Feeling a LITTLE unsafe.

[peterpit]

We got some beautiful weather today in Oklahoma (72 degrees), so I decided to take a drive. While at an intersection a car ran a yellow light and almost T-Boned another car. It got me thinking about my Z. I'm 5'11" and 225 lbs and the broader shoulder witdth puts me right up against the door. I could'nt imagine what a wreck would look like in the Z versus my 2000 Maxima. Even with my 85 300zxt and 91TT I felt like there was more car between me and the elements. Just some thoughts for those who like to drive a little crazy, which we are all guilty of once in a while.

[Mike]

Luck of the straw my friend.

You help avoid those odds by looking both ways before you head into an intersection -- even if it's your green light.

And stay far away from Minivans and Volvos. :dead:

[beandip]

MAN YOU NAILED IT THAT AND I DONT FOLLOW TRUCKS THERE ALWAYS DROPING THINGS AND OR HAVING STUFF BLOW OUT OF THE BACK OF THE PICKUPS.

[2ManyZs]

When the light turns green, think about this. On average at a busy intersection, three cars will try to beat the red by speeding up and blowing through the intersection on yellow........unless there is a red light camera at the intersection, in which case you might better figure on two....:stupid:

[my_mad_z]

I had some idiot in a VW Transporter Van do a u-turn directly infront of me and I couldn't avoid him; ended up T-boning the van and flipped it over from the impact........my Z was ruined and the b**tard had the nerve to accuse me of being in the wrong.......Police clarified that I was in the right! The Z took the impact pretty well, in terms of saving me, but the car is a wreck now.......insurance were tight a*ses, giving me a very poor payout......oh well, what can you do???:disappoin

[Alex 240Z]

In Florida there are plenty of pick up and suv drivers who just love tail gate or just take advantage of some one with a sports car almost every time I take out my Z there is just one dummy trying either to get me to race or just trying to cut me off or just bust my chops I guess it the heat down here or the Florida mentality!!!!! Maybe I just over protective of my Z but I also know what it is like to be in an accident with one I have had my share, in my younger days I could take the blame for a few but as I got older I got wiser and a lot more careful!!!!!!!

[26ounce]

I understand how you feel peterpit. In fact it made even worse by the fact that Zs are so low to the ground.

Do you guys have "bull bars" in the US? Here in Oz two out of three SUVs has a bull bar (also known as a roo bar, as in kangaroo). It's not enough to have the biggest and heaviest car on the roads, they also have to bolt an offensive weapon to the front of it. I guess it compensates for the increased stopping distance:dead:

While I'm ranting, I hate driving the Z in traffic because I can't see anything past the car in front of me. As a result I need to leave a reasonable gap to allow for this lack of vision, unfortunately this also generates a procession of cars cutting in front of me. Drives me nuts!!!

[beandip]

For 2many great to have you back, and I agree with the signals being run . I was with the Fire Dept in L A for 22yrs and spent over 6yrs assigned to Rescue Amb. and this thing of running the yellow turning red is the thing that kills more people than we all realize. Out of habbit I still look both ways even when the light is green and it has saved my butt more than once. and for 26ounce some times I wonder about the "cow catchers" on the front of these SUs especially the luxury cars, I guess that they are cheeper than a penile implant!

[hmsports]

...I'm a little concerned that you know how much a penile implant costs...

I've noticed here in St. Louis, especially the I-70 corridor into downtown, that things are getting closer to the way they were in Mad Max!

And most people here act as though stop signs with white borders around them are optional...

[kmack]

I only get to drive my Z once in awhile, usually about once a week.

So yesterday I driving back to work from lunch exiting the freeway....a car on the access road doesn't yield and cuts across 2 lanes to get right in front of me going 25 mph! I slid to a stop and luckily didn't hit them. But of all things, the car was a 280ZX! Painted light purple and with a woman driver!! (No offense to the ladies on this site) Then she had the nerve to flip me off afterwards.

Stuff like this makes me not want to drive my car, but the fun I have just driving it is enough to overcome the very few instances like the one above. Our cars are meant to be driven, so drive them! Just make sure you're careful and paying attention to the world going on around you....because $20 says the Volvo on the right and the Suburban on the left aren't paying attention, especially to you.

[beandip]

I have just here roomers as to the cost no worries mate

[MoNkEy]

Nothing against woman drivers, or mini-vans.. but I hate them both... hehe.. I have a reason too..

Now, minding my own buisness going to school one day, I was in the far right lane, to turn right into the parking lot. Before the parking lot enterance, is an exit from a half-circle drive, that the school buses use to drop the kids off.. We'll, a lady in a Mini-van was sitting there looking to the right with her left blinker on, then she starts to go, WHILE STILL LOOKING TO THE RIGHT..

I was like *BAM, CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESH* $^!#... STUPID F'in *prostitute* and other choise words, but not to her face, only in my truck..

Well anyway.. I get out feeling a bit shaken, as this is my first accident, ever.. and I just got my license a few months before..

I go check to see if shes alright, the lady is sitting in the Van, with the engine still running, while her radiator fan chopping away, because it had fallen out.. and she still is sitting inside with the engine running.. I ask if shes alright, and then tell her to shut off the engine.. well finally she does..

There was about 10-15 eye witnesses including my friend, who was driving right behind me, and saw it all.. Some kid called the police department, and within 5 minutes an officer arived..

Told him the story, and he gave her a citation, and 100% blame..

Well.. great, I took my truck to a body shop, and they asked if it was drivable, which it was, but I wasnt stylin or nothin anymore..

hay hay, they can get me in within a month! great..

So I drove my truck with damage for about 2 weeks, then waited for it to get back for 3 weeks..

So I went for a month without driving my truck, and they gave me a 2.0l dodge neon.. my god.. its like riding a bike trying to pull 1,000lbs compared to my 4.3l truck.

well anyway, the repairs costed $5,230+ or somthing.

and I was happy to get my truck back, it recieved.. a new front panel, new door, new door sil, new ... well everything on the right side is new.. ohh, and my right side tire was slashed, so i told them I'd buy 4 new ones (which I was planning on doing THAT DAY, weird huh) if they paid for 2, because I have posi, and it would wear really fast if you only put 1 new one on.

heres a pic of the Minivan that hit me..

Phht.. you call that an accident?

And heres what she did to my truck!

notice the nice white marks that were caused by the core support, cutting into the sheet metal..

sucks huh..