View Full Version : Totaled my van - no more shuttling :(
Mrs Baggins
05-02-2013, 09:10
:(:( 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
05-02-2013, 09:25
Ugh. So sorry to hear that Mrs. B. Sounds like the van took it pretty hard. Were you ok?
Sounds like the Humvee drivers insurance company should be supplying you with a new van. Glad you are okay.
Sarcasm the elf
05-02-2013, 09:41
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
05-02-2013, 09:43
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
05-02-2013, 09:50
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.
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.
It gave it's life to protect yours. Get an emblem off of her for a keepsake.
HikerMom58
05-02-2013, 09:57
Aww... so sorry to hear that. Like everyone else has said, I'm so glad you are OK....
coach lou
05-02-2013, 09:59
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
05-02-2013, 09:59
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
05-02-2013, 11:54
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.
Rain:sunMan
.
atraildreamer
05-02-2013, 12:06
Get a good lawyer? :confused: Go for the money! :) The idiot that hit you probably deserves a good lawsuit! :eek:
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!? :eek: 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. :rolleyes:
Don't be nice about this, he could have killed you! :(
Bucketfoot
05-02-2013, 14:24
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
05-02-2013, 14:31
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
05-02-2013, 15:05
Thanks for causing me to pause and think about our van, and how much I cherish it. Good luck
Mrs Baggins
05-02-2013, 15:06
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
05-02-2013, 15:07
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.
Rain:sunMan
.
Thank you Rain Man. That made me cry with the memories.
rocketsocks
05-02-2013, 15:29
Yikes, so sorry to here this Mrs. B glad your ok
Rain Man
05-02-2013, 15:44
Thank you Rain Man. That made me cry with the memories.
I get that a lot. The part about making women cry, that is. :welcome
:D
Rain:sunMan
.
max patch
05-02-2013, 15:59
Get a lawyer and get what's owed to you.
No injuries. You don't need a lawyer.
coach lou
05-02-2013, 16:50
No injuries. You don't need a lawyer.
I will agree with Max here. You get the average national Value of your vehicle, including sales tax on that value. You will get X amount of days for Loss of use of transportation (rental), while you find a new one. You can take an amount of money for compensation for that loss of use, it will not be alot. I am no lawyer, but I run a collision repair facility (autobody shop). Take the check!!!
Mrs Baggins
05-02-2013, 18:51
I do not want to fight that fight with a lawyer. I want this over and done. I'm fine - sore but yeah, I braced myself and held on to the steering wheel instead of going limp. Advil is fine. The car in front of me had a lady driver. At first she told me that she was "fine" and she was just pissed that her front license plate was bent from being pushed into the sedan in front of her. As soon as the paramedics showed up it was suddenly "my back, my neck" and she was being hauled off on a stretcher with a neck brace. Right. Her car had zero damage even though my van ran into it from about 4' away and I went from a standstill. I won't be that ambulance/law suit vulture.
First, I'm happy no one was hurt. Vehicles may be cherished but they can be replaced.
Second, I'm appalled by all this "get a lawyer and sue" talk. It's premature for that. Let the insurance companies handle it, and if it cannot be settled amicably, then it's time to talk about lawsuits. Chances are the other driver's insurance company would not want things to go that far.
gunner76
05-02-2013, 20:17
Glad you are Ok. I would go to your doctor to be checked out just in case. Last time I was in a wreak was when a guy ran a stop light, hit the car that had the green light going thru the intersection so hard that it was knock across the intersection into my truck . Had enough time to say "Oh S*** I'm going to be hit" then bam. Guy who ran the light got out his car yelling that he the right away. Fortunately I was able to talk to the police first. Turns out we had same insurance company and the repair shop said they had just fixed his car from another wreak he had caused.
Too bad about your van! Just FYI: usually the whiplash isn't felt until the next day! Your neck may be sore when you wake up!
Trillium
05-03-2013, 00:22
Mrs. B, I'm glad that you were not seriously injured! Agree w/ shelb about whiplash not being felt right away. Would recommend that you consider getting checked out by your doc.
Also, can understand your sentiment about your van. My Explorer is a '95 and has 188k on it and is close to the end of useful life. I really need to get a new vehicle but I am having a hard time parting with it.
atraildreamer
05-03-2013, 10:41
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.
Admit it, or deny it, since she hit you from behind, by law, she is automatically at fault. :eek: Since your vehicle then hit the vehicle in front of you, you are at fault for that. :eek: If that vehicle hit another vehicle in front, they are at fault. :eek: You see how it works. Get a lawyer and protect yourself. :-?
Mrs Baggins
05-03-2013, 10:45
Admit it, or deny it, since she hit you from behind, by law, she is automatically at fault. :eek: Since your vehicle then hit the vehicle in front of you, you are at fault for that. :eek: If that vehicle hit another vehicle in front, they are at fault. :eek: You see how it works. Get a lawyer and protect yourself. :-?
Actually, no I am not at fault for anything, at least not here in Maryland. USAA has already said that the last car, the one that hit me, is at fault and liable for all of other 3 cars involved and that I, and they, are 100% not responsible or considered negligent in anyway. She's the one with the big whompin' load of worry right now. I was a good 4 or 5 feet off the bumper of the car ahead of me and at a full stop, perfectly reasonable distance.
thanks for serving and sharing with the AT community. See you on the Trail.
Seatbelt
05-03-2013, 12:26
I get that a lot. The part about making women cry, that is. :welcome
:D
Rain:sunMan
Hey Rain Man..Good luck with getting a future shuttle from now on!!
chiefduffy
05-04-2013, 06:13
Sorry this happened to you...just glad you're ok!
FatHead64
05-04-2013, 08:25
Sorry this happened to you...just glad you're ok!
+1 - sorry to hear about that. At least the Hummer driver seems to be stepping up for her part. Go figure, forthrightness...sad that I am surprised by that.
atraildreamer
05-04-2013, 10:39
Actually, no I am not at fault for anything, at least not here in Maryland. USAA has already said that the last car, the one that hit me, is at fault and liable for all of other 3 cars involved and that I, and they, are 100% not responsible or considered negligent in anyway. She's the one with the big whompin' load of worry right now. I was a good 4 or 5 feet off the bumper of the car ahead of me and at a full stop, perfectly reasonable distance.
I'm glad you got that cleared up. Also, happy you were not hurt. :) Get the USAA determination in writing before you sign off on a settlement. You don't want to have any insurance issues to come back to haunt you later. :eek: