Bad Day For My Baby and I Yesterday...
10-22-13, 07:36 AM
#17
Lexus Test Driver
sorry i have to step in here because something can be learned from this..
i have been an insurance agent for 10 years, i've seen my share of accidents!
rule number 1
Never swerve out of the way of someone who cuts into your path!
hitting a vehicle verses a fixed object will be a far lesser impact, and if the vehicle who was in the wrong ends up not getting hit they usually leave the scene and you end up with an at fault accident on your driving history, your insurance rates go up for 3 years until the accident comes off your record.
I've never been in a situation where if given the choice to hit another car who cut me off or panic and drive off the road and total my car in the process, i would pick option b! sorry not going to happen!
every time something like this has happened to me, brakes first then steer always saved my bacon.
rule number 2 (and this came up recently) one of my clients was facing a head on situation with a moving truck, she swerved off the road, rolled the car down an embankment and kids were ejected out of the car, nearly killed her grand daughter (ejected) while the truck continued along his merry way on the wrong side of the road, then changed lanes to pass the car he was trying to pass.
So rule number 2 is install an accident camera on the windshield of your car, they cost about 300 bucks and will record the license plate of the oncoming car or the one that cut you off! just in case this type of scenario happens again.
they may not have insurance but nothing pisses me off more than to see someone get hurt or killed and car totaled without anyone being brought to justice!
if this situation ever happens again remember this sequence always
1. HIT the BRAKES!
2. Steer
and always in that order, swerving out of the way sends you on a collision course with who knows what! (perhaps a concrete sign, over a bridge, into a pole or tree, a pond, a house or a person!)
after the car has slowed then steer to avoid as long as you can maintain control. your car will allow you a lot more maneuverability (and more options for a safe outcome) if its at a lower speed. remember speed kills! the less speed you have the better the chances to avoid obstacles.
i know sometimes in a panic situation it's hard to rationalize and think about your actions and collect your thoughts. but that's why i say if you remember nothing from driver safety class, at least remember brakes first! always hit the brakes first!
if it's a head on situation slowing the car actually increases your chances of avoiding a collision because unless the other driver is intentionally trying to run you down, realize they are likely trying to avoid the head on collision as much as you are, slowing the car drastically reduces the closing distance of 2 cars and allows you more time to decide a safe place to ditch if necessary. the 1-2 or 3 seconds of braking you do allows you that much more time to make a better decision as the situation unfolds.
and rule 3 NEVER drive into fog, smoke, dust or anything that you cannot see at least 500 feet in front of you. if you find yourself in that situation slow down to a walk speed and pull off the road, if you can pull WAY off the road and park so the next idiot behind you wont hit your car as they blast through it blind and slam into other cars.
sorry to say your car is totaled, and if it isn't totaled i wouldn't want it back!
we sell an endorsement called ACE it means if the car is damaged more then 20% of its purchase price we total the car and replace with a brand new same year same build vehicle.
ask your insurance company if they offer anything like that.
hope this helped.. and i hope you recover soon.
i have been an insurance agent for 10 years, i've seen my share of accidents!
rule number 1
Never swerve out of the way of someone who cuts into your path!
hitting a vehicle verses a fixed object will be a far lesser impact, and if the vehicle who was in the wrong ends up not getting hit they usually leave the scene and you end up with an at fault accident on your driving history, your insurance rates go up for 3 years until the accident comes off your record.
I've never been in a situation where if given the choice to hit another car who cut me off or panic and drive off the road and total my car in the process, i would pick option b! sorry not going to happen!
every time something like this has happened to me, brakes first then steer always saved my bacon.
rule number 2 (and this came up recently) one of my clients was facing a head on situation with a moving truck, she swerved off the road, rolled the car down an embankment and kids were ejected out of the car, nearly killed her grand daughter (ejected) while the truck continued along his merry way on the wrong side of the road, then changed lanes to pass the car he was trying to pass.
So rule number 2 is install an accident camera on the windshield of your car, they cost about 300 bucks and will record the license plate of the oncoming car or the one that cut you off! just in case this type of scenario happens again.
they may not have insurance but nothing pisses me off more than to see someone get hurt or killed and car totaled without anyone being brought to justice!
if this situation ever happens again remember this sequence always
1. HIT the BRAKES!
2. Steer
and always in that order, swerving out of the way sends you on a collision course with who knows what! (perhaps a concrete sign, over a bridge, into a pole or tree, a pond, a house or a person!)
after the car has slowed then steer to avoid as long as you can maintain control. your car will allow you a lot more maneuverability (and more options for a safe outcome) if its at a lower speed. remember speed kills! the less speed you have the better the chances to avoid obstacles.
i know sometimes in a panic situation it's hard to rationalize and think about your actions and collect your thoughts. but that's why i say if you remember nothing from driver safety class, at least remember brakes first! always hit the brakes first!
if it's a head on situation slowing the car actually increases your chances of avoiding a collision because unless the other driver is intentionally trying to run you down, realize they are likely trying to avoid the head on collision as much as you are, slowing the car drastically reduces the closing distance of 2 cars and allows you more time to decide a safe place to ditch if necessary. the 1-2 or 3 seconds of braking you do allows you that much more time to make a better decision as the situation unfolds.
and rule 3 NEVER drive into fog, smoke, dust or anything that you cannot see at least 500 feet in front of you. if you find yourself in that situation slow down to a walk speed and pull off the road, if you can pull WAY off the road and park so the next idiot behind you wont hit your car as they blast through it blind and slam into other cars.
sorry to say your car is totaled, and if it isn't totaled i wouldn't want it back!
we sell an endorsement called ACE it means if the car is damaged more then 20% of its purchase price we total the car and replace with a brand new same year same build vehicle.
ask your insurance company if they offer anything like that.
hope this helped.. and i hope you recover soon.
