[robby71]

well since i picked up my 52 plate Cooper last saturday i've done some checks (found oil to be at min, rear wiper broken, scratches to trim, pulling to left, airbag light on, rattles, etc) - nothing major but faults that shouldn't have been there.
Up until yesterday i've been sorting them with new dash trim pieces, felt to cure the rattles, new wiper, etc
Got the car booked in the garage for monday for the steering, oil, airbag light so everything is going to be ok ------------------------------------------------------BANG !!!!!!!! can you belive it? on the way home from work tonight a 93 year old ran into me head on in my lane??????????
he'd crossed over onto my side of the road as he couldn't see where he was going as his windscreen was steamed up - he couldn't see the white line in the road, couldn't see my headlights and couldn't hear my horn
i called the police out as i was so mad (i wanted to drag him out of his car) and it turned out he'd had to take a driving assesment YESTERDAY with dvla for another accident and he'd passed????
the police officer (friendly guy) said he'd make a report stating he shouldn't be on the road but there was nothing else he could do (no driving offence commited? not even driving without due care) so he'll get no points

it could have been worse though as the damage looks to be - dent in front bumper, grille, bonnet, both airbags deployed (ouch they hurt like hell in the face) so new s/wheel + airbags, dash top (where pass airbag cover gouged into it)

i guess at least i'll get my airbag light sorted now and also the steering (honest it was perfect before the accident )

oh and a big thanks to the dozen or so Mini drivers who never stopped - miserable lot in Huddersfield

now it's a waiting game with the insurance.......................

[KPKalle]

Blimey what a saga Wishing you all the best of luck to get it all fixed up.

[robby71]

thanks - didn't even manage a full week in the car

[supa-dupa-cooper]

ouch

[jamestyler]

only a few dents? An airbag deployment indicates quite a serious accident, you sound ok, I hope this is so.

An airbag will deploy if you hit a parked car at about 28 mph , about half that if you hit a brick wall, and probably about 35mph for offset strike.

A combined speed of about 28mph would wake me up

[tnoy66]

Robby, sorry to hear this
I hope the insurance sort everything out for you properly

Where abouts was this
We're not all miserable in Hudds

[robby71]

i was doing about 15 - 20mph (traffic moving off from lights which had recently changed to green) old git probably doing about 25-30?
he actually missed his turn off to get to his house as he couldn't see the road was what he told the police? how can he not get done for careless driving????

me and my passenger were just shocked (he had his glasses broken with the pass airbag cover) so things could have been worse

It was on Halifax road about 1/2 mile from Ainley Top about 4.10pm tonight - must have been dozens of cars in the queue and coming the other way behind old git and not 1 stopped (great witnesses) which is why i left my car in the road so the police could see exactly where it happened (no glass broken and no skid marks - well not on the road )

got to try to sort out a courtesy car tommorow - not happy about that

ah well it was fun while it lasted just a few dents so shouldn't be able to tell when it's repaired

[tnoy66]

25-30 and couldn't see, if you can't see you stop, not hope and pray
The guy should surely be prosecuted, but given his age, he might never make it to court

Up there at that time you should have had loads of witnesses and you may have done if it had been dry. They probably didn't want to get wet

[robby71]

what i can't belive is the old git told the police he'd taken a test at dvla (Leeds) yesterday because of another accident and he'd passed?
when i got out of my car and saw his i couldn't see in as it was so misted up (heavey rain and probably no blowers switched on?) surely that is dangerous driving or at least driving without due care and attention?

just hope the repairs are authorised quickly and everything gets sorted properly - have to take tommorow off work now to get everything moving - great weekend to look forward to

[snuffy]

you never know, they may write the car off if the air bags have deployed. They are expensive items!

Good luck

[JDinho]

Quote: Originally Posted by jamestyler (original)

only a few dents? An airbag deployment indicates quite a serious accident, you sound ok, I hope this is so.

An airbag will deploy if you hit a parked car at about 28 mph , about half that if you hit a brick wall, and probably about 35mph for offset strike.

A combined speed of about 28mph would wake me up

The airbag did not deploy when our last MCS met its grizzly end...

http://www.mini2.com/forum/attachmen...6&d=1145020831

http://www.mini2.com/forum/attachmen...8&d=1145020831

The car hit a crash barrier at approx 65mph and all reports suggest there was no fault with airbag system.

[robby71]

well just been to have a look and take a couple of pics - doesn't look at all bad from the outside it's just the airbags/ dash

[minimul]

I thought if the airbag light was on they wouldn't deploy at all??
Next time mine comes on again, I'm about due another, I won't bother getting it fixed!

[robby71]

Quote: Originally Posted by minimul (original)

I thought if the airbag light was on they wouldn't deploy at all??
Next time mine comes on again, I'm about due another, I won't bother getting it fixed!

well you could say i tested to see if it was true - can't belive how much smoke/ powder came off them, couldn't see a thing in the car

just had a call from the old gits son who says the police are not prosecuting him

[jamestyler]

Quote: Originally Posted by JDinho (original)

The airbag did not deploy when our last MCS met its grizzly end...

http://www.mini2.com/forum/attachmen...6&d=1145020831

http://www.mini2.com/forum/attachmen...8&d=1145020831

The car hit a crash barrier at approx 65mph and all reports suggest there was no fault with airbag system.

I conceed that what I wrote is a bit of a simplification, however I stand behind what I say. The photos that you show (bear in mind I am not experienced in looking at car crash photos etc.) look to me as if the car grazed the barrier. This will not deploy the air bag, as it is the deceleraion that is important (hence the different speeds required for a wall compared to another car) and I think the sensors really cover about 35 deg either side of dead ahead. So you hit a barrier at 65 but took some time to stop , hence no deployment, as opposed to a slower speed and stopping virtually instantly .

Front Air bags also tend not to inflate in roll over crashes.

When I worked in A+E I saw hundreds of car occupants who had been in accidents and only a handfull had experienced their airbag deploy. It made me far more concerned when I heard that as they were likely to have had more energy disapated through their body.

[robby71]

mine was a dead head on - combined speed probably around 40 - 50ish

got to say i was suprised how little damage was done to the exterior?

[*Vikki*]

so sorry to hear this and these old farts have lower insurance than young people! as they are seen as a lower risk!? tut! they should get these old farts off the road!

[Electric Blue]

that looks like no damage at all!! Wonder if the air bag light being on is the reason they went off?

[robby71]

Quote: Originally Posted by Electric Blue (original)

that looks like no damage at all!! Wonder if the air bag light being on is the reason they went off?

not sure but the seat airbags didn't deploy so i'm assuming it was because it was dead head on the front ones did go off?
the damage looks worse becaue
1. the bonnets open (everything is still straight
2. recovery guy pulled wheel arch off opening bonnet

got a BMW 1 series diesel as a loan car for now (more dents in it than mine has) - just hope they'll fix mine instead of writing it off as it took a while to find 1 with that spec/ colour combo/ price
if they do write it off though i'm not sure if i'll get another - might just get an old banger as i'm fed up with getting a car mint for someone else to damage it

[robby71]

Quote: Originally Posted by robby71 (original)

well just been to have a look and take a couple of pics - doesn't look at all bad from the outside it's just the airbags/ dash

ok just had a call from the bodyshop with the repair price


wait for it


have a guess




no not even close - £4117 + VAT
apparently the front subframe is bent? airbags are £1500? dash top, trim, bumper, bonnet, grilles, etc
should be ready in 2 weeks