Abrupt end

[neonjohn]

Well, that was fun while it lasted. Today my "new" RV was totaled in a head-on collision with a woman who had lost control of her car and spun into my lane. She had been forced out of her lane by a large crane truck that I was following and who rounded the curve in the wrong lane and at high speed. Of course, she didn't have any insurance.

This being my first wreck as an adult, I've learned several things already.

* Liability-only insurance does not cover towing. We gotta pay for that.

* Coach-net.com does NOT cover accident towing. So if you have an inexpensive rig like we had and have only liability insurance, be sure you have the resources to have your rig towed if you're in a wreck.

Fortunately neither of us were hurt. Seat belts worked again. Praise the Lord that our MH didn't have air bombs. The woman's car had air bombs that came out from everywhere and beat her up badly enough that she had to go to the hospital.

I've been encouraging people for years to have the air bombs disabled on their vehicles. I've seen so many injuries and one fatality from air bombs. One of my aunts was killed by an air bomb deploying during a relatively minor side impact. The bomb broke her neck. My wife's son recently had an eye blown out in an otherwise minor wreck.

Seat belts save lives; air bombs take them.

Soooo... Until we collect from the crane company's insurance, I'll be on the RV sideline again.

John

[neonjohn]

jwoods61us wrote:


I'll take those odds (1:52,499,800) and keep my air bags; especially after having been involved in two serious accidents (neither my fault), one with seat belts only and one where the air bags deployed (also wearing seat belts) and in both I was uninjured.

This is the last I'm going to comment about air bombs. Your experience shows just how unnecessary air bombs are. In both wrecks, you were protected by your seat belts. The air bombs were superfluous.

In my youth, I had a very serious wreck when a drunk drive (0.3 BAC) dropped out of the opposite lane and hit me head-on. I was in a brand new Datsun 280Z. The police speculated that he thought there was a turn lane.

I was cruising at about 60mph. The drunk was probably doing 30.

The crash pushed the entire front end up to the firewall under the car Datsun built the driver's capsule strong enough that not even the door was jammed. I was holding the wheel at the standard 10 and 2 positions. The seatbelt did its thing in letting me move forward a bit. Enough to bend the steering wheel down around the steering column.

The seat belt got so hot from absorbing energy that it melted and when it was cool it was rigid. I had a large thermal burn where the belt had been resting. I was otherwise uninjured.

That really opened my eyes to the value of seat belts. The Z had a simple ratcheting mechanism and I had gotten in the habit of tugging the belt tight for a snug fit, mainly to avoid having that loose feeling on my chest. That was critical to saving my life, so said the accident reconstrutionist.

If air bombs were so vitally effective then we'd see them in race cars. What we do see is a mega version of seat belts - a 5 point harness. I'd have one of those in my vehicles it it were practical.

Finally, I'll refresh everyone's memories about air bombs. When the government first forced them on us, its claim was that they were there to protect the un-seatbelted. They made no clain of protection of properly belted people. The rest is typical mission-creep.

John

[blofgren]

I'm sorry to hear about your accident and I'm happy to hear that you and your family are OK. We understand the issues involving insurance because we were involved in an accident with our fifth wheel earlier this year, and as much as we were not at fault dealing with the insurance company is always a PITA.

In regards to the "air bombs" I too respectfully disagree that they cause more harm. I was broadsided in my 2012 F-150 work truck about 5 years ago by a Dodge Magnum. The Magnum was written off and the driver went to hospital by ambulance because the driver's air bag did not deploy. The curtain airbag and driver's seat airbag deployed in the F-150 and I walked away from the accident with only minor neck and shoulder injuries. I'm certain that my head would have went through the driver's window had the truck not had airbags. I'm definitely a believer in them after that day.

[ktmrfs]

Triker33 wrote:
Some types of injury that can be inflicted by an airbag:

Abrasion to the face, chest or upper extremities
Contusion of the face, chest, upper extremities, knees or internal organs
Strain, fracture or blunt trauma to the cervical spine
Burns on the chest, upper extremities or hands
Fracture or break in the face, upper extremities or wrists
Fracture in the skull or rib cage
Loss of consciousness or concussion injuries
Bruising or swelling of the brain
Laceration to the veins, arteries, heart, lungs or brain stem
Laceration to the liver or spleen
Compression of the brain or traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Rupture inside the heart muscle
Eye injury such as rupture to the globe, retinal tear, corneal abrasion or conjunctivitis
Hearing loss or ear trauma
Trauma to the fetus of a pregnant women or puncture in the placenta
Internal bleeding
Wrist trauma and sprained fingers
Irritation in the throat, asthma attack or coughing
Irritation of the skin, also called airbag dermatitis

injuries from no airbag.

face splattered on the windshield.
head caved in from hitting side window
big divot in the head from bending steering wheel.
new bed 6ft underground.

but to each his own.

