Marcus-San Diego
11-28-2002, 04:06 AM
I am sure that many of you have heard about the accident, but I will elaborate now.
The accident occurred at around 8:50 pm on the 52 West freeway in San Diego. We were just passing, I believe, the 163 freeway.
Without getting into all of the details, let me just say that my wife was driving and we lost control of the car, mainly because she overcorrected the steering. We were travelling the speed limit, which is about 65mph.
We hit a car that was on our right side and hooked his rear quarter panel, which twisted our car slightly. At that point, we flipped the car on its side (driver's side) and skidded about 50 or 60 yards. After that, and I have no idea how this happened, we got turned upside down on the roof. We have a panoramic sunroof (backseat and front seat) and those exploded because of the friction with the freeway.
Sparks were shooting into the vehicle as we travelled upside down and there was a very bright orange glow, which really scared me as I thought the car might start on fire. (The car never started on fire, by the way.) We were completely harnessed in by our seatbelts so there was plenty of room between the roof and our seats. Probably a good foot and a half. We travelled upside down for a good five seconds (not sure on distance).
I was alert the entire time and was thinking that I wanted to stop. I had no injuries that I could feel. My wife had no injuries that we could see.
When the car came to a complete stop, we both looked over at each other and confirmed that neither of us were seriously hurt. At that point we both released our seatbelts and dropped with a thud on the ground. I bumped my head and so did my wife, which gave her a concussion. But she was still conscious.
Next, I yelled at the wife to bolt out of the car. That wasn't a problem since my wife's door was completely gone. It was down the road somewhere.
We both, miraculously, only sustained minor (and I mean minor) cuts and bruises. Aside from my wife's concussion, we made it out with flying colors. My wife was kept in the hospital tonight just for observation. She is completely alert and doing well. It's just a precaution.
The MINI, by the way, was totalled. No two ways about it. But it handled like a champ and saved its passengers. That's all that counts. The fact that we both walked away says a lot about the safety of this car. Airbags deployed as they should. The car's gas line was cut off, the battery was disabled, the car's hazards flashed as they should, and the doors remained locked during the entire incident (except my wife's, of course, which was sheered off).
Four hours after the accident and I am home. My wife would be home, too, except for the fact that they want to watch her overnight. A CAT scan revealed no injuries.
So, we are safe, the car is totalled, and we have a lot to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.
We will be getting another MINI Cooper S.
Take care.
The accident occurred at around 8:50 pm on the 52 West freeway in San Diego. We were just passing, I believe, the 163 freeway.
Without getting into all of the details, let me just say that my wife was driving and we lost control of the car, mainly because she overcorrected the steering. We were travelling the speed limit, which is about 65mph.
We hit a car that was on our right side and hooked his rear quarter panel, which twisted our car slightly. At that point, we flipped the car on its side (driver's side) and skidded about 50 or 60 yards. After that, and I have no idea how this happened, we got turned upside down on the roof. We have a panoramic sunroof (backseat and front seat) and those exploded because of the friction with the freeway.
Sparks were shooting into the vehicle as we travelled upside down and there was a very bright orange glow, which really scared me as I thought the car might start on fire. (The car never started on fire, by the way.) We were completely harnessed in by our seatbelts so there was plenty of room between the roof and our seats. Probably a good foot and a half. We travelled upside down for a good five seconds (not sure on distance).
I was alert the entire time and was thinking that I wanted to stop. I had no injuries that I could feel. My wife had no injuries that we could see.
When the car came to a complete stop, we both looked over at each other and confirmed that neither of us were seriously hurt. At that point we both released our seatbelts and dropped with a thud on the ground. I bumped my head and so did my wife, which gave her a concussion. But she was still conscious.
Next, I yelled at the wife to bolt out of the car. That wasn't a problem since my wife's door was completely gone. It was down the road somewhere.
We both, miraculously, only sustained minor (and I mean minor) cuts and bruises. Aside from my wife's concussion, we made it out with flying colors. My wife was kept in the hospital tonight just for observation. She is completely alert and doing well. It's just a precaution.
The MINI, by the way, was totalled. No two ways about it. But it handled like a champ and saved its passengers. That's all that counts. The fact that we both walked away says a lot about the safety of this car. Airbags deployed as they should. The car's gas line was cut off, the battery was disabled, the car's hazards flashed as they should, and the doors remained locked during the entire incident (except my wife's, of course, which was sheered off).
Four hours after the accident and I am home. My wife would be home, too, except for the fact that they want to watch her overnight. A CAT scan revealed no injuries.
So, we are safe, the car is totalled, and we have a lot to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.
We will be getting another MINI Cooper S.
Take care.