Crash

infinitianalog said:
just had a nasty collision in my fx50. Someone drove through a stop sign at high speed to hit me.

The fx took the brunt of it, certainly. It is totaled. The seatbelt made an intense black bruise, my leg hit the dash under the steering wheel for a painful bruise, and i've a sprained thumb. Everything is sore, but there's no blood, xrays show no broken bones, and no apparent serious injuries. The passenger side airbags went off, but mine either did not trigger or was ineffective for some unknown reason. Almost half a meter of the front is dented in, and the passenger-side doors buckled. It's nearly what euro ncap predicted for a side-front collision.

the other car was old and inexpensive (eg. 1988 honda civic), so the driver faired worse, but i'm told he'll be ok.

Insurance and police/firemen/paramedics have been very understanding so far. With the obvious impact results, witnesses' clarity regarding fault, and the other driver's circumstances, they've tried to put me at ease. I'm usually skeptical, but i'm impressed by the people in these institutions, even the dude at the police impound lot.
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i'm disappointed. I spent a lot of time picking my car, caring for it, and all it takes is one person to randomly destroy it. At least it's final gift was safety.

I'll have to pick a new car soon. If it's another fx50, i'll consider smaller wheels since mine were torn up by curbs (wide car). I'll try other cars out, but i still look forward to reinstalling my stainless knobs i bought on this forum into a new infiniti. After seeing me standing next to the mangled car, two people i know want to visit infiniti with me. I thought everyone here should like to know that car accidents are violent and random, and that their infiniti fx is remarkably protective.
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if you don't get another fx50 ill take you knobs. I call dibs.
 
Glad you're OK! Scary stuff... I was knocked down crossing the street by an older car who didn't seem to want to wait at a red about 18 months ago. Broke some bones, and while a settlement was nice, I would have preferred to be wrapped in the safety of my FX...

Keep us posted on the new ride.
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Sent from my NookColor
 
Thanks for the support everyone. I still have sore joints, a painful chest and such, but no complications. Everyone tried to terrify me with stories of after-accident permanent damage, like needing half a rib sawn off to make room for scar tissue. I hope you're doing well GroundFx

Several people thought I was barking mad obsessing over details; I knew the crashtest results during the accident. I spent so much time on specs, I probably won't choose another car.

I don't remember drivers' airbags going off. It could have hit my hand, and I remember several things flying in the cabin (eg. corded radar detector), but I don't have an airbag's face injuries. A witness afterward didn't remember it being deployed, but it's visible in the impound lot. Maybe they set it off for post-accident safety. Side-curtains are still inflated, but the steering-wheel/drivers'-curtains aren't. Lots of junk flew around in the car, so a clean car with anchored accessories should improve safety. No news from the insurance adjuster, other than it is written off.

The witness was a taxi driver. Afterward I hit the ignition button, and the FX only whirred and fumed burning-plastic, then I jammed it into park and then it would turn off. The witness was already speaking to 911 as I ran to the other car. He knew what to say, done it before. I'm extremely lucky he was there. Fire-rescue was there in what seemed like <3 minutes.


The other driver hasn't produced insurance. I have my insurance for the car, but dunno about injuries yet. They couldn't find my insurance in the car at the scene (confusing then), but it was there in the impound lot.

I phoned the audio guys that installed my subwoofer and remote start, who then asked if they could go to the scrap place to uninstall them for me. Once again, incredible support.


I visited 9 dealerships today. I have new respect for the elderly, painfully climbing into awkward cars. Didn't even fit the X6 or LR2, and my knees were above the Smart's steering wheel. X5 hasn't changed much, Cayenne has improved greatly (aluminumy), the ZDX is impressive yet slower and bigger, the 2012 ML has improved dramatically (low powered for now, except the diesel's 455 torque?), FX50 is nearly unchanged (power liftgate, still monochromatic), and there's a crazy SRT8 Jeep coming out. I'll do test drives in a while, and MLs are interesting, but the FX50 still has the balance I want.

Squeamish owners should look away--

Horn is hanging off the front, and even the washable airfilters are destroyed.

No shattered glass, not even a flat tire.
 
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Yeah, I'm told that since the frame is gone, and there's airbags deployed, the cost is too high to repair and it could never be mended properly. The interior is packed with debris, all the plastic bits that fell off, coated in oil. Someone took those photos for me using a camera-phone, but hopefully I'll see it again to take proper photos. I guess the collision fixed those brakes, since they don't squeak anymore.
 
Maybe you can sell your rims and install some 18" rims instea since its totaled.
 
I'm glad to hear you're OK too and know the FX is built like a tank. My twin 5 yr olds often ride "shotgun" with me, so its comforting to think the car will look out for our safety in the event of an accident.
 
