Glad to hear your friend's son will be alright. I was speaking with a friend today about all this mayhem. He stated the obvious: "Driving your car is the most dangerous thing you do during the day.....".

I've got cameras fore and aft in the Explorer. The trucks, well if anyone hit those, they likely won't survive the impact. I've got ranch hand bumpers on one, and the other has a set of custom made by me bumpers. I always keep the hitch on them, too. I really wouldn't want to be the one that hits one of them.

Someone hit the rear ranch hand bumper on the 97 F250 last August while it was parked in front of the house. Poor car never stood a chance, and tore the Corolla to hell and back.

The 2006 Explorer, however, is one I worry about, because it's the vehicle we use specifically to haul my mother around in. It was originally her vehicle, and I bought it so she had a familiar vehicle to ride around in after she gave up her license. I upgraded the stereo and speakers, added cameras, and ditched the factory alarm for something better. Its the only vehicle we have with full coverage...due to how cheap it was, and the fact that it's easy to destroy it. I've had to review the footage twice, not for me, but because they captured an accident in front of me, and I turned the footage over to the police.

Hopefully, that's all I'll ever need to use them for. If it gets totaled, I know I won't find one with as low of miles and in good of shape for the same money I paid for it. 62K miles, 13 years old, new freshly rebuilt transmission, and a book full of all service receipts for $3K. I'd be lucky to find much with that low of miles to replace it.

__________________
1987 560SL
85,000 miles

It truly is.

His airbags didn't even go off...it was his first accident, but nothing serious. I had to leverage the fender off the front tire to get them rolling again, and have already found parts to repair it for him. No structural damage...just cosmetic, from what I could see. A few hours, and new parts will be on. I got lucky...the donor car is the same color as his...so when done, I doubt anyone will notice a difference. We already have our weekend planned.

I've been in the kid's life since he was born...and he's closer to me than he is his own father. He calls me Papa Jon, while I refer to him as my second son. I was his second call, after he called his mother and step father.

__________________
1987 560SL
85,000 miles

" I'll bet you use your turn signals religiously even when there is no-one to signal to. "

As a matter of fact, yes I do and I stop for stop signs and use my signals even when it's 0-Dark:30 and I'm in the middle of the Mojave Desert where I can see in every direction for miles .

Because, unless you practice safety always, sooner or later you'll make a tiny slip and always at the worst possible moment .

Here, two guys in a vintage look kit car just zoomed through a residential neighborhood, lost control and wiped out several parked cars, killing them selves in the process .

Pretty much everyone knows of either a red light runner or a victim of them .

Look on you tube under 'red light runners' ~ it isn't pretty .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

https://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/nervous_norvus/transfusion.html

NERVOUS NORVUS
"Transfusion"

ZZZZZZOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM
Tooling down the hightway doing 79
I'm a twin pipe papa and I'm feelin fine
Hey man dig that was that a red stop sign
[Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle]
Transfusion, transfusion
I'm just a solid mess of contusions
Never, never, never gonna speed again
Slip the blood to me, Bud

I jump in my rod about a quarter to nine
I gotta make a date with that chick of mine
I cross the center line man you gotta make time-
[Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle]
Transfusion, transfusion
Oh, man, I got the cotton pickin convolutions
Never, never, never gonna speed again
Shoot the juice to me, Bruce

My foot's on the throttle and it's made of lead
But I'm a fast ridding daddy with a real cool head
I'ma gonna pass a truck on the hill ahead-
[Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle]
Transfusion, transfusion
My red corpsuckles (sic) are in mass confusion
Never, never, never gonna speed again
Pass the crimson to me, Jimson

I took a little drink and I'm feelin right
I can fly right over everything everything in sight
There's a slow poking cat I'm gonna pass him on the right
[Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle]
Transfusion, transfusion
I'm a real gone paleface and that's no illusion
I'ma never never never gonna speed again
Pass the claret to me, Barrett

A rollin down the mountain on a rainy day
Oh, when you see me coming better start to pray
I'm a cuttin' up the road and I'm the boss all the way
[Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle]
Transfusion, transfusion
Oh, doc, pardon me for this crazy intrusion
I'm never, never, never gonna speed again
Pump the fluid in me, Louie

I'm burning up the highway early this morn
I'm passing everybody oh nothing but corn
Man outa my way I don't drive with my horn
[Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle]
Transfusion, transfusion
Oh, nurse I'm gonna make a new resolution
I'm never, never, never gonna speed again
Put a gallon in me, Alan

Oh, barnyard drivers are found in two classes
Line crowding hogs and speeding jackasses
So rememmber to slow down today
Hey, daddy-o
A make that type O, huh
Atta-boy
[Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle]

__________________
"I applaud your elaborate system of denial"

Thank you ! .

I used to sing this in the car with my then young son on road trips.....

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Yesterday I was at the half mile marker traffic light waiting for it to turn from red to green. Good thing I waited a few extra seconds after it turned green because WHAM!, a speeding ROCKET SHIP ran THEIR red at 80++ MPH (40 MPH posted speed limit).

A word of advice: when the light turns green, take a few seconds before pressing on the go pedal, otherwise you might get to test out your car's side collision capabilities. And....last I checked a side collision is one of the most brutal, horrific collisions there is......

Ouch .

Of course, you're afraid to ever mention what State all this misery occurs in....

Agreed, always look left, right then left again before tromping the LOUD pedal .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

People tend to forget there are internet stalkers out there, perhaps some of them are on this forum. These are people who suddenly and unexpectedly show up at YOUR FRONT DOOR looking for trouble.

Thank you but no thank you.

Get a pit bull.

So then ;

You're admitting you're afraid .

I keep telling you hm : fear is UN AMERICAN yet you keep peddling it instead of doing anything to stop it .

You'd wet yourself if you drove through where I live and I'm no tough guy, I just deal with reality .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Rebecca Schaeffer.

? And ?......

Apart from nothing, what does she have to do with this ? .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

I usually wait a few seconds for some idiot to blow thru a light before I proceed. I reported an Arlington county city bus blowing thru a light and the county supervisor actually called me back, I was in shock.

__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL