push little stick down before turning left. Push little stick up before turning right. And do it BEFORE turning, not AS you turn. The purpose is not to facilitate the turning of the wheel. The purpose is to give other drivers some notice of your intention so they can account for it, slow down if necessary, etc.

That's all I have. Hope your parents are ok Baskinator. :)

[ZaphodB]

That doesn't look like a serious accident, but I agree that doing 25mph over the speed limit, especially in a residential area, is ridiculous.

Are you BLIND???? The back end is folded upon itself!!! you can see that by seeing the floor of the trunk sticking up past where the trunk lid (boot for the brits) closes! Hope your parents are ok and that they have no physical ailments that come about from the accident (suck as slipped disks, whiplash, etc). Hittting someone at 30+ is always major.

[The Baskinator]

Thanks, everybody.

They're doing better today, just sore and tired. And my mom is still pissed about the car, since it was only two payments away from being paid off. :doh: Last night, Mom asked, "What happened to the car?" (She didn't even get to see it, since they had to pry her out and put her in an ambulance.)
I was like, "Uhhh. Well, the trunk is inside out and in the backseat, the doors are crumpled, the back windshield is crumpled, the front seats are broken, and the bumper sort of detached itself."
"Well, shit."

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Are you BLIND???? The back end is folded upon itself!!! you can see that by seeing the floor of the trunk sticking up past where the trunk lid (boot for the brits) closes!

I consider that accident one step above minor, but hardly serious. I've been in a similar accident, I've also been in one much worse.

[evanazzo]

Sorry to hear about that. Hope they'll be okay and I hope the idiot that hit em gets what he deserves.

I consider that accident one step above minor, but hardly serious. I've been in a similar accident, I've also been in one much worse.

D: Poor Honda prelude.

[TerminX]

I consider that accident one step above minor, but hardly serious. I've been in a similar accident, I've also been in one much worse.
Oh, you mean that time when you were in a head on collision and then sat around on IRC moaning about how your car was totaled while the lady you hit sat in the hospital in critical condition? Stfu, this thread isn't about you, your life, or the horrible insecurities you must have which make you constantly have to try and one up people with your "oh, that's nothing, look at what happened to me!" bullshit.

[Superczar]

Yeah I got rear-ended a year or so ago pretty much the same way, but I was slowing down behind a car making a right-turn and the jackass behind me (who had to be flying cause he wasn't right behind me at that point) got me. Thankfully he at least got to apply his brakes. I've had whiplash before, it's not funny.

[stumppy84]

WOW sorry I hope they will make a full recovery. That kid needs to get a major a$$ whippin or more! I hate the overly agressive drivers!

[Destructor]

I cannot believe the way so many people tailgate.

Heh, I sometimes see three cars fit into the space I leave between me and the vehicle in front, in the lane beside me.

[Nessus]

Well at least they are ok, that was a pretty good whack. Good thing were turning and moving so that the car had some momentum already.

[Quakis]

We've had several car accidents on the road just outside our house throughout the years, some further down or further up, enough where I can see outside my window. Rather pathetic though, since this road pretty much has three lower schools on it. Ever since they put in some speed bumps on this street and various others, I haven't noticed any major car accidents since.

I notice a lot of really pathetic driving on the roads almost every day around here. Cars zipping past on small roads, with cars parked on the sides, during the closing hours of the schools around here, with children on their way home. Jeez.

[Scotty]

60 MPH, wow, that sucks... :eek:

I'm glad your parents are doing better, but it sucks about the car. Owning a paid-off car kicks ass.

I get tailgated a lot, but I try to keep my speed at 30-35 MPH (speed limit 30, most ppl drive 40+) on local roads. I've occasionally had to pull over to let some ***hole go by that wants to drive 45 in a 30, but it's OK, as there's a speed trap right up the road between where I live and the highway... :D

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Oh, you mean that time when you were in a head on collision and then sat around on IRC moaning about how your car was totaled while the lady you hit sat in the hospital in critical condition? Stfu, this thread isn't about you, your life, or the horrible insecurities you must have which make you constantly have to try and one up people with your "oh, that's nothing, look at what happened to me!" bullshit.

From her picture the accident doesn't look like a big deal. We might have different perspectives as to what the definition of "serious" is. Apparently, you think her rear end collision is "serious" I would call it "mild," only mild because an ambulance was involved.

Constantly? really? this is what the 2nd or 3rd time those pictures have made it on to this site in the 6+ years since my accident. I didn't mention injuries, long recovery times, etc. I posted those pictures in response to ZaphodB calling me blind. If I was trying to one-up her those pics would have been in the first post along with the story of my accident.

[John]

Honestly though, ICR, in this thread who cares what your definition of serious is?


Sorry Baski. :(

[Bludd]

100 km/h isn't something to laugh at either. Huge forces in motion.

[A.K.]

Good to hear your parents are alright. That's pretty scary, especially since you were there when they were being rescued & everything. :(

It sucks that people just go too fast for the speed limit and for their own reflexes because it seems to be what everyone does. It's not just the idiots and teenagers who do that, either. Idiot or not, I hope "the kid" has his licence taken off him for a good long while.


