There's also another type.

2. The aggressive, out of control, maniac (road rage).

 

True. But I don't encounter those very often. The other 2 I get on a daily basis. I think some people may be medicated as well. Hard to tell but they have that weird blank look on their face…like the don't even see you.

 

Given the amount of damage you describe, it's possible the SUV driver didn't even know he hit you; the perceived impact may have been about the same as running over a squirrel. I suspect the first thing you do after getting the damage fixed will be to fit a louder horn; I'm very pleased with the effect of a Stebel/Wolo dual tone air horn, which makes around 136 db.

With the differences in size between a Fit and an SUV, some people think we're just asking for it; if everybody drove SUVs, the problem of mismatched vehicle size would go away. Unless your SUV gets hit by a garbage truck. Unfortunately, the prevailing attitude is, "I'm bigger than you, and I have more insurance."

I agree about the deadly combination of SUV + cellphone, which I consider to be the greatest threat on the road to me as a Fit driver, motorcycle rider, or pedestrian.

Rather than an age-based skills evaluation, I would much rather see a recurring skills evaluation, say every 5 years, with mandatory training (a la Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses) if you fail. Unfortunately, our society would refuse to pay the added costs of testing and training.

We prefer ~40,000 fatalities a year, mitigated by mandated safety systems such as seat belts, air bags, ABS, traction control, etc., whose costs are easier to hide in the retail price of the vehicle. I'm not against these safety systems -- lord knows, my 1500 pound N600 was probably a death trap, but the fact is, I put 93,000 miles on that car, and I'm still alive. But as a society, far too many of our drivers are unskilled and unaware of it, with deadly consequences for themselves and their victims.

 

I'd be willing to settle for ACTUAL driver training in the beginning instead of the current "Rules of the road only" training that is required. At the very least if we teach new drivers how to drive, things would hopefully improve over time.

 

U.S. driver training IS a joke. Even our voluntary driver's ed programs fall far short of the required training for driver's in Germany, for example.

I heard on the radio this a.m. that driving while distracted makes you 20X more likely to have an accident. Add that to the recent research on multi-tasking I heard a couple months back. People generally aren't very good at multi-tasking--performance on each task is worse.

The worst irony is that researchers observed that those who truly believe they are good at multi-tasking--are actually the worst at it.

It's so easy to bash SUVs--but it's also too easy to get your skull bashed-in by one. Too often they are seen as a shortcut to safety-- to avoid the need to change behavior. "If I drive a large 4WD I don't need to slow down in bad weather, watch out for curbs and obstacles in the road, or be aware of other road users...and I can still feel safe." Many folks who seek this type of safety lack an understanding of vehicle dynamics which just multiplies the danger to everyone else around them.

A classic example occured down the road from me last month on a wet road (before the snowstorms, it was just a little rain). An SUV driver didn't check his blind spot and began changing lanes when he suddenly realized another car was there. He jerked the wheel back, over-corrected and rolled the vehicle. With no seat belt, he was ejected and the truck landed on him and killed him. Most of the problematic elements are there:
-lack of awareness of the larger blindspots in a larger vehicle
-lack of awareness of vehicle dynamics of larger vehicle (overcorrection)
-false perception of safety (no seat belt)
-refusal to change behavior to match road conditions (slow down dummy!)
-Distraction? Not sure-that wasn't discussed in the newspaper article

The same ignorance and refusal to modify behavior means that such folks don't drive their 6000lb truck any differently than they would a Camry. I would agree that periodic skills tests would be appropriate, more so than age-based. Age-based only addresses one risk area--increased reaction times and diminished vision and hearing as we ALL age. I also think the skills test should be linked to the type of vehicle you drive. Trucks don't behave like cars and you have to learn how to drive them safely. You need a special license for motorcycles and tractor trailers, but there's not much to address the wide spectrum of vehicles in between those extremes.

 

I had the same type of accident with my '94 Civic Si in a Costco parking lot 10 years ago. The idiot in a Pathfinder had just passed a parking spot to our right. He stopped ahead of the spot, I stopped before the empty spot. i see his reverse lights come on and figure "oh, he's backing into the spot" WRONG, the idiot proceeds to back up all the way so he can turn in to it. As I realize what's happening, I slam my car into reverse and I'm ready to back up, but there too is a minivan behind, so I'm trapped. Idiot didn't even look behind him and only stopped when he realized he hit something. No damage to his rear bumper, but my hood is completely buckled, ($2000 damage repair). Exchanged info, I filed a claim within 20 minutes over the phone. Now this happened on a Friday evening. My car was in the shop Saturday and I was in a rental. Monday this moron calls to try and offer a cash deal to avoid insurance, told him too bad, I've already filed my claim. Monday afternoon, my adjuster calls me saying the other guy is claiming I HIT HIM!!! I asked the adjuster, "When did he file file his claim? This morning." I told him yeah, after he tried to do a cash deal with me and I turned him down. Considering I filed my claim within 20 minutes of the collision and he waited the whole weekend, who do you think is lying? In the end it all worked out for me, but man was I ready to go to this guys house and lay in to him.

 

We had that when I went to high school. It cost too much, so the program was axed.

 

How could it cost too much? When I was in high school we spent an entire quarter jawing on about yielding to oncoming traffic when making a left turn. 3/4 of that time could easily have been devoted to concepts beyond just "rules of the road."

I'm not talking about behind the wheel training. Which, I took a behind the wheel course. It was still all "rules of the road" and teaching you the lame tricks they do to try to scam you into taking the road test twice (like stopping twice at a stop sign or you automatically fail). It was all about passing the test. Since the test has very little to do with actually knowing how to drive, the course was reflected that.

People are not required to know how to drive (just rules of the road), so that's all they learn. And they disregard half of them on a daily basis anyway, so even that's doing a fat load of nothing.

