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......crash, Boom Bikemobile No More

Old 06-08-07, 08:25 PM
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......crash, Boom Bikemobile No More

......CRASH, BOOM BIKEMOBILE NO MORE

My wife and I were sitting in our Caravan at a stop light behind several cars this evening. I noticed a large black pickup screaming by us, squeezing through into the left turn lane. Immediately afterwards, CRASH, the car behind the pickup hit us full speed at about 40 mph. I don't even think the 18yo used her brakes!! She didn't realize there might be a car in front of the pickup aftrer he changed lanes at a high rate of speed.

We were pushed into the car in front of us. The front of the the car that hit us was totally destroyed, our rear end was destroyed, and the front heavily damaged.

The car in front was mildly damaged (a Lincoln Town Car) - 1993.

My bike mobile is no more. I hate trying to find a replacement vehicle that received as good of care as my car did. I am not sure if we will buy another Caravan or similar or not.

No one was injured, except my wife is feeling some "seat belt" pain. Everyone seems to have insurance.

The paramedics were great - so comforting to my wife, and the police were also great. We rode home on the rescue truck, and the medics took all of our stuff out of the car and put it in our garage. The police came by later to give us info about the other driver - we had not received the info exchange form before we left the scene.

I HATE SHOPPING FOR NEW(ER) CARS!

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Old 06-08-07, 08:31 PM
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Wow! Glad to hear that you and your wife appear to be unharmed. I hope that continues to be the case. It may be a hassle, but cars are replaceable, not so with loved ones.
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Old 06-08-07, 08:35 PM
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Your were lucky to get out of that one alive. I don't know what's going on, but they better start cracking down with these people with no insurance. I'm glad to hear your ok, take care.
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Old 06-08-07, 08:39 PM
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Glad you and wife are ok. Sorry about the loss.

Hope no health problems pop up later.

Just a thought on bike-mobile

Honda Element.

Mount skewers on cover for spare tire.

I own 2 of them, and the ONLY other car I might consider is when the Honda Accords get the diesel for the 2009 models.
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Old 06-08-07, 08:43 PM
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We test drove the Element last year. It was not our favorite, due to the seeming contortion and wrenching of the back to get the rear seats folded, and the fact that we need to carry a 3 wheeler in the back, and it wouldn't have fit.

However, we now have a foldable 3 wheeler which might work. We'll check it out. Thanks
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Old 06-08-07, 08:48 PM
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Originally Posted by DnvrFox
We test drove the Element last year. It was not our favorite, due to the seeming contortion and wrenching of the back to get the rear seats folded, and the fact that we need to carry a 3 wheeler in the back, and it wouldn't have fit.

However, we now have a foldable 3 wheeler which might work. We'll check it out. Thanks
Glad your safe, Denver!

I think you would look awesome driving an Element! Windows down, sunglasses on, bass thumping, bikes on the back...

IMHO, you cant go wrong with anything that Honda or Toyota put out in the last few years. Two of my friends have Rav4's, amazing vehicles, worth checking out. The element holds a lot more room then you would expect.
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Old 06-08-07, 08:49 PM
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I'm glad Nora and you weren't seriously hurt. Buying another vehicle is always a pain, but it could have worse...at least you will need another vehicle.
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Old 06-08-07, 08:50 PM
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Dang braindead drivers. Glad y'all are alright.
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Old 06-08-07, 09:00 PM
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I've lost TWO Caravans due to being rear-ended.

One was at a 3-lane stop light. I was driving in the middle lane, with cars on both sides of me. We all stopped when the light turned red. Then a blond woman, talking on a cell phone, driving a red SUV that was about 200 yards behind me, failed to see the light until too late and slammed into me. It is pretty bad when you miss 3 red lights hanging over the road and three sets of brake lights coming on in front of you.

She totalled my then 7-yr old Caravan. Got a good settlement for a vehicle with 145,000 miles on it, but as it was in perfect running condition (it drove as well as a new car), I lamented losing it. I thought I was going to get at least another 50,000 miles out of it.
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Old 06-08-07, 09:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Tom Bombadil
I've lost TWO Caravans due to being rear-ended.

One was at a 3-lane stop light. I was driving in the middle lane, with cars on both sides of me. We all stopped when the light turned red. Then a blond woman, talking on a cell phone, driving a red SUV that was about 200 yards behind me, failed to see the light until too late and slammed into me. It is pretty bad when you miss 3 red lights hanging over the road and three sets of brake lights coming on in front of you.

She totalled my then 7-yr old Caravan. Got a good settlement for a vehicle with 145,000 miles on it, but as it was in perfect running condition (it drove as well as a new car), I lamented losing it. I thought I was going to get at least another 50,000 miles out of it.
I lost another Caravan when a guy went into a diabetic coma and turned left directly in front of me. Flipped his truck and totaled my Caravan. Is there a message here somewhere?
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Old 06-08-07, 09:25 PM
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I'm glad you and your wife are OK. Good luck on finding the replacement bikemobile.

