I had grand plans for Friday. Since I’ve been a bit busy with a grant that we submitted on Thursday- I thought on Friday I would go into my office, take care of one appointment, then have lunch w/DrMrA and take my stuff and work at home for a couple of hours on some slides I need for a talk next week. … then pick up the littleA at school and we could do something fun together.
Isn’t there a saying about the best laid plans?
There was a torrential downpour. I got soaked (and I mean SOAKED) in the few steps from my building to my car. I pulled out onto the main road and stopped at the red light. One minute I was on my way out to lunch- the next minute there was a huge loud crashing noise and the car was moving. First, I thought the car had been struck by lightening. Then I realized that the car in front of me had a dented bumper- and I spent about 3 seconds (although it felt more like 5 minutes) feeling horrified that I hit the car in front of me. Then, I turned around, looked over my shoulder and realized that the back of my car was completely crushed in. I don’t want to describe the aftermath… it was obviously not what I had planned for the day.
YIKES!!
I’m insanely sore, but otherwise ok. No kids were in the car, thank goodness.
Blue Lab Coats 
Oh My gosh! that sucks. Take care and don’t do too much…
oh dear, glad you’re safe!
Shit! Very glad to hear that you’re ok.
yikes. Looks like a truck hit you. Treat yourself to a nice rental car, and take some advil since you might be feeling achy with odd movements, like getting out of bed or reaching for the alarm clock.
JC- yes, it was a truck,…and I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck too.. He he he… I have a lovely rental car (thank goodness for rental insurance)… a RAV4. Maybe I’ll buy one?
PiT, hypoglycemiagirl, Scientistmother- I’m hitting the ibuprofen and laying low. Hopefully in 2-3 days I’ll lose the soreness.
Wow, that looks like you had chosen a car with excellent crumple zones. Glad you’re okay!!
Definitely not what you planned, but at least it happened before you got littleA from school… hope those ibuprofen are helping.
Wow, glad everyone is okay. Hope the hurting has subsided.
Gah! Yikes is right. Thank goodness you’re ok
Yikes, that’s brutal. The vision of the pleasant, relaxing day–the only thing that makes it ok is that you’re (largely?) unhurt.
The lack of bumper match-up with cars and SUVs/trucks is really an appalling oversight. A crash that hard would still have done damage if your bumpers were aligned–but not as badly, since the force would have been applied where the force is designed to be applied. I wish the feds would figure out some way to force improvements in this domain.
oh my goodness!!! i’m so glad you’re ok…
Dr. J&Mrs. H- I second that whole heartedly! I am not a great fan of the SUV, since I had a rollover accident many moons ago (back in the late 80s), and I have never felt comfortable in them since then- just too high off the road. But this is the second time I’ve been hit by a truck (literally), and I’m kinda getting tired of constantly being the victim of the bumper mis-match problem!
Everyone- Yes I’m OK though still sort of reeling… thanks for all of your wishes!
Holy Shit! I’m so glad you’re okay. Hope you’re feeling better now. Did the person who hit you just lose control of their vehicle?
I’m so glad that you’re ok!
glad you are okay doubledoc. yay for engineered crumplezones!
Yikes! Sending healing thoughts your way! Hope you took it easy this weekend –
I’m glad you’re OK.
Ouch, sorry to hear about the car. Hopefully it was a good excuse to relax on the couch a bit this weekend.
Car held up v. well.
Hope you’re holding up well, too.
DSKS and drugmonkey- Yes… upsetting as it is to look at the crushed car- it did its job and took the impact so I didn’t.
How incredibly unfair! Someone had to say it. I think you should put in an official request to the department of fairness. And, you should have your lunch on Monday.
Geez… that looks really bad. I am happy you weren’t injured (more) and hope you feel better soon. And that the other car pays for all the costs and repairs.
I’m so happy you didn’t have the little one in the car yet, but that is just the reason I never would have bought that smaller car I have now in the old city, as those trucks and SUV just make a car sandwich out of them. I like the RAV4, I drove one, when I bought my new one. You should check out the Honda crx, just don’t buy in your town, that dealer is so bad.
Hope your not to sore anymore!!
Yikes! I’m glad you’re OK.
Whoa!! I am also glad you are okay!!!!
crispytaco- We do have an overabundance of large trucks around here, which is a hazard. I’ll have a look at the Honda- my mom has a Honda (a different model though) and I find it a bit noisy. I’m less sore but now painful in other spots- I had about 15 rads taken today- so that part isn’t over yet.
neurolover- I took the day off today, I feel crappy- I’ll get a rain check for that lunch, for sure.
Sucks the big nut. Really glad you’re okay. Hang in there, superstar.
Holy freaking crap! I am glad you are OK and feeling better.
“A crash that hard would still have done damage if your bumpers were aligned–but not as badly, since the force would have been applied where the force is designed to be applied. I wish the feds would figure out some way to force improvements in this domain.”
There’s not much for the feds to really address because bumper positioning is a cosmetic issue for v. low speed prangs and unrelated to a vehicle’s crash safety features. That said, it cost a local restaurant $800 to replace our front bumper panel when one of their parasols was caught by a gust of wind and bashed a hole through it on our parked car (witnesses described it as “surreal”). That seemed pretty expensive for a “bumper” panel that couldn’t even afford protection from flying umbrellas! It was a Ford though, so maybe it’s a quality issue…
YIKES! I’m glad you’re ok!
First car accident I was in was in a RAV4- stupid drunken idiots at 3pm on weekday… It still freaks me out from time to time (my face got singed/bruised badly by the airbag along with some knee issues).
Look into Volvos- one saved my mom’s life in a very similar situation like yours (she ended up underneath the car infront of her…)
Whoah! I’m glad everything’s ok!
Eugenie- That sounds scary- those airbags can do unexpected things. I’ve had two subarus and both have done what they were supposed to do and kept me safe.
Did you like the Rav4?
I personally never got to drive it (We totalled it before I got my permit). However, up until that point my parents loved the car (they had an old- 2-door RAV4 for ages and right before the accident got the 4 door to replace the older car).
I drive a 4Runner which is a tad bigger then the RAV4 and it’s been pretty good to me so far. (I was rear-ended last year under icy conditions- no damage done to my car- the guy who hit me hit my tire). It ‘s a lot of car for a college student but then again, my friends call me when they need to move a couch…
I just gasped aloud when I saw that picture…so scary! Very glad that you are ok, and I hope your aches and pains are feeling better now. And, oh, your poor car, too.
Not to turn doubledoc’s crash post into a referendum on SUVs, but,
There’s not much for the feds to really address because bumper positioning is a cosmetic issue for v. low speed prangs and unrelated to a vehicle’s crash safety features.
You’re quite wrong that it’s not relevant for safety. In a collision, an SUV or light truck with a much higher fender can simply ride over a normal-sized car. This is a huge issue. But you don’t have to take my work for it, try the IIHS or simple pictures.
Not to mention pick-up truck bumpers- to which I’ve personally fallen victim twice now.
I’m getting very sick of jacked up trucks. I lost a car to one a few years ago when the driver took his foot off the brake for a moment, and missed my bumper entirely. from a distance of 5 feet he managed to total my car. bumpers are there to cheaply withstand low speed impacts to prevent this kind of expensive damage.
there’s no damn point unless they’re all at the same height.