[Mudpie]

Originally Posted by JayEll

Got in a car accident a couple days ago. The other car ran a red light and T-boned me in the intersection. Both cars are probably totaled.

I don't have any broken bones, but I'm very sore and bruised. The seat belt and airbags did what they were supposed to, for which I'm grateful. The seat belt left me with a big purple bruise across my lower abdomen, a scrape on my neck, and bruises on my chest, but I'll heal. The side airbags kept me from a head injury.

I was hit on the driver's side, but the rear door. My car spun more than 180 degrees before it came to a stop. The other car hit head on and its front end was smashed in.

Not really thinking about my weight today! Ha!

OMG! I'm so glad you were not more seriously injured. I hope everything heals up quickly and relatively painlessly and that your insurer covers everything with a minimum of fuss.

Take it easy and take care.

Dagmar

[HowlinAtTheMoon]

JayEll, I'm so sorry to hear about your accident! It's a very stressful life event Were you scared by the airbags going off? When my Tacoma went off the road last summer, the airbags deployed and really scared me. Glad you were not seriously injured but it may take a while to feel normal again.

If you have to rent a car, be smarter than I was. Take photos of the entire car so they can't pin a dent on you that was there when you rented it. They do a walk-around, but it's easy to miss little things.

Hope the other person's insurance pays. Did you call the police?

[JayEll]

Thanks for the good wishes!

The fire trucks, ambulances, sheriffs, and highway patrol showed up. Frankly, Alice, I had more to pay attention to than the airbags. But about those bags--the front one didn't go off, I think, but the side curtain airbags did. Those were more important in this collision, and I'm glad they were there.

Thanks for the tip about rental cars, Alice. I don't think we're going to get one, but we still can if we change our minds.

Car insurance is mandatory in Florida--but in any case, the other driver does have it. I hope they pay big time. I've told my insurance company I want everything they can get.

Some people go the lawyer route, but then you have to pay the lawyer something like 30% (maybe more) of any settlement. I've never seen the advantage of that, but if I had been more badly hurt, who knows. Generally it all gets worked out by the insurance companies anyway.

[HowlinAtTheMoon]

I hope you get a bundle, JayEll! Pain, stress and total inconvenience all add up, on top of replacing your vehicle! Insurance is mandatory here, too, but people still drive without it. We have "uninsured motorist" on our insurance policy, which pays if we are hit by an uninsured motorist (naturally).

We've got two major fires in the mountains east of us. One is the KNP Complex which is threatening the iconic giant sequoias in the National Park. The other is just south of there, which is directly east of us about 40 miles. The sky is gray. I think I'm going to have to forget about hiking for a while and concentrate on my other hobbies The only problem is that I need some hills to keep my legs in shape and where I live it is nothing but flat. My knees are too bad to do conventional gym leg exercises.

[Mudpie]

It is illegal to drive anywhere in Canada without insurance. You can't renew your driver's license or plate sticker without it either. I have never been in an accident where the car was totalled. Here we used to have the option of requesting the same make, year and model of vehicle as a replacement, rather than the "book" value cash sum.

Alice I read about firefighters wrapping the bases of giant trees with a fire ******ant foil, which ahs also been used to wrap houses to reduce fire damage. Would they be able to do that with the sequoias I wonder? I just noticed I'm not allowed to use a word that goes with fire - so silly!

Dagmar

[BillBlueEyes]

LMAO that Dagmar can't say "fire ******ant foil." Substitute: "fire DevelopmentallyChallenged foil". That should pass.

[JayEll]

[HowlinAtTheMoon]

Dagmar, they are wrapping the base of the biggest sequoias with the **** foil When the fire has passed, they remove it and reuse it. I hear it is very expensive.

It is absolutely illegal here to drive without insurance or without a license. You need a current registration too but may just get a warning for an out-of-date sticker if they look up your record and see that you paid the renewal fee. I'm not sure but for the first two the police might impound your car and take you off the road right then and there. But do you think that stops people from driving? Heck, no. We can always tell the illegals with no driver's license because they drive slower than the speed limit to avoid getting pulled over.

[JayEll]

It's similar in Florida--you can't register your car without proof of insurance. Of course, the people who don't have insurance also drive with expired plates, and sometimes a suspended license. They can get away with it for a while.

A friend of mine here was in an accident--"fender bender"--about the time I was. He got the information from the other driver, but police were not called. It turns out that the other party has been dodging their own insurance company, and the rule seems to be that after 8 days of no response, the insurance company drops the claim because there is no proof of liability. What?? I guess my friend didn't take photos with his phone either! So even in what seems to be a minor accident, call the police! Take pictures!

We have collision coverage. I think any car under 10 years old needs collision coverage. (And I always carry comprehensive as well, at any age.) Our car is a total loss, but our company paid out almost as much as we initially bought the car for! That's how much the value of certain used cars has increased in the last two years.

Dagmar, think of the worst hit you've seen in American or Canadian football. That's what being in a collision like that feels like. I'm lucky I wasn't hurt more seriously.

