Watch out for those red light runners --

So, I was headed to work this morning about 6 am, started forward on the green arrow to make a left turn from Monument Drive on to the FFX County Pkwy, and...BAM... ...a minivan comes roaring thru the red light from the left at 50 mph and cleanly removed the leading 10" of Copernicus! Not the way I was planning to start my day. I think I caught a quick glance of the impending doom and managed to hit the brakes at the very last second which probably mitigated the damage somewhat. My bumper ended up in the middle of the pkwy and my license tag much further down the road. I think the frame is untouched and--amazingly--the car seems to still run just fine, albeit without the proper safety lights up front. In fact, as you can see from the pics, the minivan appears to have ended up with the worst end of the deal (appropriate justice, I think). These MINIs really are tough little critters.

At least a couple of MINIs motored by while we were completing the paperwork. Sorry if I missed your wave, I was not a happy camper at the time. Thanks to the anonymous guy who actually stopped and got out to check if everyone was okay.

The insurance has already been processed so I guess we'll be headed up to the Royal Body Shop in Sterling tomorrow to begin the recovery process...I hope I don't end up with any lingering glitches or quirks. Anyone have any experience with these folks?

I keep wondering how different the story might have been if I'd been 10 ft further out into the intersection...

As it was, stripped the front end clean -



The bad nose job on Copernicus -


The other guy...

 

I am glad you are safe and no one was injured.

You have to wonder about people. The number of people I see running red lights everyday is astonishing. The blithely go through as if it is their right. I get HONKED AT if I stop for a yellow because I know I will not make it through the intersection on time. And forget if you decide not to block the box - I had a woman on M street SHOUTING at me from her Mercedes last night that I needed to move forward into the intersection.

Cars can be fixed. People it is harder. So once again, glad you are OK.

 

I that sucks :( . I hope they fix you up good as new.

 

You were very lucky there!! Glad you were not hurt. The damage to your car isn't bad at all for such an accident.

 

I'm sorry about your MINI, but very glad you are alright. Tough little critters indeed.

Cheers to a speedy recovery. It appears he took one on the chin for you.

 

WOW! So glad you are okay, and your MINI looks to have mini-mal damage. Glad also that you weren't another few feet into the intersection, or your car would have ended up like my last one that got side swiped by and impatient jerk in a new Camero.

 

WOW That is simply amazing....no air bag deployment ?

The sensors must have gone with the front bumper.

Hope everything works out on the repairs

 

Nope, no air bags...I'm glad about that. I actually don't think there was a great deal of momentum transfer between the two vehicles. Sort of like the skilled waiter who jerks the tablecloth out from under a table setting without knocking anything over.

 

aw geeeez:impatient
Another MINI laid low by complete idiocy. Glad you're ok, though.
Yeah, drivers in the DC metro area and particularly the city, are ....nuts.
That's one of the reasons I told Paul that I couldn't live in DC.
I hope the other driver has been hung by their tonsils...at least a whopping ticket with tons of points.

 

Looks like damage isn't so bad, probably just a bumper, lights, grill and bonnet and you'll be motoring again!

 

Good things that your Mini is not badly damaged and the most important is you're ok.

 

I would send you a bandaid, but I don't think I can print one big enough for you.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...29#post1592229

 

http://www.clownantics.com/medicalkit.shtml

try this one

 

Bad whack, good your ok and the MINI does look repairable. A friend has had two bonnets replaced on his 02 MCS, those replacements were caused by lite hits, so you may wind up with a new bonnet as well.

Keep us informed, sorry you will be MINIless.

 

Well shoot, my bandaid is bigger than that one! Maybe it would be big enough for the boo-boo.

 

Tbh, I think Copernicus go the worse end of the deal. Sorry to hear about the damage. AERO KIT DOESNT COST THAT MUCH MORE! Even if only the front end! I upgraded to the Aero Kit for about $100 out of pocket when someone rear-ended the Batmini. Turn that frown upside down!

Oh, and I mean $100 for everything. I got the kit from Classic, but Morristown also has them much cheaper than MSRP.

 

That was close. Glad you are ok. I am not to suprised the airbags did not deploy but only because the way you discribed the accident. Might be a good idea to have the front suspension looked over - just to make sure.

 

Holy crap! That was a really close shave! Glad you are ok and your MINI will recover.

 

mineartg, congrats on escaping with so little (apparent) damage! As you say, it sure could have been much, much worse. Hopefully the other driver's insurance will skyrocket enough to make them think twice in the future about running red lights.

That's what your middle finger is for.

 

SO glad you are okay. That really was a close one. It could've been so much worse...what a miracle! Good luck with the recovery.

 

I have to ask, was the perp on a phone? Ask the police to look into it.

You are so lucky, glad you are okay.

 

i saw your bumper on the median!!!! i mourned for PW MINI that lost its bumper on the way to work yesterday.

good luck with the repairs!

 

Sorry to hear, but glad you are unscathed. Another few inches and you would have likely been spun around and rammed into someone else...then YOU would have been at fault.

 

glad to hear that you are in uninjured condition. and I wish a speedy recovery to your MINI.

 

Yeah, except I never swear.........even at the idiots of the world. I smile and wave and pretend that I love them. They think I am not stable and leave me alone!