18-Wheeler vs. Toyota Corolla. Guess who won?

[Bertha Venation]

COROLLA! WOO HOO! :woohoo: :woohoo:

This happened last night on the Capital Beltway in Maryland. The big-ass truck didn't see us. He smacked our left rear bumper and spun us so that we were glued to his grill. Across three lanes of traffic for god knows how far, we were pushed sideways. There was a huge truck grill at my left shoulder right outside the door. I'll never get the smell of burning rubber out of my memory. I'll always remember the sounds: bang, crunch, crash, squeal, crash, crunch, bang . . . .

When he stopped, finally, in the median, I managed to wiggle the Corolla away from him and turn her facing in the direction of traffic. As I called 911 he ran up to make sure no one was hurt. I don't remember ever shaking that badly, but neither of us was hurt. We were not hurt!! We're both sore as hell today, though.

We actually drove the car home. The left side is completely smashed in; the bumper is broken; the side view mirror is gone; the left rear alloy wheel is shredded. Surely I'll need four new tires - doubtless each has a big bald spot.

Mrs. V. can't stop saying "I'm astonished." It really is shocking, given the violence of the wreck and the speed at which we were traveling. How we avoided being flipped, I will never know. Mrs. V. attributes it to our low center of gravity. I guess that's it. She says, "We're never owning anything but Toyotas." I agree.

Let's hear it for LIFE! :party:

[MissMillie]

1. My word! Thank goodness you're ok!

That sounds like a horrifying ordeal!

[Bertha Venation]

8. It was loads of fun for the whole family!

;)

thanks, MM

[MissMillie]

11. Maybe you can design a thrill ride for Six Flags over Baltimore....

:shrug:

There's big money in those thrill rides.

[Bertha Venation]

19. Hmm... a thrill ride about car wrecks

Isn't that called bumper cars? ;)

I think such a ride would be too scary. I wouldn't go on it.

[graywarrior]

2. Holy crap! What an experience!!!!

Glad you're ok and I'm gonna go hug my Camry right now.

[Bertha Venation]

9. Give her a pat on the head for me, too, GW

Thanks . . . :hi:

[Symarip]

3. Woohoo!

That is excellent news. Sorry about your car, though. But glad you and yours are safe. It's strange how a brush with death can make you thankful for what we all take for granted.

The beltway is nuts. I had a gig in Baltimore last month so I had to take the 66 to the 495 to the 95. Scared the living Raptor Jesus out of me. People say So Cal traffic is nuts? Please!

[Bertha Venation]

10. I agree re So Cal traffic. I grew up there ---

traffic here is worse, by far.

Thanks, Symarip :hi:

[driver8]

29. I live in So Cal -- the drivers here got nothin' on the drivers in Boston!

Boston drivers are much crazier than Los Angeles drivers.

[Symarip]

32. Why pass on the left when you can pass on the right?

Yeah, I've been to Boston.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. OMG! I'd be pooping my pants for another week after that.

Thank God you survived it!

:scared:

I need a drink just after reading that.

[Bertha Venation]

13. We'd just left dinner with friends, and Mrs. V. was, well, a little more than

tipsy. She believes she would've been hurt if she hadn't been so lose.

Thanks Rabrrrrrrr :hi:

[Haole Girl]

5. OMG, Bertha!!

I'm so glad you are ok!! Yep, Toyota Corollas as great little cars. Toyota is very big on safety.

:hug:

[Bertha Venation]

14. Thank goodness for that!

Thanks, KC. :hug:

[fishwax]

6. wow!

:wow:

I'm glad you're both okay!

[Bertha Venation]

15. thanks a bunch, fishwax

:hi:

[auntAgonist]

7. holy shit! I'm SO thankful

you were NOT hurt. :hug: I was afraid to open the thread.

Having seen so many horrible accidents on the highway in my life ........ I'm glad, so glad you're both ok!!


:loveya: :hug: :loveya:


kesha

[Bertha Venation]

16. kesha, I adore you

thank you for your kindness, dear friend :loveya:

[livetohike]

12. I'm glad you and Mrs. V are okay

Yay for Toyota Corollas (I have one, too) :toast: and :hug: for both of you enduring that accident.

[Bertha Venation]

17. hi, livetohike

Aren't Corollas just awesome? I love it. :hug: Thanks

[livetohike]

27. Ours is a stick shift and driving it around these two lane

country roads in PA is really fun. I'm glad to hear they are very, very safe too :hi:.

