GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Well just like the tittle says my car is gone! I had a car accident this morning on my way to work. This sounds worse than it is but I hit a semi (18 wheeler) head on. I was trying to pass a car that was going really slow on a 2 way street and when I did the car I was trying to pass started to speed up then I staryted to slow down to get back behind the car I was trying to pass and he slowed down. We started to get close to a bend on the road and off the corner coming towards me was the semi. I hit my brakes wheels lock but Im probaly going 65mph so Im just skliding. This whole time the car I was trying to pass is still right next to me so I have no choice where to go. I could have either hit the car next to me and sent him to a ditch or just hit the semi head on. Well It was head on the car is destroyed the whole front end is damaged. The engine is pushed back Im sure the frame is bent, both airbags deployed (I had passenger) and the semi had a bent bumper. I took pictures but I have to wait to get them developed. I didnt have any injuries so I guess thats good, Vibe did very well in protecting me and my passenger. My passengers legs were resting on the dashboard so she had 2 broken toes on the same foot and both ankles fractured, she also has 7 swollen disks but Im sure its because of the way she was sitting. I have a small pain in back and neck but nothing major not even Tylenol needed. I dont think I will be getting a car for a few more months maybe till the end of the year since I work with my best friend we usually carpool so I dont need a car right now but I dont even know if I will get a Vibe. Either way this site has been great and I dont plan on leaving the site. I guess this gives everyone something to read since Genvibe's been a little slow. Ohh yeah the cop said that by the looks of the skid marks hes guessing I was going about 65 when I hit the breakes and about 35-40mph when I hit truck was probably going about 30mph guessing on the curve he just had passed. Pictures will come soon.

Wow! Glad to hear you are alright! I'd be too shaken to even post about it for a week!

Crap, glad you are OK and your pass, for the most part. Could have been worse! You were cited right?This is scary, too many accident stories lately...

holy shi-ite that's terrible. I hope you and the passenger get well soon with no complications. the car is trivial, you and she are not.

Man, that is terrible news! I hope you and your passenger are okay and things work out for you.

Goodness! Yes, certainly glad you are still with us.Those tractors are not usually so forgiving.Take care and do stay around the site, Vibe or not.

Holy #$%^... I'm glad you are ok!Did the guy you were trying to pass get cited as well, for speeding up and not letting you pass?

(removed)! Glad to hear you and your passenger made it out with very few injuries. There have been a few accidents lately by GenViber's lately.Your right, it does sound worse as you described. Take Care!

Well glad your alright and so is she for the most part. Hopefully you can get something done about the jerk you were trying to pass as I see this as being their fault. He could have slowed down to let you cut in.

Thanks for all the replys guys. Me and my passenger are doing ok so far but according to the doctor it will get worse by like tomorrow but I think everything will be ok. For the record the guy that would not let me pass took off. He didnt stay to see if we were ok he saw the accident and kept going. I did not get the license plate because... well after the hit I really wasnt thinking straight. I did see if he was there but he did take off though. all I know is it was a white Toyota Rav4.

--ANNOUNCING: OFFICIAL MORATORIUM ON VIBE ACCIDENTS BEGINNING TODAY--Glad you are allright, although the doc is probably right about hurting more tomorrow. My wife seemed fine after she got T-boned in the driver's door by a jerk running a light, but was really hurting the next day. Guess you got the adrenaline going after the hit, and often the pain is from swelling which takes a while.I can't believe that jerk in the Rav4!!!!! Too bad there weren't witnesses.

Wow Wicked, that's aweful...I hope it all works out for you & your friend

glad to hear you and your friend aren't too banged up. hope you aren't too sore tomorrow morning.

Quote, originally posted by GMJAP » Guess you got the adrenaline going after the hit, and often the pain is from swelling which takes a while.I think you are right after the accident the only thing I had is a scrape on my arm. When the bag deployed it scrapped the hair and some skin off my arm that I was using to hold the steering wheel. Didnt really feel pain till about an hour later it feelt like a burn. Now thats its been a couple of hours Im starting to feel pain in my neck and my back. Good thing I had bought the GAP insurance when I purchased the car. I was upside down on the car because of a previous trade in so now that it is totalled the GAP can cover what the insurance dosent. Now its gonna be the pain of dealing with insurance and all that other stuff! Guess my summer isnt going to be the best.

