I got in an accident

Katieee

Katieee

New member
Today I was going to see my boyfriend, and where he lives is over some mountains with a pretty dangerous road and on top of that it was raining. There were already a few crashes on the road so I kept it safe and went below the speed limit. I came to a turn and my car started to wiggle so I tapped the brakes and lost control. I slammed into an embankment and came to a rest in the middle of the two lane road. I kind of blacked out I think or it just happened so fast because I remember hitting the wall and then feeling myself being thrown forward but I don't remember seeing anything.

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Right after that a man stopped and asked me if I was ok and then he called 911 and drove away. Then I called my parents and AAA then another guy stopped. He was going to tow my car with his truck but then a cop came. the cop got in my car to move it but it was really hard because the tire was bent in, when he got the tire to turn the car could barely drive, all the tires were shaking.The cop took a report and waited with me till my dad came.

This is possibly the worst thing to ever happen to me. I don't think anyone can know how much I loved that car even as crappy as it was.I can't even talk about it without bursting into tears.

This is what He used to look like.
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I'm not sure what else to say here. I'm not hurt except for a fat bruise from my seatbelt and a bad painful bruise on my knee.If I have any words of wisdom to share it is to ALWAYS wear your seatbelt. That thing saved my life.
 
Sorry to hear that it happened to you. Are you gonna try and have the car repaired or get something else? The important thing is that you aren't hurt. :)
 
Glad to hear that you were not hurt. That is what is truely important. You were very smart to wear your seatbelt.
 
JaredPointer said:
Sorry to hear that it happened to you. Are you gonna try and have the car repaired or get something else? The important thing is that you aren't hurt. :)
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Thanks.
The car most likely will be diagnosed as a total. The wheel tire is bent pretty bad and the car doesn't really drive at all. For the price which is only about $1300 the insurance will probably just pay us the difference. I am probably going to get a new Mazda 3 but my dad was told it's pretty hard to find one with full airbags and in manual.
 
Glad that your not hurt.....

Be careful when ya in a turn...Hitting the brake most times is the worst thing to do...Sometimes if ya feel that your losing the car...just give it a little more gas...I dont know if that applies for your situation because of it being wet...but glad your not hurt....
 
Oh man you were going over the Santa Cruz mountains weren't you? A good good friend of mine lives in Los Gatos and we used to drive over those stupid mountains all the time, I had many a near-death experience on that road. You are extremely lucky that all you got was bruises, I have seen people mess themselves up bad on the highways and byways of greater america.

Just remember that a car is just a thing, it can be replaced.
 
LastDetail said:
Oh man you were going over the Santa Cruz mountains weren't you? A good good friend of mine lives in Los Gatos and we used to drive over those stupid mountains all the time, I had many a near-death experience on that road. You are extremely lucky that all you got was bruises, I have seen people mess themselves up bad on the highways and byways of greater america.

Just remember that a car is just a thing, it can be replaced.
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Yeah, I was in the SC mountains, going on 17. There were tons of crashes yesterday because of the light rain and the slick road.I did get lucky and I think thats because I wasn't speeding, The cop had to leave after my dad came because there was a mustang that flipped onto its roof.
 
Was that picture taken right before you get to that large sign that tells you how fast you're going? I live in Santa Cruz and was actually driving back from Fresno last night myself in the rain, but thats nothing compared to a jaunt over the 17. Glad you're OK!
 
Katieee, the car can be replaced -- you can't. And while I know that you loved that car, it wasn't new (?) and it wasn't a Porsche or a Corvette with huge embedded costs. What I'm saying is, if fate had to deal you a bad card, better with the Mazda than in 5-10 years when you're driving something alot more special and costly to you.

BTW, where is this Santa Cruz highway and does anybody know why it's so slick? I know rain complicates any driving, but is this particular surface not-adhesive...is the road super-curvy, what?
 
bendaman said:
Was that picture taken right before you get to that large sign that tells you how fast you're going? I live in Santa Cruz and was actually driving back from Fresno last night myself in the rain, but thats nothing compared to a jaunt over the 17. Glad you're OK!
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It was a little while after I think. I was right near the exit to Laurel road.
 
