# Good News and Bad News



## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

Bad news, my daughter rolled her car on a dirt road last night.

Good news, she walked away from it unscathed, literally. She was a mile and a half from the nearest house where she was able to crawl out the rear passenger window and walk there, car came to rest on the drivers side door.

Bad news, the car is totaled, she's going to be hoofing it for a while.

Good news, the car still runs and I'm going to get one of my acquaintances who runs a welding shop to fix er up so it can go into next years demo derby.

I'll post some pics tomorrow after I go pick it up and bring it home, it's surprisingly intact.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Oh Forester - so glad to hear she is ok, she'll probably have some aches and pains, but that's ok isn't it.


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## KindleMom (Dec 11, 2008)

How scary!!!! What a _huge_ blessing she's okay!

I'd be a basketcase if I were you...


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

We were basket cases.  Her friend called to ask where she was cause she hadn't shown up to the b-day party yet.  She had gotten off work late so it was still in the time frame that she might not have made it out there yet.  I told them to have her call as soon as she showed up.  They called 1/2 hour later and said she rolled her car (we were getting worried by this time cause no one had called and we couldn't reach her on her cell as there is was no coverage).  I'm so glad she was able to get out as it was 1 1/2 hours before the next car to actually go by where she wrecked.


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## Bren S. (May 10, 2009)

OMG I am sooo glad she is ok.How incredibly scary.


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## dollcrazy (Jan 12, 2009)

I'm so glad she is ok. It sounds like she had an angel looking out for her last night.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Wow, very scary.  Glad everything turned out okay.
deb


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## Sweety18 (Feb 14, 2009)

Glad she's ok.


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## MikeD (Nov 5, 2008)

Wow. Glad she is doing OK.


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## rho (Feb 12, 2009)

The main thing is she is ok - cars can be replaced - daughters can't   I can't imagine how worried you were....


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## bookfiend (Feb 22, 2009)

Well, at least you can look on the bright side, demo derby's are lots of fun.  I remember the first time my sister rolled a car on a country road (Iowa), Dad saw no silver lining.   It happens to more kids on country roads, than most city folk would believe.  Glad she is OK.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

bookfiend said:


> Well, at least you can look on the bright side, demo derby's are lots of fun. I remember the first time my sister rolled a car on a country road (Iowa), Dad saw no silver lining.  It happens to more kids on country roads, than most city folk would believe. Glad she is OK.


Yeah, no traction on a dirt road. Near as I can tell she fish tailed going around the corner, over corrected, did a 180, slid sideways off the road and proceeded to roll down the embankment. It happened so fast she doesn't have a clue.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Would I be correct in thinking that this is an example of the benefits of wearing a seat belt?


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## ladyknight33 (Feb 2, 2009)

Forster, Thank God and the angels looking out for her, she walked away unhurt.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

That does it, my DD is not getting a license until she's 30.  

Just kidding....  I'm very glad your daughter is ok!!  How scary that must have been.


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

Im so glad your daughter is ok. A car can be fixed. Thank God she walked away from it all.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

NogDog said:


> Would I be correct in thinking that this is an example of the benefits of wearing a seat belt?


You are correct. My kids all religiously put on their seat belts. Would not have turned out nearly so happy w/o the seat belt.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Forster, 

As someone who flipped a car, I'm glad to hear your daughter is okay and was wearing her seat belt.  She may be a little shaky behind the wheel for a while, but make sure that she doesn't wait too long to drive again, and take care to reassure her that being worried about it is normal.


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## B-Kay 1325 (Dec 29, 2008)

Forster, so glad that this story had a happy ending.  Lives are so much more important than cars and seatbelts have always been a must in our cars, daughters and now grandchildren do not get in any vehicle without putting on their seatbelts (somehow the cars do not move without every seatbelt buckled).


