Bright green Golf GLS TDI sacrificed saving our lives

Driving my kids after Aikido lesson yesterday night I hit Chevrolet van at the back. The guy was driving on the left lane, I was on the right one. Nobody on the road but us. We were slowing down approaching an intersection. Suddenly he hit his brakes and appeared before me in 5 meters. I tried to brake…hit his right side by my driver’s side Both air bags deployed.
Police estimated my speed at the moment of collision to be 55 km/h, his was around 15 km/h. The van was pushed 20 meters ahead by my little Golf. His driver was charged on money and demerit points. But it wouldn’t give back my Golf. It was very kind to me for 40 000 km – not even a small problem. Now the front of driver’s side is smashed to the windshield – hood, left wheel, battery, air filter, transmission, radiator – all gone What puzzles me the collision INSIDE the car looked like heavy breaking – just very soft push to the steering wheel and then KABOOM. Even kaboom didn’t scare anybody so soft it was. But does it stinks! No one window was broken. Opened doors without problem. Now the funny part. Police came, looked at the scene and charged the van’s driver. When that guy said he wasn’t guilty the officer looked at his eyes and said: - Shut up! You are guilty like a hell!

So, ya stickin' with the same car next time around, or changin' the color/options?

Thanks for the report. I think probably many of us wonder how our smelly safety systems work.

Did you notice the seatbelt pre-tensioning?

Glad nobody was hurt.
I'm surprised the van got the ticket. Usually it's the person who's behind that is faulted.

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BeetleGo, "whoa!"
White 1998 NB 5-sp
Pretty much bone stock
Mud Flaps/Stone Guards/winter/fogs
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"You said this was a DIESEL?!"

Front end mashed to the windshield and the doors still opened! THAT's impressive! That's exactly what's supposed to happen.

VWs have their little quirks and annoyances sometimes. But stories like this remind you of what's really important. As much as I like Toyotas and other Japanese cars for their flawless reliability they can't compare with the safety of a proper German car.

-mickey

[ July 06, 2001: Message edited by: mbciii ]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mickey:
As much as I like Toyotas and other Japanese cars for their flawless reliability they can't compare with the safety of a proper German car.
-mickey<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Thanks Mickey. That's something I needed to hear. Been frustrated lately by the quirks.

Jamie

Sorry to hear about that.

About a year and a half ago I smashed my mom's Chrysler LHS pretty well. Rear-ended someone going about 30 mph. Both airbags deployed... they're very loud, and very smelly.

I was perfectly fine, but the repair bill was about $10,000. We still have the car, runs and drives great.

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2000 Yellow New Beetle 1.9 TDI 5-speed
1987 Diamond Blue Mercedes-Benz 190D 2.5 Turbo (sold, but considering re-purchase)

Thank God for these safe little cars!

I went through the same thing this past summer when I totaled my nb. It had just turned over 1K miles, so it was heartbreaking. I hit a tree head on at about 50 mph (was doing about 70 when I left the road) and the airbags did their job perfectly. They did not deploy as my car hit the ditch, a large fence, several small trees, a stump that ripped the front wheel off, etc. Thank goodness. And yes, both my doors opened too! They were unlocked - the power locks unlock at airbag deployment. Since both SIDES of the car were all smashed up, the doors would not latch. And yes, the pretensioners did a fab-o job, too. I felt very strongly planted in the seat - I recall no rebound.
What I, and smoky too I'm sure, cannot describe is the errie stillness and silence after you come to a rest. The car was filled with airbag dust so it was hard to tell if I was alive or dead. The fact that all I could see was white dust and I felt absolutely no pain made me panic!
Smoky, I recommend NOT getting the same exact color/option car to replace yours - it will haunt you. In fact, for me, trying to drive away from the dealership in the replacement nb tdi was EXTREMELY difficult. I had to stop a few minutes later because I thought I was going to be sick.
I went to the sf autoshow a few weeks ago and of course ran for the vw display. Several nb's, jettas, etc. Nothing new. Over in the corner was something I was not prepared for - a dark blue nb, just like the one I almost died in. Suddenly the place was silent and I was all alone - I had tunnel vision. I slowly walked toward the car - it seemed to take hours. I really wanted to sit in it but all I could do was touch the fender, just as I did to my car as the tow truck was hoisting it away. It was like saying thank you and goodbye all over again. In an instant all the sights, the smells, the trees, the terror - all flashed before me. I quietly whispered another "thank you for saving my life" to the little beetle and walked away. Again.

