OT: Tailgaters, Pt. 2

The summary of the "insurance company" the driver who rear-ended me in my recent accident had:

"A Massachusetts government program to provide affordable auto insurance rates to drivers considered to be very high-risk."

aka

"You've wrecked so many cars, no commercial insurance company would touch you for any price. But if Liberty Mutual wants to do business here, they'll have to get binned with 10% of you."

DAMN YOU MASSACHUSETTS, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF!

But I'm a leftist at heart. I'd gladly pay in to a public fund to pay for free bicycles for poor drivers. We'd even throw in a helmet. Or maybe bus tickets.

Naturally, whatever poor company got forced to take on this idiot is dragging its heels quite a bit on paying out. My attorney and I will be drafting up our demand letter early next week.

The Volt was declared a total loss, I'm afraid. Once the body shop had it up on the lift, they discovered that while the rear-end damage didn't look too bad from the outside, all the impact energy was focused on the right wheel well and just rammed it forward. Under the rear seats there was bad frame buckling in several places.

RIP Siren Red Tintcoat 2015 Volt "Voltasia", 2015-2016. A good ship, gone long before her time. You will be missed.

Reply to
bitrex
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[snip]

Bwahahahahahaha! You're a slow learner, I figured that out about Massa2shits 55+ years ago. ...Jim Thompson

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| James E.Thompson                                 |    mens     | 
| Analog Innovations                               |     et      | 
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Reply to
Jim Thompson

[snip]

I think it also depends on _where_ you live. In Arizona, the sun is so bright that light-colored cars are hard to see. I had a silver-colored 280ZX that was hit multiple times from the side.

Our eleven-year-old dark-blue Q45 has never even been tapped. ...Jim Thompson

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| James E.Thompson                                 |    mens     | 
| Analog Innovations                               |     et      | 
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Reply to
Jim Thompson

Incidentally, proper selection of vehicle color as a tailgating deterrent is probably not sufficient to prevent an accident. However, painting the vehicle to look like the proverbial brick wall might work better:

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Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com 
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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Look, we can get 'em bikes. We have a fantastic bike lane network these days; you can rent a Hubway bike from the bike-vending machine at your T stop of choice for $6 a day. Seems reasonable

Reply to
bitrex

I've seen sometimes the roof looks like the sky and the body looks like the road, and roadside, the only clearly visible parts being the occupant and tyres.

Similar effect to that truck that stopped a tesla.

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Reply to
Jasen Betts

What, no links to photos?

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 Thanks, 
    - Win
Reply to
Winfield Hill

They don't run out?

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Reply to
Winfield Hill
[snip]

It's always heart-stopping to get your first introduction to ABS in a near accident.

The second day we owned the Q45 some clown to the left of me decided he was missing his freeway exit, cut right across in front of me, I think my heart stopped for five seconds but the ABS performed perfectly. ...Jim Thompson

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| James E.Thompson                                 |    mens     | 
| Analog Innovations                               |     et      | 
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Reply to
Jim Thompson

Romulan cloaking device?

This one? The truck driver claimed that the deceased Tesla driver was watching a movie (not that it makes any difference in assigning the blame):

Proof that red colored vehicles and signs are invisible:

I was driving around Santa Cruz today and noticed that the roadway appeared light colored between noon and about 3PM, and much darker between 3PM and 5PM. Around noon, silver colored cars seemed to be invisible, while after 3PM, the darker charcoal colored cards faded into the roadway. I think what's needed is electrochromic paint on the cars, which might automatically adjust the paint color for maximum contrast and visibility (reverse chameleon paint): Too bad it was faked:

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Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com 
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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

With drivers that need government's help to get insurance, you want to ride bike on a "bicycle lane"? Doesn't sound smart.

Reply to
krw

For the morbidly curious:

formatting link

The first is immediately post-accident. The others are after the rear section was disassembled at the body shop - they outlined the damaged areas of frame buckling under the rear passenger seats/trunk in yellow.

Reply to
bitrex

Couldn't be much worse than the regular users.

Reply to
bitrex

True. Another problem with red paint is that it oxidizes much quicker than other colors. Some details: "Why Lime-Yellow Fire Trucks Are Safer Than Red"

It will take some time for people to get used to the idea of a lime colored fire engine.

It might be useful to know what color cars NOT to purchase based on what is popular for camouflage. I guess(tm) we should avoid pink:

I still like the brick wall paint job. Few are likely to drive into a brick wall: However, there are a few: Spoiler:

Then, there are those that are self-destructive:

Maybe reflective tape for a Tron movie appearance:

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Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com 
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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

[snip]

Been that way around here for years. ...Jim Thompson

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| James E.Thompson                                 |    mens     | 
| Analog Innovations                               |     et      | 
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Reply to
Jim Thompson

They've been around for at least fifty years. I'd think people would be quite used to them by now. ;-)

Reply to
krw

Aren't you the one who keeps finding people in the assigned risk pool, in your back seat?

Reply to
krw

You don't need a lawyer to get your money for you. Write them a letter saying if they don't settle by a specified date you will be contacting the state insurance regulators. That always gets their attention and usually action.

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Rick C
Reply to
rickman

Hey, dead center hit on the target! Must have seen it very clearly.. :-)

Reply to
Bill Martin

Just hang some gas cans on the back...and paint targets on them!

Reply to
Bill Martin

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