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Forster. . . .if there's a short defensive driving course available in your area -- sometimes through AAA and sometimes through AARP. . .you might see if you could sign her up for that.  It would get her back behind the wheel in a controlled situation and give her some tips to help her learn how NOT to get in the same situation again -- which would of course help her confidence which is likely a bit shaky right now.  Your insurance company might even pay for such a thing and/or give you some sort of discount if she takes it. . . 'cause, now your rates will probably go up if you put in a claim. 

My son had an accident when he was about 19. . .totally not his fault and no one hurt, but shook him up a bit.  The next day we were to go down to visit friends  -- about 10 miles from us -- and I MADE him drive.  He elected to use surface streets rather than the highway, but he drove the whole way.  He told me later that it really helped his confidence because I was MAKING him drive, meaning I'm the passenger.  He knew that I am the sort that prefers to be behind the wheel when in a car, and never offered him the wheel when we were going somewhere together.  So it was a huge help to him that I was able to essentially say "I trust your driving."


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## KimmyA (Dec 11, 2008)

Oh wow Forster, I am so glad your daughter is alright. How scary that must have been.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Forster. . . .if there's a short defensive driving course available in your area -- sometimes through AAA and sometimes through AARP. . .you might see if you could sign her up for that. It would get her back behind the wheel in a controlled situation and give her some tips to help her learn how NOT to get in the same situation again -- which would of course help her confidence which is likely a bit shaky right now. Your insurance company might even pay for such a thing and/or give you some sort of discount if she takes it. . . 'cause, now your rates will probably go up if you put in a claim.
> 
> My son had an accident when he was about 19. . .totally not his fault and no one hurt, but shook him up a bit. The next day we were to go down to visit friends -- about 10 miles from us -- and I MADE him drive. He elected to use surface streets rather than the highway, but he drove the whole way. He told me later that it really helped his confidence because I was MAKING him drive, meaning I'm the passenger. He knew that I am the sort that prefers to be behind the wheel when in a car, and never offered him the wheel when we were going somewhere together. So it was a huge help to him that I was able to essentially say "I trust your driving."


Unfortunately, we've got no defensive driving courses at all anywhere near hear. Our driver's ed program isn't even big enough to accommodate all the students in our town (we graduate about 75 kids/year at our county HS). But the good news her confidence is fine and she has already been driving one of our other cars. What she did learn is you can't drive around a corner on a dirt road at the same speed you drive on a paved road and she won't make that mistake again.

As far as the insurance there won't be any claim, the car only had liability and the car itself was worth less than $2,000, it was a 1995 Ford Escort Wagon. The wreck happened in the middle of nowhere, no one else was involved and no injuries so no LE got involved so no citations either.


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## KindleMom (Dec 11, 2008)

Am I the only person that find it hard to belive there was an Escort that's still running?  

Maybe I've been too hard on Ford.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

KindleMom said:


> Am I the only person that find it hard to belive there was an Escort that's still running?
> 
> Maybe I've been too hard on Ford.


Escorts from the 90's were good cars, srs. I think there is 120,000 on my daughters car, I'll have to check to make sure though.

The funny thing is with my daughters car after sitting on it's side for over an hour, we tipped it back on 4 wheels, I hopped in and it started with just a key turn, didn't even push on the gas pedal as I was in the passenger seat.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

Finally got the car home:


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Susan in VA said:


> That does it, my DD is not getting a license until she's 30.
> 
> Just kidding.... I'm very glad your daughter is ok!! How scary that must have been.


Susan, I had to laugh at your post. I didn't learn to drive until I was 25. I moved to upstate NY on Labor Day, got my license for Halloween, a new Toyota for Thanksgiving, and totaled it for Christmas (hit a patch of black ice on the PA turnpike, flipped the Toyota, cracking the engine block, but my passenger and I walked away). So, let DD get her license, but make sure she appreciates seat belts!


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Forster,
Wow.  So glad your daughter is ok.  Is that the back seat window she climbed out?


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

Carol Hanrahan said:


> Forster,
> Wow. So glad your daughter is ok. Is that the back seat window she climbed out?