Things happen so fast in an accident you just act on instinct, but I've always told myself that in a situation like that I'd do my best to take out the moron that caused the accident rather than some innocent. (especially if the choice was sideswipe the moron vs. head-on a semi!)

im relly not tryin to be a smart a$$ but if you had the s/c you wolda passed that piece of crap idiot no problem. b4 my vibe had a s/c it sucked in situatons

Quote, originally posted by drayday55 »im relly not tryin to be a smart a$$ but if you had the s/c you wolda passed that piece of crap idiot no problem. b4 my vibe had a s/c it sucked in situatonsI agree!! Next car will be a fast car! Maybe a new 06 Mustang GT? Or a Tundra? Not sure Ill use the next few months to save and think about it.

Wow that is amazing. I would not expect to hit a semi at any velocity and walk away - just think of all the inertia those things are carrying - 40 tons at 30 mph is a whole different ball park than 2 tons at the same speed. I'm definitely glad to hear you're OK, and I can't believe that guy didn't stop; what a jerk-off. And just FYI, if you get cited for that, fight it - I know in Michigan, if you're being passed and you don't allow the person who's passing to go through with it (i.e. speed up, swerve, etc.) then you're breaking the law. Best of luck, speedy recovery!

Gotta be a real jerk not to let someone pass. I figure if someone wants to pass me, we're both better off without him tailgating me.Glad you're OK, hope you aren't too sore tomorrow.

Head on with a semi!!!!!!!!!!!! Dayum!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad you both are ok and alive....

That's rediculous. I bet that wh*re feels like a complete @$$. If only you had their plate number, you could ge ttheir address and send them a letter telling them that "the person you wouldn't let pass along with their passenger were killed in a head on collision caused by you." That would be the best thing ever.

Quote, originally posted by drayday55 »im relly not tryin to be a smart a$$ but if you had the s/c you wolda passed that piece of crap idiot no problem. b4 my vibe had a s/c it sucked in situatonsEither that, or it would get you to the scene of the crash a hell of a lot faster.

You are so lucky, I pray for a quick recovery.Head on collisions are the worst!I wish you would have slammed into the side of that rava 4, rather then hitting the semi.At least then he wouldn't have got away!

Sorry to hear about your accident, but like everyone says, good thing you and your passenger (for the most part) are OK. Hope everything works out for you.

Hard to say. What is the speed limit on this street? What was the center pavement markings?

Just wanted to sayl thank God you and your passenger are alive and alright!

Glad your OK but there's no way he could matched you quick enough if you just hit the brakes hard and tucked in behind him before the corner unless you were both going real slow and playing with each other at the time. Stuff happens and the guy was definitly a jerk. You were unlucky but you helped. I know I helped with a couple of mine when I was younger regardless of fault. I bet you won't let a passanger sit like that again. Did the bag or dash break her ankles? Hope you guys get as good as new quickly. Look at the bright side. You can get that GT you wanted at an unbelievable trade in allowance.

Even if by some strange chance he did not intend to be a jerk... why he did not stop to see if anyone was alright, dead or what ever is beyond me. If I got in an accident or caused one by some jerk wanting to cut me off and I didn't let him... I'd stop and make sure they were alright.

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »Things happen so fast in an accident you just act on instinct, but I've always told myself that in a situation like that I'd do my best to take out the moron that caused the accident rather than some innocent. (especially if the choice was sideswipe the moron vs. head-on a semi!).++;

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »Even if by some strange chance he did not intend to be a jerk... why he did not stop to see if anyone was alright, dead or what ever is beyond me. If I got in an accident or caused one by some jerk wanting to cut me off and I didn't let him... I'd stop and make sure they were alright. No doubt. The guy was obviously a few steps below jerk.

