DeafBug's Beetle

[Jettawolfs98]

Glad to see you made it through OK. Take care

Mhh looks like you can't drive to omaha to do my TB, just kidding.

Any kind of accident is bad, but somebody way way up was watching you.

 

[keggo]

Jeez man... Glad you're safe. The airbags didn't deploy... Is that normal? I think it would be time to sue, if it's abnormal.

 

[jasonTDI]

No rapid deceleration or side impact no bag deployment. In fact all the bags would have done is shoved you up high enough to possibly kill you in the roll-over.

 

[Kayakkermit]

Glad you're ok, DB, but take care of your back. Injuries to the back can take a while to show up and stay with you a long time.
Sucks about the car, at least you certainly have experience to do any work required on any new Beetle you pick up, and quite possibly have a good amount of parts to start with.
Replacing cars sucks, replacing people is a lot worse.

 

[keggo]

No rapid deceleration or side impact no bag deployment. In fact all the bags would have done is shoved you up high enough to possibly kill you in the roll-over.

I'm not too keen on how the airbags work, thanks for the info. That's true, it probably would have made it worse.

 

[TDavId]

Brad- so glad you're okay. Bummer for your bug though- that was such a nice ride- immaculate.

 

[Canadian_Grizzly]

Brad... glad to see you are Ok! Pehaps you need a name change to runonroof...

 

[jasonTDI]

Brad... glad to see you are Ok! Pehaps you need a name change to runonroof...

 

[GGC]

Happy to hear you're in one piece and relatively unhurt!

 

[DeafBug]

Need a VERY fast opinion.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?p=1809004

 

[mrGutWrench]

No rapid deceleration or side impact no bag deployment. In fact all the bags would have done is shoved you up high enough to possibly kill you in the roll-over.

__. Oh, no. Wait a minute there. The police measured that my car slid about 60 feet down the ditch alongside a similar ramp (except mine was an exit ramp rather than entry), then there was a 17-foot stretch where there was no mark at all and then the car landed on it's wheels. It also seemed to have been airborne before it went onto its roof. Although the rear window was smashed out and the windshield crushed (but not out of its frame) and there was a lot of "abrasion" on the roof, the roof really didn't crush down.

http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f60/oonrahnjay/Jetta/?action=view&current=Jetta5.jpg

__. I clearly remember sliding along upside down, thinking "I *really* don't want to hit my head". When the car landed after its first flight, it landed on its driver's door and the side airbags went off (nothing came in to hurt me -- the side mirror tried -- and none of me went out). There is a "head cushion" bag that did a good job of protecting my head. Of course, a big part of it is that the A4 chassis has "shotgun shells" in its seatbelts. When an airbag goes off, these "tighteners" pull the belt down very tight (hand size bruises on my hips and left shoulder) -- those belts were superb for me. The steering wheel bag didn't go off. The only undamaged exterior parts were the two headlamps - everything else showed some damage.

__. My accident resulted from a drunk (running at 115 or so from the police) passing a tractor-trailer on the right and hitting me from behind. I spun twice before I went off the road and hit the ditch and the rollover started.

 

[volmaniac]

Just put the car up for sale in the classifieds with "minor damage" for a "tdicluber who doesn't mind getting their hands dirty" like some of the other wrecks in that subforum. Oh yeah, and ask about $10 grand for it.

 

[horsieclatter]

I am glad y'all are OK. JG

 

[SpamJ]

I'm thinking DB could have the first Bug Spyder, where's that Sawzall?

 

[Steve-o]

Jeez, first I saw of this! Brad, I'm glad you're OK even if the Beetle is not. It did its job. Hope you feel better quick!

 

[alphaseinor]

I was with the group of cars going on the ramp. The speed was about 45-50 mph.

You know that commerical where they drop the car off of the school roof that is 3 stories high. They said that is equivelant to 40mph impact. Now I believe it.

I kinda wish they would have actually dropped the camera...

Sorry about your bug... I didn't know until today when someone mentioned it! I am glad you're not hurt!

 

[eb2143]

I don't see why is everyone saying the beetle did so well? I was disappointed with the total collapse of the driver's side roof structure in, what seems like, your average roll over.

For someone who is tall as I am and only has just over an inch between the roof and my head with the seat as low as possible and who can't get the headrest high enough — this is scary.

I'm wondering if the Bug's unusually arched roof is a reason for so much collapse.

 

[DeafBug]

The car did go slightly airborne or tiptoeing on the nose and so it came down hard on that corner of the roof. As it did roll over twice. More like two half turns

I was able to revisualize the whole thing over time. I am able to get the whole picture from the time I went off the road to when it rested.

When I overcorrected myself, it fishtailed to the left until it hit the shoulder then it fishtailed to the right, riding down the ditch part for a bit but then the terrain being different tipped the car to the passenger side for a while. (something next happened right there as I can't figure it out, possible the terrian) The back end was pushed up in the air (with the nose on the ground or slightly airborne) while the car was still turning. Then it landed hard on the driver side corner of the roof. Then it slowly rolled down into the ditch, from being upside down to right side up. Rolling on the passenger side as I landed hard when the driver side when it hit the ground. I was tossed around more than the passenger, which I am grateful for as he is diabetic and has a pacemaker.

 

[eb2143]

OK well it's good to know it came down unusually hard on that corner.

 

[SpamJ]

Oh Brad...

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/car/393443349.html

 

[greengeeker]

or: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=185300

 

[DeafBug]

I already got a NB from Gary last Wednesday.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Losha]

WOW! Brad I'm glad you are ok. I just got into accident again last friday in Bismarck, ND too. Except this time it was my front suffered, I'm okey just a scratch from air bag deployement. I will post pics latter. You know I have been into two accidents with my Golf TDI and I'm very supprised how tough VW are. I drove home from Bismack ND to Sioux Falls SD about 500 miles yesterday without front bumper, broken radiator support, leaking radiator, bented hood fender without problem just had to add water and half on road repaired leak and maded home. I was still managed to toped out 110 mph with a lot of air drag, the whole trip was keeping speed 90-95 mph trying to keep up with my friend who was driving SRT-4. Even with that speed and a lots of air drag managed get 28mpg compare to 3 tanks of gas for SRT-4.

 

[mannytranny]

I wonder if ASR would have helped a lot here....?

 

[oldpoopie]

asr probably no, but esp probably yes.

 

[Losha]

Here are some pics of my TDI after Friday night accident in Bismarck, ND. http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/b...t=_MG_0179.jpg, http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/b...t=_MG_0178.jpg, http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/b...t=_MG_0175.jpg
The damaged was worse then this, I had it pulled out little bit friday night after had it towed to friends house. We tied to two trees and used ratched to straighten out the reinforcement bar and the front end. Radiator was leaking too so I taped up and drove to home like that.
My serpertine belt split in half and wrapped around the accessory idle pulley and melted the pulley. So I had to get 38" inch belt run it from crankshaft to alternator and A/C pump so I would be able to charge my battery.

Good thing my car is diesel and doesn't have spark plugs otherwise I would not have been able to drive car home on its own wheels if it was gasser.

 

[oldpoopie]

ouch. Your looking at $1200 in paint alone, if not more.

 

[Losha]

Yeap, I don't worry much for paint as for finding money to buy all the parts right now and get it back on road. Don't know if I should part it out or fix it, I don't have anything to drive either so fixing is better solution sounds.