So, Monday wound up being a day that was bad and got even worse. I was on my way to school around 10:00 AM and was pulled over for speeding. I had avoided a guy moving over on me and sped up rather than slamming on my brakes in the middle of the interstate, turns out there was a state trooper running radar on the side of the road. He didn't see what happened and only caught my speed so he pulled me over and ticketed me. I wound up stopping in an area on the right side of the road between an onramp and the interstate, as I didn't want to attempt to slowly cross the traffic travelling on the onramp.

After the officer handed me my ticket, I sat there reading it over. The officer pulled out and drove off. I looked over the ticket for a minute more and then looked up and checked my mirrors for some reason. I noticed in horror that a green Honda Civic was crossing over into the shoulder, the driver with his head down looking at a cell phone or iPod, or something. Had a second to react so I put my head against the headrest and uttered a profanity.

The Civic rear-ended my car travelling at least 60 MPH, knocking my car into the onramp and spinning me a good 210 degrees. I usually remove my seatbelt when reaching over into my glovebox, but for some reason, I left it on. My leather binder that holds all of my vehicle information as well as my registration wound up flying out the window, along with my wallet. I have a feeling that I may have wound up going with them had I not been wearing my seatbelt. The contents of my glovebox wound up in the back seat and all of the wires that were sitting in it were sitting next to my left thigh. My driver's seat remained attached to the rail, but for some reason wound up sitting ****-eyed in the rails, the back seat was pressed against the back of the front seats. My driver's side door was stuck shut, so I had to crawl out the passenger side of the car. Amazingly, there was no broken glass other than a 5" crack in my windshield behind the rear view mirror.

The man in the Civic I am guessing was not wearing a seatbelt because his forehead had what looked to be a 3+" gash in it, and there appeared to be a headprint in his windshield.

I am extremely happy that these MINIs hold up so well in accidents, and am so thankful that it was not a larger vehicle that hit me.

Turns out Monday wasn't really my day. Below are a select few pictures, as well as a link to my photobucket account for the rest... It's been a great (ticket filled!) Ride, and I hope that EVERYBODY enjoys their MINI as much as I did. BTW, Wear your seatbelt, and pay attention to the freaking road!









http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y11...eabryant/MINI/

Drive Safely Folks!

-Chase

 

Wow!! Glad to hear you are OK. You estimate getting slammed into at about 60MPH and its amazing your car is not entirely demolished.

If I have learned one important thing from pouring through all these posts and threads and pics on NAM over the past 1.5 years, it's that these little MINI Coppers can really take a beating and are very safe cars.

 

Thanks! Walked away with a little back and neck pain, but that is it. Traffic on Rte 50 usually travels between 60 and 80 MPH, I do know that the guy didn't brake, so I'm guessing the 60 MPH mark.

I agree on the crash-worthiness of these vehicles, even the worst of the crashes I have seen still had the passenger cabin pretty much intact.

-Chase

 

Ouch that sucks. My car was at the side of the road once (Stuck) and the end of an off ramp and I watched it almost get rear ended. Snowy conditions at night, it was horrible. I can only imagine being in the car and then having an impact :( sorry for your loss! I'm glad youre ok, hope the civic guy is ok, he should have been wearing his seatbelt and paying attention, and I hope you get another mini!

 

oh no.. sad it dmaaged but it proetectec u.

 

Glad you're o.k. and so sad for your MINI. You're right - you've had a terrible Monday......

 

Chase,

OMG! May your Mini RIP. Glad to know that you & the other guy are going to be alright. Thanks for the pictures too. As others have noted, these Minis can take a hit, and protect us pretty well due to their construction design. I wish you better luck getting through all the paper-work & I hope you will consider another Mini in your future.

 

:(

 

That is terrible, but glad to see you are okay. Hope you get back in another MINI soon.

 

First off, damn glad you're here to write about it. Second, that sucks! Third, what color will your next one be?