[fj12ryder]

^^^^^You missed one: Death.

[Triker33]

Some types of injury that can be inflicted by an airbag:

Abrasion to the face, chest or upper extremities
Contusion of the face, chest, upper extremities, knees or internal organs
Strain, fracture or blunt trauma to the cervical spine
Burns on the chest, upper extremities or hands
Fracture or break in the face, upper extremities or wrists
Fracture in the skull or rib cage
Loss of consciousness or concussion injuries
Bruising or swelling of the brain
Laceration to the veins, arteries, heart, lungs or brain stem
Laceration to the liver or spleen
Compression of the brain or traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Rupture inside the heart muscle
Eye injury such as rupture to the globe, retinal tear, corneal abrasion or conjunctivitis
Hearing loss or ear trauma
Trauma to the fetus of a pregnant women or puncture in the placenta
Internal bleeding
Wrist trauma and sprained fingers
Irritation in the throat, asthma attack or coughing
Irritation of the skin, also called airbag dermatitis

[drsteve]

down home wrote:
I am sorry for your misfortune.
You never know what awaits the next mile or day.
I drive little these days but always try to travl the lesser used roads, where trucks etc are not as plentiful and to keep a lot of interval, still see more close or potential situations.
Been a while since, I saw you on usenet.
The seat belt thing and the airbags came about by GM and our Congressman, at the time.
Wife's Grandfather, was in a minor fender bender. The seat belt tore up his pancreas. He thought he was fine, just brusied, and refused treatment. Died an hour later.
There have been a few others in the extended family suffered from the seat belts, in collisions.
Most Police do not use them.
I drive the little AMG pretty rapidly at times but safely. You have to practically pry yourself out of the seats.
Brother In Law and others were hit and turned up side down in his van in a ditch. The seat belts kept them safe.
The figures are about 50/50 in favor or against. Many in accidents say they used them but didn't.
In the days, of slick bench seats, in old cars, they were beneficial. Sixty mph around a curve and you girlfriend was in your lap.
The air bags are about 65% against and 35% for, I've heard.
Lots, of injuries from them. In a head on with a train or semi or such they save lives, I supposed but with broken facial and other bones some times and deaths.
And the cost to replace one is huge making some Insurance companies total wrecked vehicles, with little damage but all the airbags deployed.
It was and is about Socialists control. About as many inured by these things as those that were hurt without them.
If I going to take the car to Leguna Seca again I will use a five point harness, but not around here, I heard someone say.

SMH... I swear, some folks just make it up while they're typing...

[MikeDRetCop]

As a professional traffic accident reconstructionist (ret), I disagree with the "air bomb" classification. Sorry sir, but the statistics don't agree either.

....oh, and I'm alive because of the supplemental restraint system.

Cheers,
Mike

[bucky]

The safety equipment mandated by law has drastically reduced injuries and deaths.
The US population in 1971 was approx 203 million with about 52 thousand fatalities
In 2016 it was approx 324 million with approx 35 thousand fatalities, and it dipped to 32 thousand or so in 2015 before texting and other distracted driving became more common.
Roads are safer, cars are safer, the missing link in safety is the drivers.