 

The school system had to pay for an instructor and buy a car (a Ford Falcon w/o power steering, so it was about 5 turns lock to lock, and numb as well -- you literally had to count turns). We had to do things like parallel park, pull to the curb without hitting it or being more than 10" away, and drive down very narrow one-way streets in an 18th century town.

 

UPDATE: The Adjuster called from the other drivers insurance company(Statefarm) and informed me they will be covering 100% of the damages. I had planned to call my company as well, but they got back to me first, which is cool. The next step is to wait to hear from their representative to look at the car. We had planned to bring the car into the Dealer Friday for the first scheduled maintenance, so they will just give us an estimate as well.I also spoke to my Insurance rep who said there was no need to file at this time if the other driver is admitting fault and if anything goes wrong just to let them know.

Side note: While driving with my Wife, again, today on Route 17 in NJ, another motorist decided to change lanes from the right to the middle(where we were) without looking, while on the phone, and without using directional as we were right next to him. My Wife jumps and screamed a bit as I glance to my left and took evasive action to avoid a collision and hit the horn. Close call, but all was well. It would have sucked to have the two accidents in two days, so I am thankful for that.

 

That's the way the system is supposed to work and, in my limited experience, usually does. In a few weeks, nobody will be able to tell anything ever happened.

I had a similar lane change incident today; I was in the left lane, another car in the right lane, slightly ahead of me, following very closely behind the car in front of him. Expecting an unsignalled lane change, my thumb was hovering over the horn. Sure enough, he made his move, and I hit the air horn while swerving left. He quickly got back in his lane. Similar situation yesterday, except that I was in the right lane, and accelerating from a stoplight, and on my left this ditz in an SUV, on a cellphone, just starts moving into my lane. Loud horns work. These were the first defensive uses of the air horn since I installed it in December.

In both cases, I was aware of the developing situation, and could have just moved out of the way, but maybe, just maybe, if these are made aware of their actions, they will be a little more mindful of their surroundings in the future.

 

I am happy so far with the way things are going, and I will be sure to update the post as time goes on.
Just before as my Wife was entering our driveway, we live a kinda busy road, posted 30 MPH, a young women(approx.16yr's) decide that my Wife was not traveling fast enough and was beeping her horn. We normally use out directional when we are three houses from out driveway just out of courtesy for other motorists. This young lady obviously was in a hurry. I would actually like to thank her being my 15 yr old Son was in the car with my Wife and was able to take something away from the incident.
On June 9th, 2001 I was sitting in a parked car which was struck by a motorist, driving with a Learner Permit, at around 4:15 am as I was working. I suffered a brain injury as a result and have had to learn to walk, talk, read and write all over again. My Son was six at the time. I truly believe he understands how powerful a car can be, an I hope he matures into a safe driver.
Please be safe and keep aware of those drivers around you, they may not be as observant as you.

 

Holy crap! Hope you've fully recovered. Got to remember that our cars, while being fun and convenient, in a blink of an eye, become a weapon as deadly as any out there, to others or yourself.

We just had a 21 year old die in our area over the weekend who appears to have been drinking, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt. Took a S bend way to fast, sheared an powerline pole, was ejected and died on scene. I work for the city so we had to respond to assist with the road closure while they investigated and replace the pole which was hanging by toothpicks over the road. His body was still there while we set up.

People, enjoy your cars, but be damn careful out there.

 

if a person in a truck or SUV hit your car because they didnt see you imagine if it was a kid on a bike or a pedestrian????? scary

 

MONIZ: I will never be 100% and have surpassed what Doctors ever expected. A few yrs after the accident I had a seizure which really set me back. Due to my injury, I have a 4-5 day memory. I remember most experiences before the accident, but "newer" experiences last for a short time then they are gone. I can walk, talk and I know who my friends and family are which is alot more than anyone expected. I am truly blessed. Oh, and when I was six, I was struck by a car after getting ice cream from the Good Humor truck. Broken/telescoped left femur, broken left arm and they re-connected the bottom of my nose. Traction(no pins back then) and a plaster body cast. My Mom believes I have used up about three of my nine lives! Best part, free ice cream everyday after school once I was able to walk.

Hondamatic: I have drive a van. But I take my time and proceed slowly in parking lots when backing up. I really wish people would take care and slow down. I believe this would reduce the amount of injuries and damages caused by carless drivers.

 

Your luck is worse than my daughter's. I hope this isn't gauche, and feel free to ignore the question, but if you have seen the film Memento, what did you think of it? I had to watch it 2-3 times to figure out what the heck was going on.

 

Selden: I just asked my Wife about the movie "Memento". She said we started to watch it, but I couldn't take it. She said the main character has a 30 second memory, yikes, and tattoos himself w/clues. Now, I do have memory issues, and tattoos, but that seems alot worse than me!
I try and keep a positive outlook on life. I get to see my two Sons everyday, which wasnt always the case when I was working. And I do miss the job and the guys/girls I worked with but am thankful for what I have.

 

Reminds me of the movie 50 First Dates (2004)

 

Virtual: I watched one of the Trailers..I laughed, thanks. Spoke w/my Wife and she said we did watch it, and it was tough on me. I have trouble when it comes to "new" faces. People I have met since my accident. Its like I have no idea who they are, but they know me. We joke I'm like the ugly Brad Pitt. People walk up and know him, introduce themselves and he must be like"Um, hello?". Its tough seeing family and friends when its been awhile, they change. More grey, less hair, colored hair, no more mustache etc. But all in all I try and roll with it. I have a motto: "It is what it is". I"m not angry about my situation, its just confusing and limiting.
But, it is what it is....

 

Well that's a cool way to look at it. Good for you!

I just thought of posting about that movie because it was done with a light humorous spirit. I liked it.