[redqueen]

18. Holy crap!

:wow:

SO glad y'all are okay!

WOW!

:hug:

[Bertha Venation]

20. me too, RQ!

thanks :hug:

[Shell Beau]

21. Scary! So glad to hear y'all are ok!!!

:hug:

[Bertha Venation]

23. thanks, Shell

How's that sweet little boo?

[Shell Beau]

33. She is just a cooing away right now! So cute!

:)

[Blue Diadem]

22. Oh Bertha, I'm so glad you and Mrs. V are ok.

That had to be terrifying. :hug:

:party: :toast: to LIFE!

[Bertha Venation]

24. I'll drink to that!

:toast:

Thanks, Ohio

[Tommy_Carcetti]

25. The DC Beltway: The worst of the worst traffic circles in the DC area.

Glad you're okay.

My tiny 1994 Dodge Shadow protected me without a scratch when it was sandwiched between an oversized pickup truck and the car in front of it after the oversized pickup truck rear-ended it at 60mph on I-95 and pushed it into the car in front of me.

You'd be surpised how durable some of these smaller cars are in accidents.

[Bertha Venation]

26. god damn right about that

Thanks, Peter :hi:

[LynzM]

28. Holy crap, Bertha!!

I'm SO glad you guys are ok, that is a crazy accident! Geez! :hug: :hug: :hug:

[Bertha Venation]

34. Hey, Lynzm

Holy crap/holy shit seem to be the most common response IRL, too. Everyone I've told has been agape. I am thrilled to have survived this.

:hug: :hi: thanks

[driver8]

30. Wow!! Glad to hear that you're ok! n/t

[Bertha Venation]

35. thank you, driver

:hi:

[TZ]

31. OMG!

I used to own a Corolla and I drive the beltway alot! You are sooo lucky no one was hurt!
I've nearly been run off the road by big ass trucks that don't CHECK THEIR FUCKING MIRRORS-in fact I was scared to death by something like that merging from the tollbooth after the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
:wow:

[Bertha Venation]

36. i detest being frightened

i know how you must've felt :hug:

[BarenakedLady]

37. Oh my goodness!

How awful! I'm so glad you are both ok.

:hug:

[Bertha Venation]

42. thank you so much, BNL

still sore today, but still fine :hi:

[krispos42]

38. Have one on me

[Bertha Venation]

43. LOL

:thumbsup: thanks!

[mwdem]

39. Wow, Bertha!

I've driven the Beltway, and I'm sure it's even worse now. My daughter has a Corolla, and she loves it. She'll probably buy a newer one soon. You and Mrs. V are very lucky, indeed!

[Bertha Venation]

44. Tell your daughter about this.

Corollas are awesome. :hi:

[JVS]

40. Pants-shitting terror!

:wow:

[Bertha Venation]

45. Fortunately, that part of the terror

saved itself until we got home. :hi:

[jobycom]

41. That's sounds so freaking FUN!!!

Well, not to actually go through, though! Wow, glad you're alright.

[Bertha Venation]

46. WOO HOO

We're alive. WE'RE ALIVE! :hi:

[rug]

47. Good grief!

I hope you didn't have any cats with you.

[Bertha Venation]

48. LOLOL

:yourock: thanks for the chuckle

:hi:

[prole_for_peace]

49. So glad all that turned out ok.

I just bought a Corolla last month and I love it. Now I will love it even more.

[Bertha Venation]

51. It's a great car.

:thumbsup:

[Flaxbee]

50. holy crap, bertha!

:hug: :hug: to you and Mrs. V! How absolutely terrifying! My husband and I were in a bad accident in June but it was a smack-and-fly-apart kind of accident (someone ran a red going 60mph and damn near t-boned directly into my husband); I CANNOT IMAGINE being pushed along eye-to-eye with a semi's grill.

So glad you're OK. SO GLAD. Did the driver of the semi explain what the hell happened?

[Bertha Venation]

52. Yeah, he explained. He didn't see us.

The trooper on the scene didn't make a report. He called it in and gave us a case number, but that's all; he wrote nothing up. By state law no report is required since no one was hurt and we could both drive away. The trooper did tell me, though, that the other guy admitted fault, saying, "I just didn't see them."

Maybe he will watch better in the future.

[madeline_con]

53. OMG! That must have been FREAKY scary!

Thank goodness you'l live to see another Christmas!! :hug:

[Bertha Venation]

54. Hear, hear! Have a beer!

:toast: