How to kill a Ford Taurus in less than a second

[Punisher Bass]

Some of you might remember my last topic on this very car.

http://forums.finalgear.com/general-automotive/bringing-a-ford-taurus-back-to-life-19410/

Consider this the sequle.

After spending a lot of money and time getting this car road worthy again, it is now worthless. My mom was driving it tonight after just picking up my sister. Not half a mile from home she stopped behind someone who was getting ready to make a left turn. Then from out of nowhere she sees this large black thing coming at her in the rear view and BAM. A black and gold Lexus plowed into her rear end at 45 miles per hour. The Lexus didn't start to slow down till he was kissing her bumper.

The impact was so violent my sister's glasses flew off her face, hit the windshield, and then landed in the back seat. Cops arrive, EMT's arrive, yadda yadda yadda. Both my mom and sister went to the hospital, they both suffered major whiplash with my mom taking the brunt of the damage. My sister should be ok, she'll just be in pain for a while which should be ok with scripts she was given. My mom was not so lucky.

Her whiplash is much worse effecting her head, neck, shoulders, and back. She (along with my sister) were given an injection for pain and anti inflamitory stuff. She's in a lot of pain, but she should be ok.

The car on the other hand is bad. I'll let the pictures do the talking.













The Lexus came out with little damage as did the driver. Turns out the driver is 73 years old AND lives on our street. I know he's a bad driver because I've seen him drive like an asshole before. There is also a witness who came forward and told the cops what happened. As for a lawsuit... well both my mom and sister work for lawfirms and I'll leave it at that.

I am in a dimention of pissed off I have never been in before. I highly doubt the car can be saved, and even if it could, the repairs would cost more than the car is worth. So once again we're down to one car and we can't afford a new car payment.

This has just been a nightmare.

[Blind_Io]

I'm not usually in favor of litigation, but in this case it sounds justified since the other driver is habitually an asshole on the road.

Hopefully you can replace the car with the settlement from their insurance company.

[Spectre]

And maybe this time get something that's not a Taurus.

Good that nobody was seriously injured, though.

Make sure someone pulls the Lexus' "black box" ASAP.

[Punisher Bass]

For some reason the air bags in both cars didn't go off. The cops said it wasn't totally strange in the Ford since they were hit from the rear, but it was odd that they didn't go off in the Lexus. I just tried to take some pictures of the skid marks where my mom's car was pushed forward after getting hit, but there is no way I can do it this late (11:40PM). So first thing in the morning I'll take another crack at it. I drove down my street looking for his car... tempting oh so tempting.

[Viper007Bond]

I swear, old people should be taken off the road. What a dumbass.

Sue away.

[Punisher Bass]

Just a few months ago, just down the road a little from where these pictures were taken, some old lady plowed into Shiloh (where I really live) School and ran over a kid killing him. She was on her way to take a safe driving class or license renewal test or something of that nature. She drove through a wall, ran him over, and kept on going for a couple hundred feet.

[nist7]

Originally Posted by Viper007Bond

I swear, old people should be taken off the road. What a dumbass.

Sue away.

Just like there is a minimum age to driving, there should be a maximum. I say from 60 and on-wards there must be yearly testing and complete ban of anyone over 70 driving the roads.

Originally Posted by Punisher Bass

Just a few months ago, just down the road a little from where these pictures were taken, some old lady plowed into Shiloh (where I really live) School and ran over a kid killing him. She was on her way to take a safe driving class or license renewal test or something of that nature. She drove through a wall, ran him over, and kept on going for a couple hundred feet.

Wow....just wow.

Well the most important thing is that your family did not die or suffer disabling injuries.

Oh and don't forget to take out anything that's worth taking from the car before it gets looned to a junk yard. Battery, tires, wheels, hubcaps, radio, plugs, alternator, etc. etc. Or you can buy another Taurus of the same generation and use this as a parts car!

edit: oh, and one more thing. The elderly probably get VERY lenient punishment as opposed to those who are younger. What a load of bull!

[Punisher Bass]

Right now the car is sitting in a lot in Offallon, I wanted them to take it to my mechanic's but the tow truck guy refused because it was slightly after hours and they got in trouble for doing that before. Atleast that is the story he gave me. We're going to call the insurance company in the morning and see what's what.

[thedguy]

Sorry to hear about the accident, hope the moms is alright.

Originally Posted by Viper007Bond

I swear, old people should be taken off the road. What a dumbass.

Sue away.

I'm a firm believer in the "above 65 should be tested EVERY year" policy.