To answer private messages, when a vehicle is "written off", it is scrapped by the insurance company. Technically, anything wired or bolted is owned and sold by the insurance company. I don't mind selling parts, but the price will be a new FX.

Those wheels are scraped up, invisibly in the photos. The hood biceps and exterior width had me grazing curbs. I saw the regular wheels today, thought they looked better, and then had a painful testride on low-profile tires over potholes.

Saw the ML350 Diesel again today. 2008's took four seconds to notice I'd floored the throttle, but supposedly this one's responsive. Slower than FX50s, but I won't mind if 445 torques feel fast. AMG would be fantastic, but that's spring 2012. Gray leather stains after a couple years, so maybe "Artico leather" pleather. I'm thinking blue, since I'm bored of Black, White, and Grays. Only refilling the diesel's Enviro-conscious AdBlue Urea Pisstank grates. People are getting angry when I consider other cars since the FX50 is obviously safe, but there's a bit of "I got hurt in there".


The car crumples well and that massive 5L up front is solid. If I had a pet with me, I'd have half a pet now too, but my pretensioned seatbelt was highly effective. Children would be protected strapped in. Actually, my mildly-fading purple bruise made me consider pricing a two-point belt install. Maybe a kevlar vest :mask:

An Infiniti dealer told me the front airbags won't go off unless the crash is directly parallel. Also, the Infiniti steering wheel airbag is "gentler" apparently (clever dealer), making friction burns ("road rash") instead of broken noses. Either way I'm certain it didn't go off.

It's absurd to say, partly because it's a "luxury car" and part because I'm damaged, but crashing was relatively comfortable. Comfy seat, and adrenaline temporarily masks pain. Recovery is like having the flu while being beaten, but I'll take that over steering-column impalement.
 
Almost had the same thing happen to me today at a red turned green light, except it would have been driver's side. I just happened to notice the woman in the white Scion XB out of the corner of my eye as she blew through the intersection. I just sat there trying to figure out what happened, checked to make sure I had a green light, debated following her ass and doing god knows what, and being happy that I didn't go as soon as the light turned green.
 
Ouch. that does look like a pretty hard hit. Cabin intact, so all good
 
Cabin is nearly perfectly intact. Very impressive. I bumped against bits of the cabin, instead of car bits hurting me. Cars have improved a lot for safety, and the FX seems carefully designed. I owe a thankyou letter addressed to Nishi-ku in Yokohama of Kanagawa prefecture.

My only safety design quibble would be knee/leg room. I'm looking for it in new cars for comfort, but my leg hit the FX50 dash. Knee-airbags are unnecessary, but space would help.

___
I could be nervous, but I'm seeing several near-misses now too. They were always happening. Now I know that even if I'm in a luxury tank, and the other car is worthless, I'll still be hurt. I'm fine driving aggressively, but when there's an oncoming moving car where I'm supposed and about to be, it's unnerving. For years I've noticed intersections and parkinglots designed to be dangerous, but now I'm seeing bad drivers as potentially :skull:
 
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I get spooked a lot on the interstate when there's a car two lanes to the right of me, a couple cars length ahead that starts to move over one lane to my right as I'm passing. I've had multiple cars do that and keep coming into my lane. I've also driven onto the shoulder multiple times to avoid cars. Thing is, when they are right next to you, you can't tell for sure. I don't know if I avoided an accident or just overreacted to nothing.
 
Not sure. People cut me off like that while passing for no reason. Often I wonder if it's to be intentionally passive-aggressive and dangerous, or just an absent-mindedly tired or oblivious person.


__
I feel some anger. It's possible the driver who hit me never learned traffic laws. Driving safety avoids bumps, but momentarily a speeding car appears in front of mine or yours. Whether it's a mistake or an unlicenced driver, "Right of Way" becomes meaningless, and reaction time or life expectancy is in few hundredths of a second. The organized chaos of worldwide driving always amazed me, but I'm shocked at how completely the the world changes when there's instant "fault" and it's 100% of another driver's.

I'm doing well mentally, despite everyone expecting mania. Although I am feeling down on commuting daily. There's that sinking feeling when other drivers are aimed at me, but I'm driving well. I haven't had time to rest and heal, but I'm doing that this week.

Got my knobs back. I believe the Infiniti logo on the front shattered, but I took a broken chunk of the grill which I will make into art somehow, and the horn which I will use on my bike.
 
StuLax18 said:
I get spooked a lot on the interstate when there's a car two lanes to the right of me, a couple cars length ahead that starts to move over one lane to my right as I'm passing. I've had multiple cars do that and keep coming into my lane. I've also driven onto the shoulder multiple times to avoid cars. Thing is, when they are right next to you, you can't tell for sure. I don't know if I avoided an accident or just overreacted to nothing.
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WEIRD. I do the same thing.. honestly, I thought I was the only one who thought about this while driving.
 
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