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About 6:30pm Saturday night I was southbound on I35E, headed towards Downtown Dallas. There are four lanes at that point and it forks into Loop 12 towards Irving and Texas Stadium. If Lane #1 is the rightmost, I was on Lane #2 - going towards Irving at about 60mph. Someone behind was going at least 80 and probably 90mph in Lane #3. We have all seen last-second exits. He went from Dallas-bound Lane #3 to #2 and scraped my entire left side. It was dark and honestly not sure what it was, but it was probably a sedan. At any rate, he never stopped. It felt like when you are stopped on the highway and a 18-wheeler passes two feet from you - but the push is twice as hard. The driver's mirror flew off.





http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/insightcrasha.jpg
The impact was at the edge of the driver's door, then he bounced off.
www.luterileyhonda.com (http://www.luterileyhonda.com) estimate of the repair - $3,200.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/insightcrashbb.jpg
Front bumber OK - left bumper is scratched - to be replaced.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/insightcrashc.jpg
Left mirror competely decapated.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/insightcrashd.jpg
Left door slightly mashed - it will be replaced.

Of great concern was the body quarter panel just behind the door since it does not pop out. It will be welded out and a replacement welded in. Was afraid that would drive the cost to around $6,000.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/insightcrashe.jpg
Why am I taking so many pictures of these memories?

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/insightcrashf.jpg
Maybe the best view of the impact. The left rear wheel skirt will be replaced.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/insightcrashg.jpg
Another rear wheel view. Excellent view of the rear quarter panel that welders will replace (between door, rear bumper, under hatchback door, just over rear window).


I was planning to run the White Lake Marathon (http://runtherock.com) the next day but opted out. The way I looked at it - Saturday night around Texas Stadium silver cars got beat up - Sunday night in Texas Stadium the silver helments got beat up (Saints 42 - Dallas 17).

The area I was in has lots of night clubs and liqour stores. I should have been more alert considering that and it was Saturday night. Minding your own business is not enough - defensive driving is essential.

If you are ever in a collision such as a hit-and-run get a police report. Don't make my mistake. It seemed like a lot of trouble to provide almost zero information about the guy who fled, but remember that you want the best possible case so the insurance company will not raise your premiums. I finally ran accross an officer that recommented to file the report, but the 24-hour window just passed. Fortunately, State Farm ruled in my favor.

Aluminum repairs are not common but Lute Riley Honda is one of those shops. In a little over an hour, my car was on the way to the body shop and I was driving back to work in a rental 2005 Nissian Sentra. The time estimate depends on parts delivery 1-2 weeks.

A little rubbing compound and that will buff right out.

Wow. I'm glad you got out of it unscathed! Very likely a drunk driver.

Chuck

So sorry that happened. I can feel your pain.

My DFW hit and run was more of a bump and run. Im sure your livid about it. And in much better control than I would be.

I almost had the same thing happen yesterday.
A young lady was merging on to the hwy. We where door handle to door handle. She looked right over at me and smiled. Flipped her blinker on and came right over for me. I was stunned. I laid into the brakes in full panic mode. And started going to my left. I was so lucky that no cars where right behind me or next to me. I pulled over cause I thought she had clipped my front right corner. As it turned out. No damage could be found. And a guy behind her saw the whole thing and got her tag number. I called the police to report her action. They seemed like they didn't care. But did take the info.

I festered about it all day. I stopped by a local chop shop in that area on my way home and inquired about it. Again it was the we don't care tude. There concern was basically. She didn't have a joint in her hand, no visible whiskey bottle,,, so no problem. I let them know they are worthless POS and reminded them once again why they get no support from the public in there efforts to graft cash and a good retirement from tax payers.

I hope when you get your Insight back its repaired to spec and you continue on trouble free with it.

psy

Chuck you're extremely lucky. Another six inches and you could've been missing your left arm and maybe ear. And at 80-90mph, even a tiny swipe could also have sent you spinning out over several lanes. A miracle you kept control.

I recall my Dad had a 1-question rule for settling these things: "who hit who". This is pretty cut and dried. You can't anticipate where someone's headed, especially coming from behind. Still I know you're replaying this in your head a hundred times. There there.

eep!! *that* really sucks. Your baby!! Do you think there was any
way could have anticipated it and taken evasive at all? Sounds like
a totally sneak attack.
.
Boyhowdy, I'm gonna be even more paranoid headin' south..
.
_H*

I was lucky on two fronts. First, the damage was confined to the front and side. the rear quarter was not touched. Secondly, the car was not moving when it was not hit, so there was no potential for injury. The shop that worked on my car was excellent and it is good as new. Hopefully you have as much luck as I did.

Everybody,

I honestly think I could have been more alert. No superpowers or psychic powers required.

I35 just north of Dallas' Central Business District to about I635 runs just west of Harry Hines Blvd - known as the red light district Parkland Hospital (where JFK died) is conviently located on Harry Hines.

It's embarrassing to say that this is my 5th collision in my Insight, and four of them I might have been able to avoid. I feel slightly better knowing that it's the first in 3-4 years.