Jeez, TDI Guys, I was genuinely impressed by that. If I were almost snuffed in a particular car I never thought about how I'd react to getting back into the same model. You managed to touch it, nothing more. When I was a kid in California I had a job as a deputy sheriff in Imperial County. My partner and I were driving the undercover car of the week, which was a '61
Chevvy Impala. We were doing probably 95mph on a backcountry two laner when I saw something flash past the right side of the car. A moment later my brain registered that it was the right front wheel. The car endo'd seven or eight times, basically separating the frame from the body. When my partner came to in the emergency room (he was the driver) he said, "How's Ted?" The doctor said, "Ted who? You were the only guy in the car." So they went back out on that desert road and found me in a ditch, snoring.
I had a brain concussion, amazingly no broken bones, and a serious purple bruise across my stomach from the seat belt, plus the usual abrasions.

I have never been able to get into an Impala since then.

Try riding in, or driving, a Jetta or a Golf.
If you feel sweaty, forget it, buy an Accord.



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Ted White, Bisbee,AZ
'99.5 Black Jetta TDI
'00 Suzuki SV650

TDi Guys, very moving. I had tears in my eyes when done reading. I can understand the emotion of it all, but logic asks will you be as safe in another car? Would you've been as unscathed if it was a Honda, Ford, or whatever?

No one was brought to the hospital right? It sounds like you will probably be fine in another golf, I am fine in our Jetta after being in a very serious crash in our old one. But I can not remember the crash, only the before and after, still it was bad..

-Steven

Everyone at the scene of my accident was completely stunned. Literally everyone just stood around the car for a long time, completely silent. For some witnesses, it was the first time they had seen a new beetle up close period. Folks kept looking for the "victim". I was on the front porch of the house whose yard I ended up in just sipping a glass of water.
Some guy (an angel perhaps...) appeared out of nowhere mere seconds after the car came to rest. He opened my door and said dont move! I was like, get me out of here!! He thought I'd be riddled with broken bones or broken back. Then he said, "oh my goodness, you'd better get out of that car - it may catch on fire". I actually laughed. Its a diesel, I thought to myself.
Several paramedics came, again looking for a corpse. All I had was a bruise on my shoulder, and two on my hips from the seatbelt. My nose was a little numb (not bloody) from the airbag. My right ankle was sore because I was pushing on the brake with all my strength (like that was going to help with only three wheels).
After looking at how well that car held up I had no question in my mind what my next car would be. In fact, I went back to the vw dealer THAT AFTERNOON. I still was covered in airbag dust. I had never been in an accident so I did not know how I'd react to the same car again. When I picked up the replacement bug it really hit me. I sat down in the car and just froze. It didn't help that the dealer had the front and back dome lights off and it was night. A few days later I had to pass the scene of my accident in the new nb. I had a little chat with the new car after that. Yes, I felt a little silly talking to my car, but I did it. I said, patting it on the dash, "you're little brother saved my life. He's sitting in a wrecking yard now, ready to be crushed. He only got to drive a thousand miles before the end. Now I only hope you'll keep me just as safe." Well, 12,000 miles later we're doing just fine. Guess whats number one on my car buying list now - safety. Luckily, with my job, I get to pour over safety data from the dot and iihs. The nb is first in its class, and for good reason.