Totaled my van - no more shuttling :(

[Mrs Baggins]

On a couple of rare occasions I shuttled a couple of hikers and had promised to shuttle another one late this month. I only did it when it was convenient for me, they were having a hard time finding anyone else, and the shuttle was in the area (between Pen Mar and Harpers Ferry). Yesterday I was sitting at a stop light, last car in line, and when I looked up in the rear view mirror I was horrified to see a Humvee hurtling at me and not slowing down at all. I had no way out and had to take the hit. Needless to say when Humvee meets Chevy Astro van, the van loses. Big time. Blew out my rear window, crushed the rear doors, and wracked the body pretty badly. The other doors can't close now. It was a fabulous vehicle and a real work horse that had reached an age (10 years) where filling it with stinky hikers was no longer a big deal. I often carpooled a whole van load for my hiking group. And it towed our tent trailer for the past 6 years. It did a 3 month cross country road trip from Maryland to Alaska and back in 2007. It was still in excellent running condition, nothing wrong with the exterior, and the upholstery was still in great shape. We had planned to keep it at least 5 more years - as long as it kept running. I have lost a great friend and buddy.

[FarmerChef]

Ugh. So sorry to hear that Mrs. B. Sounds like the van took it pretty hard. Were you ok?

[Storm]

Sounds like the Humvee drivers insurance company should be supplying you with a new van. Glad you are okay.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Sorry to hear, I grew up being driven around in an Astro, one of the best workhorses GM ever made. My parents brought many a scout to campsites in ours back in the '80's and '90's.

[Mrs Baggins]

I'm fine. Sore, rattled, very angry, very sad...but fine. No injuries. I get attached to cars and that one had, well, a van load of wonderful memories. It went anywhere for me, was all-wheel drive and would climb snow drifts, took me for 119000 miles in safety. And had I been in almost anything else and been slammed into by a Humvee....I shudder to think. In it's last moments it still kept me safe.

[Mrs Baggins]

I'm fine. Sore, rattled, very angry, very sad...but fine. No injuries. I get attached to cars and that one had, well, a van load of wonderful memories. It went anywhere for me, was all-wheel drive and would climb snow drifts, took me for 119000 miles in safety. And had I been in almost anything else and been slammed into by a Humvee....I shudder to think. In it's last moments it still kept me safe.

[aficion]

I'm fine. Sore, rattled, very angry, very sad...but fine. No injuries. I get attached to cars and that one had, well, a van load of wonderful memories. It went anywhere for me, was all-wheel drive and would climb snow drifts, took me for 119000 miles in safety. And had I been in almost anything else and been slammed into by a Humvee....I shudder to think. In it's last moments it still kept me safe.

My condolences on the loss of your good friend. So glad you were not injured too.

[tf bear]

It gave it's life to protect yours. Get an emblem off of her for a keepsake.

[HikerMom58]

Aww... so sorry to hear that. Like everyone else has said, I'm so glad you are OK....

[coach lou]

Sounds like the Humvee drivers insurance company should be supplying you with a new van. Glad you are okay.

It gave it's life to protect yours. Get an emblem off of her for a keepsake.

Unfortunately it won't be much on that vintage, but it will help on that down payment for the new Class-C........you won't even need the pop-up anymore!

[FarmerChef]

I still remember when I had to say goodbye to my green Ford Escort. It has been with me for over 10 years and almost 200,000 miles when some kids in line behind me for a country concert decided to take their foot off the brakes and roll into my trunk. That small dent totalled the car. It was the beginning of the end and we donated it to charity a few months later. That car had brought home my wife and my first child and drove me to the birth of the other 3. It travelled thousands of road miles on trips from Chicago back to Virginia and to National Parks in between. It may have just been a car to whoever got it but I felt a twinge of emptiness and more than a little sadness when I got my new (old) car and saw the empty spot in my driveway where the Escort had been. :'(

[Rain Man]

I was a proud passenger in Mrs. Baggin's Astro van one year ago in May '12 when my little group finished the Maryland section of the AT. Gosh, what nice memories. And Mrs. Baggins is correct, it was a great van to rescue stinky hikers from the trail and take them to showers, clean dry clothes, and drink and food!

As they say, no pics = didn't happen. So, here's a photo of the dear Astro at Pen Mar Park and also crossing the Shenandoah River at Harpers Ferry. You can even see Mrs. B in the rear-view mirror.

And now, a moment of silence.

RainMan

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[atraildreamer]

Get a good lawyer? Go for the money! The idiot that hit you probably deserves a good lawsuit!

Last year, me, the wife and a friend were sitting in a line at a red light, waiting to exit from the driveway of a local Wal-Mart, about 3 cars back from the light. Suddenly, a car crossed our line of sight from left to right, about 6 feet airborne, and upside down, while rotating to the right. The car hit the trunk a sedan that was stopped at the light, causing all the air bags to blow. The car bounced up and hit the fiberglass Hop-Cap of a pickup truck and kept going off the side of the driveway landing upside down in a small swampy area that was next to the road (Route 1). This occurred in the space of maybe 1/2 second. Out reaction was: "What the @#$*, did you see that!? The fool had to be pulled out of the car by the fire department. Amazingly, he only had minor bruises. The passengers in the other vehicles were OK, but shaken up.

The local newspaper reported that the idiot had been speeding down the highway, in a a highly congested traffic area, and tried to pass a car on the left, bounced off the center median jersey barrier, swerved thru the right hand lane and hit a traffic light control box, then rode up on the curbing and went airborne, causing the above mentioned results. Excessive speed and adult beverages definitely had a part in this.

Don't be nice about this, he could have killed you!

[Bucketfoot]

You can be the best and the safest driver in the world and somebody is going to get you anyway. Glad to hear that you were not hurt.

[capehiker]

Don't be nice about this, he could have killed you!

That was my second thought behind I'm glad to hear you're ok. Get a lawyer and get what's owed to you.

[keepinitsimple]

Thanks for causing me to pause and think about our van, and how much I cherish it. Good luck

[Mrs Baggins]

It was a she and her excuse was that she had dropped her ID badge (we were near the main gate of Ft. Detrick) and had reached down for it. When she looked up there I was. My husband is convinced she was on her phone, which is illegal in Maryland. But short of getting her phone and checking it how would we ever know. She immediately admitted being at fault, admitted it over and over again. Within seconds of the accident we were swarmed by EMTs in ambulances, fire trucks, and city cops. I have no idea who made the calls. But I did hear her tell the cops, too, that she was at fault.

[Mrs Baggins]

I was a proud passenger in Mrs. Baggin's Astro van one year ago in May '12 when my little group finished the Maryland section of the AT. Gosh, what nice memories. And Mrs. Baggins is correct, it was a great van to rescue stinky hikers from the trail and take them to showers, clean dry clothes, and drink and food!

As they say, no pics = didn't happen. So, here's a photo of the dear Astro at Pen Mar Park and also crossing the Shenandoah River at Harpers Ferry. You can even see Mrs. B in the rear-view mirror.

And now, a moment of silence.

RainMan

.

Thank you Rain Man. That made me cry with the memories.

[rocketsocks]

Yikes, so sorry to here this Mrs. B glad your ok

[Rain Man]

Thank you Rain Man. That made me cry with the memories.

I get that a lot. The part about making women cry, that is.


RainMan

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