[ktmrfs]

down home wrote:
I am sorry for your misfortune.
You never know what awaits the next mile or day.
I drive little these days but always try to travl the lesser used roads, where trucks etc are not as plentiful and to keep a lot of interval, still see more close or potential situations.
Been a while since, I saw you on usenet.
The seat belt thing and the airbags came about by GM and our Congressman, at the time.
Wife's Grandfather, was in a minor fender bender. The seat belt tore up his pancreas. He thought he was fine, just brusied, and refused treatment. Died an hour later.
There have been a few others in the extended family suffered from the seat belts, in collisions.
Most Police do not use them.
I drive the little AMG pretty rapidly at times but safely. You have to practically pry yourself out of the seats.
Brother In Law and others were hit and turned up side down in his van in a ditch. The seat belts kept them safe.
The figures are about 50/50 in favor or against. Many in accidents say they used them but didn't.
In the days, of slick bench seats, in old cars, they were beneficial. Sixty mph around a curve and you girlfriend was in your lap.
The air bags are about 65% against and 35% for, I've heard.
Lots, of injuries from them. In a head on with a train or semi or such they save lives, I supposed but with broken facial and other bones some times and deaths.
And the cost to replace one is huge making some Insurance companies total wrecked vehicles, with little damage but all the airbags deployed.
It was and is about Socialists control. About as many inured by these things as those that were hurt without them.
If I going to take the car to Leguna Seca again I will use a five point harness, but not around here, I heard someone say.

show my any valid data that verifies "most police don't use them".

I know many officers and one comment they make is about people getting injuried or killed because they weren't using seat belts. all that I know religiously use belts.

In fact, in most states, police officers not using them are violating the law.

I also know 4 EMT's and they have commented also on injuries when people aren't wearing seat belts and have commented on how many have walked away from serious accidents with the help of air bags. And non of them have been to minor accidents where air bags have resulted in a death. minor injuries yes but not death or serious injuries.

is it possible yes, are the risks worth it. you decide for yourself. Personally I'm glad my vehicles have seat belts and air bags.

[owenssailor]

Here is a link to some facts about airbags.
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/airbags/qanda

They save lives. Period. However you do need to also wear seatbelt/shoulder strap belts.

I am amazed that people think it is a socialist plot The safety equipment in vehicles has drastically decreased injury and death in auto accidents. Maybe people not using them are participating in a natural selection process.

[down_home]

I am sorry for your misfortune.
You never know what awaits the next mile or day.
I drive little these days but always try to travl the lesser used roads, where trucks etc are not as plentiful and to keep a lot of interval, still see more close or potential situations.
Been a while since, I saw you on usenet.
The seat belt thing and the airbags came about by GM and our Congressman, at the time.
Wife's Grandfather, was in a minor fender bender. The seat belt tore up his pancreas. He thought he was fine, just brusied, and refused treatment. Died an hour later.
There have been a few others in the extended family suffered from the seat belts, in collisions.
Most Police do not use them.
I drive the little AMG pretty rapidly at times but safely. You have to practically pry yourself out of the seats.
Brother In Law and others were hit and turned up side down in his van in a ditch. The seat belts kept them safe.
The figures are about 50/50 in favor or against. Many in accidents say they used them but didn't.
In the days, of slick bench seats, in old cars, they were beneficial. Sixty mph around a curve and you girlfriend was in your lap.
The air bags are about 65% against and 35% for, I've heard.
Lots, of injuries from them. In a head on with a train or semi or such they save lives, I supposed but with broken facial and other bones some times and deaths.
And the cost to replace one is huge making some Insurance companies total wrecked vehicles, with little damage but all the airbags deployed.
It was and is about Socialists control. About as many inured by these things as those that were hurt without them.
If I going to take the car to Leguna Seca again I will use a five point harness, but not around here, I heard someone say.

[ScottG]

Very sorry to hear about your accident but I'd rather be beat up than dead.
The evidence is so strong that there's just on way to argue that going without bags is safer.

[DutchmenSport]

Sorry to hear about your accident. But thankful you are all OK. I sure hope you can get everything ironed out so you can get another camper VERY soon! Good luck!

[ktmrfs]

to each his own I guess on air bags. I'll take them, save way more lives than not having them. Like many things they aren't perfect and o have downsides. Part of the issue is that in the U.S. the airbag must provide protection assuming a seat belt is NOT used. In europe, the assumption is the seat belt IS used and the airbag is an adjuct to the seatbelt. Makes a big difference in air bag design and side effects. Both my cars also have squibs in the seat belts so that when a collision is detected the squib goes off pulling the seatbelt very tight preventing one from going forward untill an inertia latch catches and then puts even higher forces on the body. I wish the truck also had the seat belt squibs.

They have been used since 1990 with very good safety record, to bad very few automakers bother to use them.

[naturist]

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your RV as well as the injuries to the other driver. But I am very glad YOU and your wife were not injured.