That's a shame. The care looked in great shape prior to the accident. However, it can be replaced... glad you are OK. :bigups
 
HondaMan said:
BTW, where is this Santa Cruz highway and does anybody know why it's so slick? I know rain complicates any driving, but is this particular surface not-adhesive...is the road super-curvy, what?
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Its just a really old beach highway that they built sometime in the 50s. It isn't a major traffic artery so they don't do that much repair on it. Its in northern california about a hundred miles south of San Francisco. During the summer, when it isn't raining, it's a really pretty drive that takes you from San Jose into the beach community of Santa Cruz through the hills.
 
Glad to hear your ok. I think we all have had the car that we all emotionally connected with but the important thing is that your alright. A car can be replaced.

Greg
 
HondaMan said:
Katieee, the car can be replaced -- you can't. And while I know that you loved that car, it wasn't new (?) and it wasn't a Porsche or a Corvette with huge embedded costs. What I'm saying is, if fate had to deal you a bad card, better with the Mazda than in 5-10 years when you're driving something alot more special and costly to you.

BTW, where is this Santa Cruz highway and does anybody know why it's so slick? I know rain complicates any driving, but is this particular surface not-adhesive...is the road super-curvy, what?
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It was a 1990 Mazda 626, kelly blue book values it at about $1300 so it's not like it is a huge loss. The sentimental value more then anything is the kicker for me. after the cop moved my car he was looking it over and noticed I was crying and stroking the hood and he asked me if I was ok and I said "yeah, but this was my baby" and he said "well your baby saved your life".

Highway 17 is super curvy at points but when I got in my accident I was just taking a small curve. It was extremely slick at points for some reason and even when I was going 30 at one point my car felt like it was sliding a little.I just got new tires like a month ago too.
 
If you had new tires, it's strange that you would lose control at a speed below the speed limit. What was the limit and what were you doing? I wonder if the road surface just didn't have "grippy" asphalt or concrete...any tires that new should be fine. Even rain shouldn't have been that big a problem (I'm sure you've driven plenty in the rain). Sounds like the roads curviness and the lousy adhesive tension on the surface were the culprits.

Sometimes, you just need to go 1/2 the speed limit OR less. In snowstorms here in NY, you have to be going like 10-15 MPH or you won't stop at the end.....it's deceptive when you don't have traction in snow or rain: you can go great in a straight line but if you have to curve, you're in trouble. And you can slow down great from 40 MPH down to 5 MPH but that last 5 MPH you keep skidding.
 
Katiee, did you have ABS brakes?

I remember once I was coming off the Verrrazono Bridge....as you cross from Staten Island to Brooklyn, you come off the bridge and then take a ramp to the Belt Parkway. Well, there was noone on the bridge and I'm going 50-55 MPH...I take the turn off the bridge (the off-ramp) and you can't see the traffic before you go Left. As soon as I did, there was bumper-to-bumper traffic, all red tail lights, and I had a car in front of me, right past the turn, like 20 feet in front.

It was raining, I was sure I was gonna hit them with my 3-week old Corvette. I slammed on the brakes -- the tires gripped like steel -- and the car stopped with plenty to spare. ABS brakes at the time were very new, usually an option on some cars, standard on just a few expensive ones like the Vette.

Call me an ABS believer !!
 
Katieee:
Like every one said, it is more important that you are alright, and the car can be replaced. so be thankfull for that.
Nothing says that you can't go and get another one like it if you liked it that much. Just glad to hear that you are OK.

Hondaman:
I know that ramp that you're talking about off the Veranzanno, I too almost took a car out when you come off at about 50 and next thing you see is a sea of brake lights

Glad you're alright Katieee
"J"
 
jaybs95 said:
Hondaman: I know that ramp that you're talking about off the Veranzanno, I too almost took a car out when you come off at about 50 and next thing you see is a sea of brake lights
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Yeah, imagine making that left-turn and seeing a sea of non-moving red tail lights like 30 feet past the bend. Maybe a bit more...I don't know exactly....but I thought for sure "No way I can brke to a stop on a curve from this speed in the rain." The car did -- kudos to ABS brakes and brand-new Goodyear Eagle Z-rated tires!
 
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