Warning, Long.
CLIFF NOTES:
Semi vs. Cobra. Wasn't even close. Cobra is probably totalled. I am fine, actually walked away without a scratch. Just lucky I guess :shrug: :cryying:
FULL THING:
I was driving down to my brother's (in Florida) to get the clutch pulled in order to send to Spec for warranty investigation (long story in and of itself). I was making good time (covered 450 miles in 5 hours
) with no problems at all. Was in a construction zone on I-95 right around St. Augustine, and it begin raining lightly. I slowed to 65 or so (limit was 60) due to the rain, even though the car felt fine, no slipping at all. I was passing about the 45th semi when from out of no where, the rearend COMPLETELY looses traction and slides to my right. Even though I know better, I wasn't really thinking, and eased on the brakes, which, of course, sent the nose of the car to the right and the rear to the left MUCH more dramatically. I watched in horror as the nose went under the Semi truck's trailer, and then a loud BANG and all kinds of flashes and smoke and debris shot from the front as the semi appeared to run over the front of the car. This sent the car careening the other direction, at least until the back of the semi trailer hit the back of the car, which caused my rear windows to explode, sent a HUGE push forward and slammed the nose of the car directly into a guardrail at about 60 MPH. When this happened, the jolt was phenomenal, everything went explosively white all of the sudden, and my airbags (both of them) exploded. I was wearing my seatbelt, so they didn't really hit me, just shocked me. At this point, I just pulled my hands in and put them over my face and waited to die. The car stopped shortly there after, and even though I didn't want to, I immediately looked over to my left (my driver's side door was facing oncoming traffic) and thried to see the car that was going to kill me. Luckily, amazingly, that car was a Ford Explorer that, despite the fact that he was following too closely, managed to stop well short of hitting me. Even better, everyone behind him also managed to stop. I unbuckled my seatbelt and ran to the median. The cars went around, except for the trucker who I hit, who stopped a bit up the road (unharmed but hopping mad), and the one behind him, who stopped to make sure I was OK. The trucker took charge and began waving people on and setting up cones. THis is good, because I was in no condition, I was stunned, and sick, at the same time. I amanaged to keep control of my bodily functions, but I wanted to puke when I saw my car. Everything that existed in front of the front wheels is now gone. Not damaged, not broken.....disentegrated. The aforementioned windows are gone. The trunk popped open and cracked, the roof warped, the passenger side rear quarterpanel is destroyed, the rear bumper is mangled. Amazingly though, the wheels and tires are perfect, and the car still rolls. The frame appears bent, but the tow truck driver thinks it isn't bent bad enough to be totalled. I will have to wait for insurance to tell me. Maybe. This brings up another issue, due to a dispute with the insurance company, which I don't know if I can comment on yet, I may not be covered for the accident. That's right, I may have to pay out of my own pocket. The damage appears to be at LEAST 15K worth, and I don't know that I can get it fixed without insurance, but we will have to see. One thing about this before someone accuses me of driving without insurance, according to my wife and the agent she spoke to, we HAD insurance. But now, they are disputing what we were told, and are launching an investigation as to what we were told. That's all I can say, but I thought I was covered.
Anyway, no one was hurt, and the only damage was to my car and the guardrail. The semi didn't have a scratch. At least that is good.
Anyhow, I was stranded in St. Augustine for a day until my wife could come get me. Just got home tonight. The car is still there, or I would have pictures. Sorry.
Sorry for the long windedness, I think I will go puke now.
CLIFF NOTES:
Semi vs. Cobra. Wasn't even close. Cobra is probably totalled. I am fine, actually walked away without a scratch. Just lucky I guess :shrug: :cryying:
FULL THING:
I was driving down to my brother's (in Florida) to get the clutch pulled in order to send to Spec for warranty investigation (long story in and of itself). I was making good time (covered 450 miles in 5 hours
) with no problems at all. Was in a construction zone on I-95 right around St. Augustine, and it begin raining lightly. I slowed to 65 or so (limit was 60) due to the rain, even though the car felt fine, no slipping at all. I was passing about the 45th semi when from out of no where, the rearend COMPLETELY looses traction and slides to my right. Even though I know better, I wasn't really thinking, and eased on the brakes, which, of course, sent the nose of the car to the right and the rear to the left MUCH more dramatically. I watched in horror as the nose went under the Semi truck's trailer, and then a loud BANG and all kinds of flashes and smoke and debris shot from the front as the semi appeared to run over the front of the car. This sent the car careening the other direction, at least until the back of the semi trailer hit the back of the car, which caused my rear windows to explode, sent a HUGE push forward and slammed the nose of the car directly into a guardrail at about 60 MPH. When this happened, the jolt was phenomenal, everything went explosively white all of the sudden, and my airbags (both of them) exploded. I was wearing my seatbelt, so they didn't really hit me, just shocked me. At this point, I just pulled my hands in and put them over my face and waited to die. The car stopped shortly there after, and even though I didn't want to, I immediately looked over to my left (my driver's side door was facing oncoming traffic) and thried to see the car that was going to kill me. Luckily, amazingly, that car was a Ford Explorer that, despite the fact that he was following too closely, managed to stop well short of hitting me. Even better, everyone behind him also managed to stop. I unbuckled my seatbelt and ran to the median. The cars went around, except for the trucker who I hit, who stopped a bit up the road (unharmed but hopping mad), and the one behind him, who stopped to make sure I was OK. The trucker took charge and began waving people on and setting up cones. THis is good, because I was in no condition, I was stunned, and sick, at the same time. I amanaged to keep control of my bodily functions, but I wanted to puke when I saw my car. Everything that existed in front of the front wheels is now gone. Not damaged, not broken.....disentegrated. The aforementioned windows are gone. The trunk popped open and cracked, the roof warped, the passenger side rear quarterpanel is destroyed, the rear bumper is mangled. Amazingly though, the wheels and tires are perfect, and the car still rolls. The frame appears bent, but the tow truck driver thinks it isn't bent bad enough to be totalled. I will have to wait for insurance to tell me. Maybe. This brings up another issue, due to a dispute with the insurance company, which I don't know if I can comment on yet, I may not be covered for the accident. That's right, I may have to pay out of my own pocket. The damage appears to be at LEAST 15K worth, and I don't know that I can get it fixed without insurance, but we will have to see. One thing about this before someone accuses me of driving without insurance, according to my wife and the agent she spoke to, we HAD insurance. But now, they are disputing what we were told, and are launching an investigation as to what we were told. That's all I can say, but I thought I was covered. Anyway, no one was hurt, and the only damage was to my car and the guardrail. The semi didn't have a scratch. At least that is good.
Anyhow, I was stranded in St. Augustine for a day until my wife could come get me. Just got home tonight. The car is still there, or I would have pictures. Sorry.
Sorry for the long windedness, I think I will go puke now.