My daughter got broadsided while she was driving our Caravan around four years ago. Caravan, 0; daughter, 1. She came out of it in good shape, save for some rattled nerves.

Among you and I and Tom, we've lost five Caravans, and we and our families all OK. Guess they're reasonably tough vehicles.
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Old 06-08-07, 10:04 PM
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Did the 18yr. girl at least finish her text message?
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Old 06-08-07, 10:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Tom Bombadil
I've lost TWO Caravans due to being rear-ended.

One was at a 3-lane stop light. I was driving in the middle lane, with cars on both sides of me. We all stopped when the light turned red. Then a blond woman, talking on a cell phone, driving a red SUV that was about 200 yards behind me, failed to see the light until too late and slammed into me. It is pretty bad when you miss 3 red lights hanging over the road and three sets of brake lights coming on in front of you.

She totalled my then 7-yr old Caravan. Got a good settlement for a vehicle with 145,000 miles on it, but as it was in perfect running condition (it drove as well as a new car), I lamented losing it. I thought I was going to get at least another 50,000 miles out of it.
And her hair color had what exactly to do with this?
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Old 06-08-07, 10:44 PM
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Just reporting the facts.

You can decide if it made any difference.
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Old 06-08-07, 11:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Tom Bombadil
Just reporting the facts.

You can decide if it made any difference.
So you would have said, "This brunette woman..." if that were the case?
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Old 06-08-07, 11:22 PM
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Yikes! Sorry about the accident but I'm glad you both are still OK!
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Old 06-08-07, 11:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Digital Gee
So you would have said, "This brunette woman..." if that were the case?
Yes. That would be like me.
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Old 06-08-07, 11:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Tom Bombadil
Yes. That would be like me.
What if she'd been wearing a hat? Would you have said, "This blond woman, wearing a hat and talking on her cellphone..." ?
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Old 06-09-07, 03:55 AM
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If there is a upside to this, there were no destroyed bicycles in this crash. I've had two hitch racks destroyed without the loss of a bike.

On vacation last week with bikes on the back, I noticed that I spend a lot of time looking in the mirror to see what was coming from behind. Would that be Satchel Page syndrome?
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Old 06-09-07, 05:08 AM
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She wasn't wearing a hat at all, nor was she blond. How in the world did that get in this thread?
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Old 06-09-07, 06:19 AM
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I've been checking around on cars.com.

You simply can not get a better deal for your money than a near new Chrysler T&C or Dodge Grand Caravan.

I.e., 2006 Chrysler T&C (loaded), 25,000 miles for $12,900 and similar range of prices for Caravans, etc..

These cars fit our needs SO well. I hope that my old car is totaled. If I can get about $7-8,000 for it I will be happy with an upgrade for $5,000. We'll see what the adjustor has to say.

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Old 06-09-07, 06:23 AM
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Glad you are both all right. The car, after all, can be replaced.

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Old 06-09-07, 06:35 AM
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Seems a shame that 'you' have to spend money because of someone's inadvertence or lack of paying attention, but I guess that is why they are called accidents... glad you all came out OK...
peace...
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Old 06-09-07, 06:56 AM
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Originally Posted by Floyd
Seems a shame that 'you' have to spend money because of someone's inadvertence or lack of paying attention, but I guess that is why they are called accidents... glad you all came out OK...
peace...
It gripes me greatly. You spend literally hours and extra money just shopping for a replacement vehicle. The insuance company never offers to pay for all of that effort.

I am seriously thinking of keeping track of my time, and then submitting it as a part of my claim to their insurance company - or small claims court.

You ALWAYS lose a substantial amount of cash in these crashes - it never fails. I have never had an accident that was my fault, nor has my wife.

Just reviewing:

1. My Pinto was hit and totaled during the night parked in front of our house and pushed to the other side of the driveway by a neighbor "high" on Nyquil - who then left the scene of the accident, but returned.

2. My wife's Plymouth was totaled from the rear while at a stop light - just like this accident. She was injured.

3. My older 1993 Caravan was totaled when a guy went into a diabetic coma and turned left DIRECTLY in front of us - no signal, no warning, we were about 10 feet away. My wife was injured.

4. My VW Bug was totaled by a lady on the freeway as I was stopped in a traffic jam. She "Just forgot to put on my brakes."

5. And then this!

And I drive terribly defensively, and my last ticket was in 1980 for being in a bus lane at 4:01 when the lane closed to buses at 4:00, and my watch was slow. I have never received a "moving" violation, and I have been driving since I was 12 - 55 years.
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Old 06-09-07, 07:12 AM
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Glad to learn you and the wife are alright. Now that you don't have your bikemobile, you just became car free. Imagine what you'll save on insurance, fuel expenses, maintenance and repairs.
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