Really sorry to hear of the demise of your Mini. I just got mine yesterday and would be totally bummed if that happened to mine.

Let us know how everything turns out.

 

That sucks. Hope you don't have any after effects from the accident. Usually takes a day or two. Keep a good eye on your back.

 

. . . just wondering . . . did the same trooper who ticketed you also return to handle the accident scene? If so, the irony of the situation would've tested my ability to hold my tongue and temper. Safety-wise, I find it a bit negligent that he didn't hold his squadcar's protective position until you had proceeded from the rather perilous place he had essentially put you in - despite the fact you were speeding in the first place. A State Trooper's main responsibility I'd think, is highway safety. I think he fell short in the follow-up in this particular case. A couple people are lucky to be alive.

BTW - that was a nice looking MINI. Hopefully you'll be able to salvage those pretty wheels.

 

Funny how you see pics of other cars all crumpled, you say "oh too bad", but when you see a mini all crushed it really ruins your mood.

Glad to see you're ok. BTW, any airbag deployment?

 

+1. Give yourself atleast 5 days for any after effects, I have seen in some cases as much as 15 to 20 days before the lower back and neck pain manifest itself. In the mean time don't sign any thing from the offending party's insurance company/lawyer including your own. Don't make any hasty decisions, let the shock of the trauma wear out and you had the time to reflect. Wish you good health.

 

Glad you are okay to tell us about it. At least you knew it was coming and could prepare for it. Is that where the Beltway lanes merge into 50 going east?


BTW, nice to see another Calvert County guy on the board. I lived in Sunderland when I was in HS.

 

OUCH!! Soo glad you are still with us. That MINI did take a beating but kept you safe. YAY for MINI Engineering!

 

That was a nasty accident, but you were lucky for having a good car, looking in the mirror and keeping the seat belt on.

Glad you are ok!

 

That sounds scary. Wow. Another reason to enjoy every day we have.

 

Glad you are not hurt too badly.
Be sure to get your wheels if they total the car. They would look great again on a new Mini!

 

Glad you are okay. Take heed people, seatbelts save lives. Here's hoping you get another MINI. Don't take this the wrong way, but it's just a little humor for you. Maybe you could get BMW to do a commercial like Subaru has done. You go and visit the salvage yard and see your MINI, and then say a cheesy line like "My MINI saved my life. I'll never forget that!!!
In all seriousness, glad you're fine and I hope everything works out for you.

 

I was looking at your Photobucket album in slideshow and it moved into the pics from when you had that hole in the rear quarter panel that you so deftly and artistically covered with duct tape and I thought "Oh, it was THAT guy!" Seems like just maybe your car was "accident-prone" through no fault of your own, and now you can get another one just like it with better luck! Glad to read that you are feeling okay for now (and hopefully will continue to). Any kind of ticket sucks, and to lose your car due to an accident adds insult to injury. If only there were some way to get that guy's insurance to pay for the ticket.... well, I guess there probably will be, with all the lawyers that will be contacting you!

 

You may want to check your state laws, the tropper/state may have some liability. I believe that the trooper is suppose to remain behind you with your lights on until you safely re-enter the roadway.

 

I second that! I've never been pulled over and had the police officer leave before me. Definitely a safety hazard.

Glad you are OK, and so sorry for the loss of your MINI... The attachment to our car's are stong...I feel your pain brother!

 

I'm sure the Civic's insurance company will want to patch up your car. They will tell you it will be as good as brand new.

I do believe the officer was supposed to let you pull out first. I guess he did not know that. If they paid more attention to people texting and eating and putting on makeup and less on someone doing two mph over the limit or not wearing a seatbelt there would be many less stupid accidents.

I think people texting while trying to drive should lose their license to drive forever.

 

Glad to see you are okay! Very sorry about the MINI, it's quite sad. Hope everything works out for you. For little cars they seem pretty tough!