I hope the aluminum foil wrap helps the redwoods, but somehow it sounds like a gimmick to me.

[HowlinAtTheMoon]

The person giving the fire updates for the Park explained that the sequoias are generally fire-resistant, but if an old scar starts burning, the fire can get into the center of the tree and kill it. They are putting the foil over scars as well as at the base.

Great advice to call police and take photos, JayEll. Even something that looks minor can cost hundreds to repair, or more. I used to not have comprehensive until I had to replace a second windshield due to rock cracks (too big to be repaired). Adding comprehensive was pretty cheap. Each windshield cost over $400. Once I had coverage, I realized I had been driving past big trucks cringing, expecting another rock to fly up. I stay far away from the rear of trucks on the highway, but I've also gotten a rock from an oncoming truck.

Glad you got a good payout for your totaled car. I guess if it had to happen, this was a good time

[Mudpie]

JayEll I have been in only one collision where the car I was driving was deemed a "write-off". I was making a left turn and a guy behind the opposite driver making a left deked out from behind him and smashed into the passenger right corner of the Buick I was driving. The Buick was a crumpled mess. I wound up with bruises all over both my legs and a neck injury that I didn't address until years later. The other guy, whose car was also a crumpled mess, walked away. He had booze on his breath at 10 a.m. but the police didn't question him. I was deemed to be automatically at fault because I was making a left turn. I thought I was lucky to get away with the injuries I did after looking at the cars.

Dagmar

[HowlinAtTheMoon]

Happy October to everyone! (insert pumpkin spice smiley)

I haven't weighed in a couple of weeks. I hope I haven't gained much. My clothes are fine but I don't feel lean. And I've been doing a lot of late evening snacking. Oh well, it is what it is and I'm back on track now as of yesterday.

I got in a nice day hike to Kearsarge Pass and two nights of camping in a campgrounds on the east side of the Sierras. The drive over was horribly smoky to the point where the very close mountains were barely visible. Fortunately the winds changed and gave us two gorgeous fall days with blue skies and the start of fall color on the aspens and willows. Back at home now to perpetual haze. The fire in Sequoia Natl Park is about 60,000 acres now and 20% contained. The fire due east of us, the Windy Fire, is almost 100,000 acres and 50% contained. I predict we'll have smoke for several more weeks at this rate. I keep feeling thankful that I have already hiked so much of the area that is burning. At least one giant sequoia grove, the Starvation Creek grove, is almost completely destroyed. I hiked there two years ago and still have a vivid memory of the beautiful trees.

I picked up a dozen pots of native plants today and will be busy planting them this week and next. Drip irrigation work is on the schedule too.

Hope everyone is doing well!!

[Mudpie]

Happy October!

Glad you were able to enjoy hiking and camping under some blue skies Alice. Very sad about the trees. I've never seen them except in photos and they look magnificent in those.

We had a short but successful kayak yesterday, also under blue skies. Turns out DH has been very fearful of going because of his knee problems and his weight. He had quite a job getting back out of his kayak but I helped and we got it done. We are very fortunate in that there is a very private strip of beach with very shallow water where we can launch and land the boats. It is protected by a spit of land too so no big waves. I had no problem popping into the kayak but I too had a moment getting out. My one leg and hip don't have the thrusting power they did last year. I'll have to practice using my right side since that hip is less damaged.

I'm always amazed at how easily the kayaking skills return. And I think I'm going to sell the SUP and make a real effort to get the kayak out more next year. I can only go on weekends - too physically tired at the end of weekday work days - but I like that best as it's relatively quiet early in the morning. DH does not like to get up early but he will do it for the kayaking with minimum grumbling.

Dagmar

[JayEll]

Dagmar, getting in and out of a kayak is a problem for lots of folks. My partner doesn't kayak because of her knees--and the problem is not because of her weight. I prefer the kayaks that are open on top, myself. What kind do you have? I haven't been kayaking in years now.

Alice, I was reading just yesterday about the Complex fire and the sequoias. Fortunately, sequoia seeds germinate after fire, so there may be more trees someday.

It's still too hot here. Usually it's a bit cooler by now. I'd like to get out and do more yard work--it tends to get put off over the summer.

[HowlinAtTheMoon]

My garden work also got put off all summer, JayEll, except for essential watering. Compared to a week ago, this week is like being on a different planet! Temps in the 70s and actual blue sky. I've got a long list of garden chores to do this month - plant new natives that I purchased last weekend, start seeds, transplant things that need a new location, finish the paths in the new hummingbird patio garden, install drip irrigation, and more! My goal is to get a few things checked off the list each day. My energy varies greatly, so no telling what I'll get done on any particular day.

The sequoias will eventually grow back if the climate hasn't changed too much. They don't like drought. And there are still lots of giant ones to see, at least this year.

Dagmar, I wish I had easier access to kayaking. It is a peaceful activity. I need more of those! Have fun before it gets too cold!