Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Got rear-ended today. Was stopped waiting for traffic,(red lite) and suddenly hear tiresqueal behind me. Then got SMACKED!
After putting glasses back on, and finding my cel-phone, I looked in the rear-view mirror. couldn't really tell much, so pulled forward a little (lite had turned green and other cars had gone away) out of the traffic lane. Other guy pulls his onto the median, and parks. He said he got distracted, and then he was on me. Couldn't swerve to right (other traffic). Had no choice/ locked 'em up, but nailed me, just to the right of the trailer hitch's drawbar.
Twisted the bumper a bit, shined the brackets on the hitch, left some blue paint on the chrome, broke the tail-lite (not the bulb, or the functional part of the lens), and a slight bow in the tailgate.
His truck didn't fare nearly as well. Cut the radiator, framerail protruding thru his front bumper, driver's lite shattered, fender overlapping door about 3/4", hood bowed to about a 10-12" peak above fender. End of his bumper bowed all the way to the tire.
Both had seatbelts (mine inconsequential from this direction), but his didn't tighten up very well... bounced his chest off the steering wheel. (could have been worse, I suppose)
When I got out and went to see if he was OK, he was rubbing his chest. (thought to myself "OMG the old guy's gonna survive the accident, only to croak with the truck in park"). Such was not the case, however, and finally the cop arrived to write up the mess.
He and I aggreed it was a good thing we were both in fairly heavy vehicles
. (although maybe he might have not had such a nasty damage if I'd been a little lighter---but then, how much more to me???)
GOD LOVES BIG TRUCKS! (I'm convinced of it) People are nearly always safer in one.
No ambulances, and only one tow truck needed.
Already got a quote for a stock replacement bumper ($355 from the dealership), so now I need to figure out a good aftermarket bumper to replace with. (preferably with ports for some real backup lites)
Suppose there may have been damage to the hitch? I suspect I'll have the insurance guy, and maybe a hitch shop BOTH evaluate that. If that's functionally damaged, that would be a good excuse to go with a Reese Titan!
Might get decent upgrades for just a couple hundred of my own out-of-pocket dollars... Woo-hoo!
Any suggestions for a good HD bumper? I'm just way too time-challenged to realistically build my own...
After putting glasses back on, and finding my cel-phone, I looked in the rear-view mirror. couldn't really tell much, so pulled forward a little (lite had turned green and other cars had gone away) out of the traffic lane. Other guy pulls his onto the median, and parks. He said he got distracted, and then he was on me. Couldn't swerve to right (other traffic). Had no choice/ locked 'em up, but nailed me, just to the right of the trailer hitch's drawbar.
Twisted the bumper a bit, shined the brackets on the hitch, left some blue paint on the chrome, broke the tail-lite (not the bulb, or the functional part of the lens), and a slight bow in the tailgate.
His truck didn't fare nearly as well. Cut the radiator, framerail protruding thru his front bumper, driver's lite shattered, fender overlapping door about 3/4", hood bowed to about a 10-12" peak above fender. End of his bumper bowed all the way to the tire.
Both had seatbelts (mine inconsequential from this direction), but his didn't tighten up very well... bounced his chest off the steering wheel. (could have been worse, I suppose)
When I got out and went to see if he was OK, he was rubbing his chest. (thought to myself "OMG the old guy's gonna survive the accident, only to croak with the truck in park"). Such was not the case, however, and finally the cop arrived to write up the mess.
He and I aggreed it was a good thing we were both in fairly heavy vehicles
. (although maybe he might have not had such a nasty damage if I'd been a little lighter---but then, how much more to me???)GOD LOVES BIG TRUCKS! (I'm convinced of it) People are nearly always safer in one.
No ambulances, and only one tow truck needed.
Already got a quote for a stock replacement bumper ($355 from the dealership), so now I need to figure out a good aftermarket bumper to replace with. (preferably with ports for some real backup lites)
Suppose there may have been damage to the hitch? I suspect I'll have the insurance guy, and maybe a hitch shop BOTH evaluate that. If that's functionally damaged, that would be a good excuse to go with a Reese Titan!
Might get decent upgrades for just a couple hundred of my own out-of-pocket dollars... Woo-hoo!
Any suggestions for a good HD bumper? I'm just way too time-challenged to realistically build my own...
. I hit a guy two years ago in my Lifted Toyota 4x4. Typical head up @ss deal. Looked at the radio looked up and *&%^$#&%. Hit the back of a 94 New Yorker at 35mph. My truck had the factory brushguard that had been modified on the bottom for more clearnace. The gaurd hit above his bumper and obliterated his car. I layed the truck over in the ditch to make sure I didn't get hit from behind(he was off the brakes and I launched him). The Locker got me out of the ditch with a little creativity. The new yorker was totaled. Tailights to the back seat(he was ok as was I thank god) The toyota came out with $180 worth of damage. Mangled my already rock mangled lower valance and trashed my Off road lights. Makes it kinda scary to think of all the SUV vs Car accidents that happen all the time. The SUV/Truck bumper just flat misse the car bumpers and goes right for the soft parts. 