Quote, originally posted by Rivet »Hard to say. What is the speed limit on this street? What was the center pavement markings?Speed limit is 55mph and was legal to pass. Quote, originally posted by goodvibe »Glad your OK but there's no way he could matched you quick enough if you just hit the brakes hard and tucked in behind him before the corner unless you were both going real slow and playing with each other at the time. When I tried to pass him he hit gas I was still gaining on him but not fast enough to pass. If I would have tried to jump in the lane he would have hit my rear end kinda like the pit move cops use and then I would have been in bigger trouble cause I could have went head on first to the ditch or my car could have turned on its side slid towards semi or even flipped then hit the semi.. I had tried to slow down before I hit the brakes hard and wheels locked. I saw he wasnt gonna let me pass so I let go of the gas and pressed on the brakes slow but he did same. Then I saw the semi turning the corner and I had to slam on the brakes hard thats when the wheels locked because I was a little ahead of the car I was trying to pass even though I locked my wheels the car kept sliding and not slowing down fast enough thats why the car next to me stayed with me. Everyone tells me "you should have side swiped the car next to you" but all I kept thinking is hit the brakes the car on will pass by you then jump back to the lane but the ******* stayed with me until I hit. Then he left. Today I feel like I went to the gym and worked all my body. everything is hurting. Quote, originally posted by goodvibe »Did the bag or dash break her ankles? Because she had her legs up on the dash trying to relax she had no shoes. Thats what broke her toes and fractured the ankles. Her legs were pushed towards her by the air bag and she hit her face with her knees.

well, if you had gotten the plate number of the guy who wouldn't let you pass, there'd be pelnty of genvibers who'd be happy to come out there and conduct some sensitivity training on that driver. I've been in a few accidents, and they happen so fast, no time to think things through, so don't over analyze what you could have or should have done, there's no way to know how it would have turned out if you had done something differently. Just be glad, as we all are, that you weren't hurt worse. Get well soon, and take care of that passenger.It's something for us all to think about the next time someone tries to pass us and we don't want them to.and I admit a ghoulish fascination, get those pics developed and posted

Yep... I see that kind of thing every day and wonder why so many choose to keep their appendages resting directly upon a ticking time bomb... I would hate to see someone trying to get "comfortable" but ends up never being able to walk again because of an injury such as this... I hope she recovers quickly from the injuries... It's going to be a painful road ahead, unfortunately. But hopefully it will never happen again!

Holy Shezbach batman that sounds worrible. Glad the 2 of you are aok and no major harm done to you 2.

Make sure you insist on helping your freind get around this summer. With both her ankles in bad shape, she's going to need a good sumaritan to do much of anything. If you get another Vibe, the whole wheelchair thing shouldn't be too bad.

Well, I'm also glad to hear both of you made it out with slight injuries. You're right the descrition of the accidents sounds reallly bad.Where are the pics you promised. I want to see what a Vibe looks like after a head on collision with a semi.

I have a few things to add....1. Like everyone has said, I am so glad you and your passenger lived to talk about what happened.2. In HS, I had a friend that this happened to that was not as lucky as you were, he died. His father ran an add in the paper asking anyone who saw the accident or what happened prior to the incident to contact him. He ended up getting the license plate of the car that did to my friend what this a**jack did to you. His father went after the guy and the guy did prison time for vehicular homicide. It is a thought to try and find this hole and go after him in whatever means you feel are appropriate.3. I wish both you and your passenger a very speedy recovery. Good luck!!!

She is lucky she only put her knees to her face. It could have been a lot worse. She could have gotten both legs broken or kicked herself so hard in the face she could have fractured or broke her cheek bones/nose or that combination.NEVER let someone put their feet up on the dash. It has never been safe. I don't even like my wife's front plate on the window. We get in a wreck and that could be thrown back at me like a blade. But guess she'd rather replace me then scratch the bumper behind the plate or have a "goofy" look. Keep your dash clear, thats all I can say.

damn man glad you too managed to walk get out alive as well. same thing happened to me yesterday and it was frightening as hell. Cars are replacable, we aren't.

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »NEVER let someone put their feet up on the dash. It has never been safe. I don't even like my wife's front plate on the window. We get in a wreck and that could be thrown back at me like a blade. But guess she'd rather replace me then scratch the bumper behind the plate or have a "goofy" look. Keep your dash clear, thats all I can say. Don't let that plate become a weapon, screw that thing to the front where it belongs... So what if it looks tacky... If it's too much, there is always the option of moving to a state/province with only one plate. Indeed, keep crap off the dash - everything!

Sorry to hear about your accident. We're happy that your both ok and without serious injury. God blessed your both this day.