10-22-13, 09:58 AM
#20
Lexus Test Driver
airbags deploy by means of an explosive that fills the bag with expanding and very hot gasses.
they deploy with enough force to blow the windshield almost out of the car on the passenger side!
bottom line if your vehicle is experience enough frontal G's to require an airbag, you would be seriously hurt hitting the wheel.
now look at this accident, the front of the car hit the corner of the sign making a V in the front crash rail, this took a lot of the energy out of the crash.
the OP said himself he was thrown forward, but he did not say he hit the windshield which is exactly what happens without an airbag and no seatbelt.
I guarantee that his seat belt pretension mechanism activated, this is an explosive propelled discharge that sends the hot gasses across the windmill (if you like to call it that) that is attached to the seat belt retractor. this causes the seatbelt to wind up rapidly making it tight just before it's actually needed when the occupant would otherwise be tossed forward.
this event alone will mean the SRS computer will have to be replaced. once they trigger, they are done and have to be replaced along with the seatbelt.
I am sure that had he hit the barrier on a flat side and straight on the airbag(s) would have deployed.
10-22-13, 10:03 AM
#21
Lexus Test Driver
Well naturally what I need right now is a driving lesson...so thanks for that. Obviously I hit the brakes and tried to slow the car, even before I knew he was DEFINITELY going to turn...however it was just not enough time for it all to work in my favor. I made the decision to go in to the sign based on the mindset that hitting another vehicle, whether it's his or a car on the opposite side of the road, would cause double the damage or worst of all injury to someone else as well as me. This seemed more logical to me and while it sucks about the car and my back, at least no one else was hurt. That would have almost definitely been the way things would have played out how you're saying I should have handled it.
Luckily, he decided to stop and admitted guilt right away. Two witnesses saw it and stated to the police he was at fault, and the officer himself agreed the other driver caused the accident. I spoke to his company yesterday as well and they are assuming blame at this point.
I am going to follow up with Lexus about the airbags...I agree that something should have deployed. Again, I was throw forward towards the wheel (didn't hit it) and thrown back...which I think is what caused the back/shoulder issues. As far as totaling the car goes...I'm sure the repairs and costs will be as much or more then 20-30% of the cars msrp or market value right now...the headlights alone have to be $2500 each right??
Luckily, he decided to stop and admitted guilt right away. Two witnesses saw it and stated to the police he was at fault, and the officer himself agreed the other driver caused the accident. I spoke to his company yesterday as well and they are assuming blame at this point.
I am going to follow up with Lexus about the airbags...I agree that something should have deployed. Again, I was throw forward towards the wheel (didn't hit it) and thrown back...which I think is what caused the back/shoulder issues. As far as totaling the car goes...I'm sure the repairs and costs will be as much or more then 20-30% of the cars msrp or market value right now...the headlights alone have to be $2500 each right??
fortunately there were witnesses and fortunately he stopped. but please take this advice! buy a camera!
go to amazon and look up BLACKVUE DRG500GW spend the 300 bucks and maybe someday youll thank me.
had the guy took off there is nothing better than a video as a witness watching everything!
and FWIW it also records while parked in case someone runs into your car and leaves.
10-22-13, 11:52 AM
#24
Lexus Fanatic
If the airbags did not deploy, the system determined that the crash forces were such that the chance of injury was lower without the airbags than with the airbags. Airbags are VERY violent and can injure you themselves. If they didn't go off, you didn't want them to go off.
Sucks about the accident. If you are injured, get a lawyer.
10-22-13, 12:02 PM
#25
The DR500GW HD is 1 ch (front dash cam). The DR550GW HD is 2ch (front and rear).
You really don't need a 2ch. But you can't only find that one on eBay. The 1Ch is on Amazon for pretty cheap.
I have the 1ch on my G35. Still trying to figure out how to route the wires to the fuse box. Looks like the airbags on the pillars are in the way on the IS.
10-22-13, 12:06 PM
#26
Lexus Test Driver
1 channel
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...ue%2Caps%2C333
2 channel
also I recommend getting the power magic pro, it will allow you to use the parking feature without draining your batter all the way out.
10-22-13, 12:12 PM
#28
Lexus Test Driver
Are you looking for the 2Ch or just 1Ch?
The DR500GW HD is 1 ch (front dash cam). The DR550GW HD is 2ch (front and rear).
You really don't need a 2ch. But you can't only find that one on eBay. The 1Ch is on Amazon for pretty cheap.
I have the 1ch on my G35. Still trying to figure out how to route the wires to the fuse box. Looks like the airbags on the pillars are in the way on the IS.
The DR500GW HD is 1 ch (front dash cam). The DR550GW HD is 2ch (front and rear).
You really don't need a 2ch. But you can't only find that one on eBay. The 1Ch is on Amazon for pretty cheap.
I have the 1ch on my G35. Still trying to figure out how to route the wires to the fuse box. Looks like the airbags on the pillars are in the way on the IS.
FYI I never buy stuff like this on ebay anymore. my 2nd DR500-GW was DOA from amazon, I filled out the RMA and sent it back, they sent me a new one and I had it in a few days! they basically sent it for free saying if the defective one didn't show up within 30 days I would get charged for both.
IMO nobody online does it better than amazon! im a prime member and most things I never pay shipping on and get stuff sometimes get it next day!
returns on eBay are never that quick or simple especially since the Blackvue are made in korea shipping can easily take a week or more.
BY THE WAY! is it just dumb luck there happens to be a gray IS 350 F sport in the left lane of that pic? lol
10-22-13, 12:16 PM
#29
Lexus Test Driver
ill run my back cam wires along the inside of the headliner to the rear.
10-22-13, 12:20 PM
#30