(Note: Took me 6 tries to get the "reply" to work without 404ing... Are the forums okay?)

[Hudson]

Hey Kepple, good to see you back! Welcome back mate. Glad to hear your support :love:

[Micki!]

I'm happy no one got seriously hurt Basky :o
I hate young drivers, majority of them are such speedy ****heads, i could break their necks... Hate seeing some young punk driving over red way over the regular speed limit when i just am about to cross the road... And this happens, i've experienced it several times...

God i hate them, so much... Careless di**s

[Dave-ros]

I'm also occasionally nearly run over by a London cabbie trying and failing to get through before the light goes red. I'm just glad that in this country drivers can't turn on the "inside" while the lights are red -- that caught me out the first time I crossed at an American crossroads! :o

[Drazula]

Glad to hear you parents appear to be okay. What they need to do is watch closely any places they felt sore. Keep icing those areas and have a doctor check them periodically for several years. So be sure any settlement with the kid's insurance company leaves medical open ended.

The reason is that many people in seemingly minor accidents get arthritis in the place they got banged up. An insurance investigator told me that.

[YicklePigeon]

Dave: let's also not forget the taxi drivers throughout the country! They're idiots! Overtaking buses that are turning to come back out on the road, speeding across intersections, always honking the horns because "that driver had their full lights on" etc...there are good ones but few and far between in my experience.

That said and getting back on topic, I'm glad that your parents are okay Basky and that you and Hudson don't have to worry too much. It just shows that inappropriate and selfish speeding can seriously hurt...I could rant, but that's not the purpose of this thread in my view. Just glad your parents are okay.

With regards,

Yickle.

[fast-1]

Another good reason to always wear your seat belts. Glad no one got hurt there.

[Denz]

god damn this kid has a big huge car and does not pay attention, one day he will just ram a little child, i hope not


people with huge bigger cars should be more controlled

[Mariamus]

Okay, Everyone stop fighting over ICR's posts or the thread will be nuked! :mad:

[Rider]

Dang Baskinator, you sure pick your topic title's well... :insomnia:

On a more serious note, glad to hear your folks are allright!

[gamejunkie]

Wow, that really sucks that the car got smashed before it got paid off. I'm glad that your parents are okay, the car can be replaced or fixed but bones, skin and lives not so easily. From what it sounds like, your parents' insurance will cover the accident with no problem at all.

[ixfd64]

Ouch, that sucks. You should consider slapping that kid's family with a financially crippling lawsuit.

[The Baskinator]

Update:

The accident gave my mom a concussion and my dad traumatic glaucoma. The latter being a permanent condition.

So they've hired a lawyer.

The good news is they got top dollar for the totaled car, and that enabled them to buy a new car. My mom is still scared to drive, but she's getting better.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

The downside is that the guy is only 19, so he is unlikely to have any real assets to win in court. Another downside is that your attorney will probably work on a contingency fee of either 33% or 40%.


Potentially your parents have the ability to max out his liability insurance, which can be anywhere from 50k-100k or higher. Your dad's injury is what will earn the big bucks, sucks it happened though.

[Destructor]

You need to change your avatar to the lawyer guy from The Simpsons, ICR. :)

[Klaus Kinski]

Damn, that sucks! I have no idea what a traumatic glaucoma is (I guess something eye-ish) but I surely don't want one. I hope your parents are doing ok under the circumstances. It seems as if at least the financial side worked out so far.
I always found it fascinating how the speed limit seems to be a speed minimum for most (nearly all) drivers. You can really piss people off by keeping the limit, some get seriously angry with you.
I think the problem with speeding is that you underestimate the forces you're controlling, especially young drivers. You can't feel much of them in your metal shell. Ride a bike with 30 kmph and you'll get a much better feel for speed's lethality.
I know so many people who drive recklessly, too fast and even under drug (yes, alcohol is a drug) influence...
I have nearly no pitty for all these people who kill themselves with their fast cars. And make no mistake, I have been stupid behind the wheel too.

[Denz]

It's eye damage, it's really serious.

Cars can be weapons

[Bludd]

Sad to hear about the glaucoma, Basky. :(

[shiranui]

Sorry to hear about your parents.

The young 'driver' needs some jail time - so he can be rear-ended a bit himself.

[Klaus Kinski]

Oh common, that guy surely needs to carry the consequences of his stupidity but getting raped is surely too draconian. Just make him pay assloads of money and never ever give him a driver' license. That's bad enough, to be bankrupt for life.

[peoplessi]

I would say that both are bad options for a punishment.

[The Baskinator]

I would say that both are bad options for a punishment.

I hope you're not saying he shouldn't suffer any consequences at all---the biggest consequence will be monetary, as it should be, since my parents now have more medical expenses because of him.

Jail time? No. High insurance rates and a big, black mark on his driving record? Yes.

[Destructor]

A public spanking might be a good option. :)

[ShadeEX]

Sorry to hear about your folks Basky.. Getting a permanent eye condition and all that.. :(

And that kid should not be allowed to drive again..

