R.I.P my beloved 300CE - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

abiggercamera · #31 12-31-2007, 04:31 PM

The car died a warrior's death and you lived to tell about it. I am glad you are all doing well.

Wodnek · #32 12-31-2007, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texholdem

Hi JimY,

Thanks for asking.
We were on the Hwy 190 (Texas 21) eastbound to I45. About 21 miles to I45 where there is only one lane for each direction. Allowed speed was 65, the road was straight, weather fine with dry road.
Ahead of me were two cars, a truck with a trailer and at safe distance a pick-up, both cars with almost same speed.

The middle yellow line dividing the two lanes was broken and I was passing the trailer, was on the opposite lane with no car coming from opposite direction and just about to get to the right lane as the pickup slow down a lot giving me no room to realign. I sped up to pass him as he turned left cutting off right in front of me, although at that time the yellow line was already solid at our direction.

I desperately swiveled to the right lane, barely missed his car's tail, my car was about to land in the right ditch, which is deep, another correction manoeuver of mine made the car swiveled to the left, crossing the opposite lane (thank god still no coming car from there) and landed in the hilly shoulder, 10 yard after another deeper ditch.
The left wheel hit a concrete slab, which made the car flip over twice.

After the accident the pick-up driver gave to report that he was looking for his wife with a broken down car on the other side and as he saw her at a facility (no intersection) he signalled short and turned left.

I think either he was only making sure that no car coming from opposite direction but not paying attention to passing car from the same direction or I was in his blind spot in that split second.

My lession: expect the unpredictable and never pass on one lane road.

I am impressed that you can remember it that clearly. I was involved in an accident 15 years ago where someone turned in front of me and I T boned them going 45 mph through a green light. I remembered nothing. The first and last small car i have owned.

blackmercedes · #33 12-31-2007, 06:12 PM

Glad you're okay. My Dad spit his 1998 C230 down a mountainside and it went over a few times. The airbags never even needed to fire thanks to the seatbelt retractors. He was simply pinned into the seat during the whole event. The doors still opened and closed and the car even ran fine afterwards.

The car did everything perfectly. The outside crumpled up and the interior had almost no intrusion.

A friend of mine is a firefighter that has done many vehicle extractions, and regardless of crash test ratings, the only brands he will own personally are Mercedes and Subaru. Oddly, me too.

Roncallo · #34 12-31-2007, 06:29 PM

You are very lucky. God bless you.

John Roncallo

Texholdem · #35 12-31-2007, 07:30 PM

Thank you, every one! After the hospital stay on the way home I said to my wife, it would be OK if she wanted to give up her job and stay home. Life is too short to be concerned about double income, although it is still needed for the morgage, which we would have to stretch another 15 years

.

I am thankful that all 3 of us are alive and do not suffer any serious injury.

suginami · #36 12-31-2007, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texholdem

Life is too short to be concerned about double income, although it is still needed for the morgage, which we would have to stretch another 15 years

.

I am thankful that all 3 of us are alive and do not suffer any serious injury.

Amen brother, amen.

lee polowczuk · #37 12-31-2007, 08:45 PM

Amen again..

material things mean nothing...

Darrell Woods · #38 12-31-2007, 10:14 PM

It is a testament to their strength that the roof held up. My first MB, an 89 260E (which my son now drives to college) had the salesman roll down the window, open the door and stand up in the now open window and rock the whole car back and forth. I have four other newer MBs now (well, one older 75 450SL) and I don't think any of them can compare to the overall build quality of the 300 series. Find you another 300CE...or better yet, find me a good one and take my 97 E320!

Parrot of Doom · #39 01-02-2008, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texholdem

My lession: expect the unpredictable and never pass on one lane road.

I think the only mistake you made was to overtake another vehicle when approaching a junction. You have to consider that the vehicle which turned into your path would not be expected to know of your presence.

Theres nothing wrong with overtaking on a single carriageway, I do it all the time - just not near junctions.

I'm not trying to be critical of you btw, just pointing out what I feel you could have done to avoid the situation.

E150GT · #40 01-02-2008, 08:08 AM

That's sucks. I used to live in college station and hated driving on hwy 21. I've seen some deadly accidents in my day there. Plus if you get stuck behind some geeser doing 50 mph you are screwed. in some sections.

Texholdem · #41 01-02-2008, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parrot of Doom

I think the only mistake you made was to overtake another vehicle when approaching a junction. You have to consider that the vehicle which turned into your path would not be expected to know of your presence.

Theres nothing wrong with overtaking on a single carriageway, I do it all the time - just not near junctions.

I'm not trying to be critical of you btw, just pointing out what I feel you could have done to avoid the situation.

No, I think you missed that I said "(no intersection)" in my post. There was no junction by far and the road was straight and well visible for a great distance (see picture below).
As the pick-up driver reported later, he had slowed down and turned left as he made out his wife with her broken down vehicle on the other side of the road and at that section the middle right yellow line was already solid for at least one driving second while the middle left line is broken, still allowing passing car to get back in the right lane

Thanks for your input.

jcyuhn · #42 01-02-2008, 11:21 AM

I agree with tex; it sounds like he was executing a reasonable, safe pass when the vehicle being overtaken made a u-turn in front of him. I wonder if a u-turn is legal on that roadway. I don't know the Texas vehicle code well enough to guess. I expect there are not any specific laws governing this situation in the vehicle code. Was the pickup driver cited? I'm beginning to think he should have been.

FWIW, I exit I-45 at Hwy 14, south of Corsicanna. Eventually 14 hooks into 6, which I take down to College Station, or beyond to 290 to go into Houston. It's shorter, but about the same amount of time. Definately more scenic and less hectic than the I-45 speedway. Probably more dangerous, as interstates are the safest highways.

- JimY

Jim B. · #43 01-02-2008, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texholdem

No, I think you missed that I said "(no intersection)" in my post. There was no junction by far and the road was straight and well visible for a great distance (see picture below).
As the pick-up driver reported later, he had slowed down and turned left as he made out his wife with her broken down vehicle on the other side of the road and at that section the middle right yellow line was already solid for at least one driving second while the middle left line is broken, still allowing passing car to get back in the right lane

Thanks for your input.

Since there was no physical contact made with another vehicle, and even though you acted as reasonably prudently as possible under the circumstances it is unfortunately most likely that your Insurance company will label this accident as a "solo", and a "at fault" with attendant premium rises to come.

For example, in California, as of March 2007 State Farm no longer "forgives" one accident on a blemish free record....

Texholdem · #44 01-02-2008, 01:49 PM

Hi Jim, I expect my insurance premium to rise too, although this was my first accident ever, except for a fender bender 30 years ago.

yal · #45 01-02-2008, 02:13 PM

Wow! every time I see a car accident like this involving a Benz it reminds me of the clip they show on TV of the Mercedes SL flipping over on the Autobahn and skidding on its roof for like 50 yards. The guy got out and shut the door and just sat down on the ground stunned.

Glad you and your family are ok. Wow

Your car died a heroes death.
I bet the guy didn't signal, right?