[nist7]

Originally Posted by Punisher Bass

Right now the car is sitting in a lot in Offallon, I wanted them to take it to my mechanic's but the tow truck guy refused because it was slightly after hours and they got in trouble for doing that before. Atleast that is the story he gave me. We're going to call the insurance company in the morning and see what's what.

Well, the car is your property. A close friend of mine totalled his Town Car a couple years back and the junk yard that it went to let him have a whole day to rip out anything he wanted before the title of the car is transferred/trashed over to the junk yard guys.

As I said, part out as much as feasible. You can even make a few more bucks on eBay/craigslist on top of what the junk yard'll give ya.

[Viper007Bond]

Originally Posted by nist7

Just like there is a minimum age to driving, there should be a maximum. I say from 60 and on-wards there must be yearly testing and complete ban of anyone over 70 driving the roads.

I don't think there's an age where everyone should be banned. I just think yearly tests for all should be required. Some people age poorly, some age GREAT.

[nist7]

Originally Posted by Viper007Bond

I don't think there's an age where everyone should be banned. I just think yearly tests for all should be required. Some people age poorly, some age GREAT.

Hrm, good point. Guess I was in a fit of rage.

[Blind_Io]

Did the driver of the Lexus ask for directions to the Farmer's Market after the crash?

[cvrefugee]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

Did the driver of the Lexus ask for directions to the Farmer's Market after the crash?

That guy was such an asshole. How many people did he kill again?

[NAIDANAC A]

I say everyone who doesn't pass a really hard actual driving course drives a smart car...so the damage they do is minimal and too themselves. Not to mention that it would be a more eco-friendly situation.

I feel bad for you man, and hope you family gets better.

[Cobol74]

Sad sight indeed - hope that your mum's injuries completely heal. I'm with Viper on re-testing, I think that the UK does something when you hit 70. I'll look it up. Technically until the insurance company settle the claim the vehicle is yours, once the claim is settled then it belongs to them, I'd get your usable bits off it pronto. In the UK at least they are not that bothered with inspecting the remains and just get it taken away to the scrap yard but you'd be on shaky legal ground.

Right, are the Police going to press charges against person driving the lexus? Here it would be, at least, "driving without due care and attention".

[Punisher Bass]

I don't know. As I understand it we have to accept their settlement before they can haul it away. If that's the case then I'll be sure to gut that car before it goes away.

Spectre, you've delt with this kind of thing recently, isn't that how it works?

[Spectre]

Originally Posted by Punisher Bass

I don't know. As I understand it we have to accept their settlement before they can haul it away. If that's the case then I'll be sure to gut that car before it goes away.

Spectre, you've delt with this kind of thing recently, isn't that how it works?

Sort of. You can't strip it before they offer you the settlement other than to remove personal effects not related to the car itself (CDs, documents, bags, etc., etc.), as that is what they will base their settlement offer on. If you do take their offer and do not buy the wreckage back, you've just given them the car and unless they give you permission, they cannot strip it. If you take their offer and then buy the car back, then the car is yours to do with as you wish and you can strip and part it out prior to sending it off to the boneyard. If you do not take the offer, you still can't touch the car, because again, any further offer or court action will be based upon the condition of the car as it sits.

I *just* got finished with a court case from 2000 - someone hit the 85 XJ6 I was driving then and their insurance company refused to pay what the car was worth. They figured that I would simply take the settlement and go away as I theoretically needed the car for work. The problem with that idea was 1) I have a number of lawyers on speed dial, 2) I had no problems with just letting the car sit as is in storage until the court system was done with it, and 3) I had two other cars and a motorcycle. I didn't "need" the XJ6. So, basically, the car sat and decayed (said decay can be added to the eventual court settlement, along with loss of use, etc., etc.) for a number of years until the case was finally decided (in my favor). Since then, I've been dismantling the car for spare parts - but I had to sit on it for six years.

Bottom line: No, you can't start stripping it out now.

[Cobol74]

OK Spectre - thats it here too, I have discovered. Strange bits do 'mysterously' go missing from damaged cars tho'.

I think that the injury claim should be vigously persued though - stop this clown doing it to anyone else. Looks like he did not breake at all.

[epp_b]

...well both my mom and sister work for lawfirms and I'll leave it at that.

That is brilliantly convenient!

I'm not usually one to condone litigation either, but...for someone who chronically drives like a twat, something like this was bound to happen and he ought to be taken off the road one way or another.

Just like there is a minimum age to driving, there should be a maximum. I say from 60 and on-wards there must be yearly testing and complete ban of anyone over 70 driving the roads.

To ban a specific age outright, I think, is unfair. I would be highly in favour of required periodic testing, however.