That's the one. It rolled over a big rock that was almost exactly the size of the window and punched it out.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

So. . . you've heard about the 'cash for clunkers' program, right?


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> So. . . you've heard about the 'cash for clunkers' program, right?


I have, unfortunately her car doesn't qualify average mpg was too high. 

Drives me nuts. We're going to buy a Honda Fit and give her our old Avalon so we will be getting a nice bump in mpg, but noooo to bad. The Fit will be the 1st new car I've ever boughten, that is if I don't cheap out before I actually hand them the cash and sign the papers.

The really sad thing is my daughter's car was our families lowest mileage vehicle (we have had 5 vehicles) with 115,000 miles on it.


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## Anju   (Nov 8, 2008)

She sure had an angel looking out for her!

My DH refuses to buy a new car, before we married I bought a Toyota off the boat in San Diego, we kept it for over 15 years and it had over 150k when we sold it before we moved here.  Don't have a car now, and happy as if we had good sense


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Forster, so glad your daughter is safe.

My son has a 1995 Ford Escort with around 130,000 miles on it. We bought with 101,000 miles (he was a junior in high school). Knock on wood, that car is like the energizer bunny, it just keeps going and going...

L


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

My first car was a Ford Escort Wagon. I dubbed it the "Munchkin Mobile". It was a great car. So happy to hear she's ok and already back behind the wheel.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

New car for the Mrs., daughter gets her old one. Our very 1st brand new car ever.  It sucked writing the check for it though as I hate parting with that much cash at once.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

oh, it's so cute!


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Love the orange! Very nice.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> Love the orange! Very nice.


The Mrs.'s choice, but I do like it also.


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## Jaasy (Feb 28, 2009)

I like it too


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I wish they made minivans that color.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

My Saturn Vue is that color.... They called it Fusion Orange.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

pidgeon92 said:


> My Saturn Vue is that color.... They called it Fusion Orange.


Mine is called Orange Revolution Metallic.


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## Tippy (Dec 8, 2008)

Like everyone else, I am glad your DD is OK, especially after looking at the car photos.  Love your wife's new car!  Isn't it exciting to have a brand new car -- dont ya love the smell?

I didn't get my drivers license until I was 18.  Within three months I had an accident.  Pulled out in front of a State Highway Patrol car and both cars were totalled.  It was really, really scary.  It was the second car that patrolman had totalled during that week.  Hmmm.  I'm sure that means it wasn't my fault.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Forster said:


> Mine is called Orange Revolution Metallic.


The only other thing that's that precise color: the dark toffee wrappers in the Quality Street assortments. Every time I see a car in that orangey shade I want a QS.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

scarlet said:


> Susan, I had to laugh at your post. I didn't learn to drive until I was 25. I moved to upstate NY on Labor Day, got my license for Halloween, a new Toyota for Thanksgiving, and totaled it for Christmas (hit a patch of black ice on the PA turnpike, flipped the Toyota, cracking the engine block, but my passenger and I walked away). So, let DD get her license, but make sure she appreciates seat belts!


She appreciates them_ now_, at least... I just hope that survives teenage rebellion.

I got my license at 16, and two weeks later left for Germany, where I used public transportation for more than a decade, with very little driving experience in other people's cars. Didn't actually get my first car until age 29.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Nice car - good mileage I betcha!  Thanks for sharing.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

Anju No. 469 said:


> Nice car - good mileage I betcha! Thanks for sharing.


It does get good mileage, so far averaging approx 36.5. It's supposed to get 27 city 33 hwy but can be higher (up to around 39-40 on the hwy) depending on one's driving habits.

We considered a Prius, but I like the roominess and cargo space in this car _and_ the break even given the Prius's higher cost vs better gas mileage would be around 215,000 miles, that is if one doesn't have a big expense replacing the batteries somewhere along the way. We only drive our cars around 9,000 miles per year too.

Now what I would be really excited about is if they came out with a diesel version of our car.


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