Tarabell, you are very correct that if the hit-and-run had "punted" me from behind, I could have been in the ICU or morgue.

Glad to hear you are OK, it sucks that your Insight is damaged.

Seeing a silver Insight banged up is freaky - it could have been mine!

Was any paint residue from the other vehicle left behind? Thinking of CSI type stuff.

Don,

All I could see is tire tread.

The body shop was trying to use the height of the car damage to determine what hit me. I guess it was a sedan, but maybe it was an SUV. Wild uneducated guess, but an SUV probably would have hit harder.

Waiting on parts, but once they are in - no problem.

With great embarrassment, I had a minor scrape on my rental and was clueless as to when it happened. :o :o :o

While the left side of my Insight was scraped, the right side Sentra's tires got some rough treatment. The right front rim got a ding and the wheel cover busted, the right rear cover scraped. I want to say it was parking and hit the curb, but how do you get that forceful? Somehow I did it.

Driving an unfamiliar car can cause problems. Most infamous example was backup chaffuer for Princess Diana - Henry Paul (and he was on medication and been drinking, too...).

The body shop said it might be ready to go this Friday - or the next business day next Tuesday. I'm having them to take the ding out of the wheel that leaks air while it's there.


___________________________________________________________

Attempting to be Funny

My Jessica Simpson went to the church my boss attends....two weeks ago he got lucky and shoved elbows on an elevator with All Pro Tony Romo (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16286308/).

Me? I was on the edge of Irving when the hit-and-run happened. Two days later, ex-quarterback Quincy Carter was arrested for marijuna. In Dallas, Quincy Carter had plenty of days that would make fans happy to have Rex Grossman on a bad day. Anyway, just my luck to have possbibly run into Quincy Carter. :D

The parts are in - painting is under way, but it will be after Christmas (i.e. Tuesday or Wednesday) before it's ready. To make the most of the situation, I'm paying for the wheel rim that is leaking air and the oil change. It's worth the wait.

The revised estimate is it will be ready to pickup Thursday. The delay is not all bad as I'm off this week and driving very little. Besides, I'd rather them take more time to bake the paint on in the colder weather. Ironically, my car will be ready for it's bowl game (http://www.insightbowl.com/). :D

Hi Chuck:

___How are you doing in that rental? Have to fill her up yet?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I go five miles or less every day or two - kind of wish I pulled my ScanGage out or the Insight. It probably is getting low 20s on such short trips.

A few days agp, I e-mailed State Farm the damage to the two right tires. Know how it is driving a different car and it feels awkward? I must have grazed a curve over a week ago. Anyway, it's covered, but I'm still blushing....

[QUOTE=Delta Flyer;17493]About 6:30pm Saturday night I was southbound on I35E, headed towards Downtown Dallas. There are four lanes at that point and it forks into Loop 12 towards Irving and Texas Stadium. If Lane #1 is the rightmost, I was on Lane #2 - going towards Irving at about 60mph. Someone behind was going at least 80 and probably 90mph in Lane #3. We have all seen last-second exits. He went from Dallas-bound Lane #3 to #2 and scraped my entire left side. It was dark and honestly not sure what it was, but it was probably a sedan. At any rate, he never stopped. It felt like when you are stopped on the highway and a 18-wheeler passes two feet from you - but the push is twice as hard. The driver's mirror flew off.




ahhh, jeez, chuck, what a bummer. i am glad that you are OK. i assume you are going to fix it? some people are such jerks.....


:(

Looks like it's going be Friday morning when I pick it up....

Good luck sleeping tonight.

I called this morning and the body shop said they will have my Insight delivered back to www.luterileyhonda.com (http://www.luterileyhonda.com) at noon. Since it's raining, I'm in no hurry. Normally on this day I'd be on a New Year's ski trip but kind of glad - I25 shutdown in parts of Colorado due to the blizzard.

They body shop dropped off the Insight Friday at noontime, but waited as I wanted them to go ahead and change the oil. A little excitement as I was witness to an accident on the way ( see Eyewitness to Collision While Returning Rental (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/off-topic/t-eyewitness-to-collision-while-returning-rental-3153.html) ). Arrived at www.luterileyhonda.com (http://www.luterileyhonda.com) at 4pm

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/hwy190.jpg
While this is the cloudburst from the rental, it was also like this on the way back home in my Insight. Ironically, it improved my fuel economy by slowing down the traffic into the 50s. On evenings, going 60mph can make a lot of people feel nervous on the Bush Tollway (Hwy190).

Anyway on the trip home, the traffic is less on the week between Christmas and New Years.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/Recal.jpg
They ran the battery down to four bars, but it was full at about twenty bars in four minutes or three miles. I was getting 80mpg the first 20 miles back home - finished at 77. I obviously was not the one running down the FE down to under 48mpg looking at the dash. Yes, I was slow putting on my seatbelts. :o

Note to those not familiar with the Insight: the instant mpg bar is just under 50 because of the recal. Typically for me, that bary would be at the notch between 50 and 100 (i.e. around 75mpg). You can tell it's a recal since there are only five bars on the State of Charge (SoC), and four green bars indicating a forced charge (and clear out of lean burn :( )