[peoplessi]

I hope you're not saying he shouldn't suffer any consequences at all---the biggest consequence will be monetary, as it should be, since my parents now have more medical expenses because of him.

Jail time? No. High insurance rates and a big, black mark on his driving record? Yes.

I am not, and I didn't say that. I only said that hoping for "rape" or lifetime bankrupcy doesn't solve anything. But taking away his license for 5-10years, and making him take the tests again would be very moderate punishment. Also, he should pay the expenses that he caused.

[shiranui]

Perhaps a smiley at the end would have made things clearer....

Pay the Basky family medical bills, plus compensation for aftereffects, have driving license revoked for at least a year and 150 hours of community service.

[biXen]

Sorry to hear about this Basky.

However I don't agree about the speeding. If you are an idiot in a car, you are an idiot. This guy was being an idiot. Going over the speedlimit is sometimes safe, sometimes less safe. Only idiots do it in the latter case. But I sure feel a lot safer over here, less big SUVs.

[The Baskinator]

Sorry to hear about this Basky.

However I don't agree about the speeding. If you are an idiot in a car, you are an idiot. This guy was being an idiot. Going over the speedlimit is sometimes safe, sometimes less safe. Only idiots do it in the latter case. But I sure feel a lot safer over here, less big SUVs.

True, but if he had been going 35 mph, he would have seen them in time to stop, or the damage wouldn't have been so excessive. Speed limits are in place for a reason: to keep idiots from doing more damage than they already do. If you're an accident waiting to happen, I'd rather you be driving slowly so that you have less chance to kill someone when it does happen.

I admit I exceed the speed limit, which is bad enough, but I would never go more than 5-10 mph over it.

[Scotty]

OT...

Hopefully someday speed limits will be set based on engineering principles, rather than for political reasons.

Unfortunately, 21 years of the "Double Nickel" (1974-1995) devalued the entire concept of a speed limit. As highways were underposted by so much for so long, many ppl consider *any* speed limit to be the minimum speed.

Local roads suffered a similar fate, due to town-wide speed limits of 30 MPH. Any attempt to change this would cause the NIMBY*s on a given road to throw a fit, as well as cause the town to lose an easy source of revenue, which is why the 30 MPH speed limit that nobody obeys stays in place.

-Scotty

...NIMBY = "Not In My Back Yard", the ppl that don't think twice about driving 35-45 MPH on everyone else's street, but who scream bloody murder if anyone suggests raising the speed limit on their street...

[thefly]

I am forever mocked for driving the posted speed limit by passengers in my car. But I've only received one speeding ticked in 12+ years of driving now. And I got that one deferred. I almost got plowed through at a four way stop last week in Dallas when some yuppie on the phone blew through the intersection without hesitation. I don't really like driving at all.

[Delicieuxz]

most people seriously underestimate how much longer it takes to fully stop on an emergency brake with just a few more miles. even just 20 miles faster nearly triples the distance. so yeah, dont f-in speed!

The problem isn't speeding, but reckless driving - which is not synonymous with speeding. Usually it's the slow and unsure drivers which cause accidents - and again, it isn't the driving slow that's the problem, but their actions that arise from them not having the confidence in their driving decisions, which driving slow might be one of. There are fast, non-reckless drivers, and then there are those who drive fast while having hardly any control over the vehicle. Their driving styles are hardly comparable.


I consider that accident one step above minor, but hardly serious. I've been in a similar accident, I've also been in one much worse.

Too bad, that was a nice car. This is mine:

http://img248.imageshack.us/my.php?image=civiccoupehj1.jpg

[biXen]

The problem isn't speeding, but reckless driving - which is not synonymous with speeding. Usually it's the slow and unsure drivers which cause accidents - and again, it isn't the driving slow that's the problem, but their actions that arise from them not having the confidence in their driving decisions, which driving slow might be one of. There are fast, non-reckless drivers, and then there are those who drive fast while having hardly any control over the vehicle. Their driving styles are hardly comparable.

I agree. Many people I know drive constantly in 20km/h above the speedlimit, and some of them are what I call reckless.

I usually drive speedlimit or +10km/h, but sometimes I accelerate fast, or take turns aggressively, but never in a situation where there's other variables than myself and my car. So, not in city areas etc.

[ZaphodB]

I am forever mocked for driving the posted speed limit by passengers in my car. But I've only received one speeding ticked in 12+ years of driving now. And I got that one deferred. I almost got plowed through at a four way stop last week in Dallas when some yuppie on the phone blew through the intersection without hesitation. I don't really like driving at all.

Don't feel bad. People say I drive "PawPaw" because I drive either at or below the speed limit. One dude told me once to "speed up, you're not doing the limit". I responded to him "Yes, it's the speed LIMIT, the FASTEST you are supposed to go, not the speed you HAVE to go. If it's for as fast as you HAVE to go, it says "minimum speed limit", not juts speed limit". If more people understood this and drove by this principle, there would be a lot less accidents.