The following is a telling of what happened to me and my 02 EX civic. This is a copy/paste of a post that I putup on another forum months ago now. So it was just "last thursday". The original date of the post is Tuesday Feb 28th. Enjoy the tale!
Last Thursday, I broke my nose. Landed on my head. Ended up in a ditch. Skipped worked. Went to the ER. Was classified as "Trauma Level 2" patient. Totalled my car. And brought a new car. All the while, I took it in stride. Yes I'd say I had a long day. How did all this happen might you ask? Let me start from the begining...
I was running a little late to work. Not really late, and I wasn't rushing since I only work 5 minutes away from home. I was running late because I was working on some things before I went into the office. I took a shower, and grabbed my morning bagel to eat when I got to work. Driving the same roads I've been driving every morning almost for the past 3 or 4 months. I took a turn a little faster than I probably (in hindsight) should have. Started to slide towards the ditch on the side of road. Managing to control the slide, as I am an experienced driver when it comes to traction and control, I avoided the ditch. Sliding into the oncoming lane around the turn, I could see a car in front of me. Immediately, I controlled my (by now ongoing) sliding to the point when I narrowly avoided the oncoming car. After the fighting the car to stay striaght for another 20 - 30 feet, I could do more and found myself sliding rapidly towards the ditch again. Hitting something on the way into the ditch, my car spun around and flew into the air. Flipping forward, the back coming up over the front, I found myself look at the ground for a half a second. With enough presence of mind to dodge downward in my seat, as the car flipped over and dropped 4 feet from the air into the icy water filled ditch landing on it's roof.
After sitting in shock for a second or two, I found myself suspended upside down in my car hanging by my seatbelt. Bracing my arm against the roof (now floor) of my car, I released my seatbelt and immediately found the car to feel much smaller inside. Looking around, I realized that my car was upside down leaning heavily on the driver side. Panicking for a few seconds, I tried the passenger side door (having to figure out it was locked, and trying to find the handle in my newly flipped interior) to find the it would not open more than a few inches. Several thoughts ran through my mind in these moments. "I'm stuck", "I'm trapped", "I wanna get out of here and roll my car back over and drive home immediately" being some of the thoughts I had. Some of these thoughts are obviously irrational.
Water was seeping into my car. I hadn't landed in much, but enough that I could see it pooling into my car and it was cold. Pulling out my cell phone, I dialed 911. I realize now that I have never dialed 911 before in my life. I've been in plenty of situations, but I've never been the one to actually call. As the dispatcher answered the phone, I very calmly explained that I was trapped in an upside down car. He quickly asked where I was. "Big Oak Road" I replied. His response to this still irritates me. "Where on Big Oak Road? What intersection? What address?" ..... My immediate reply was something along the lines of "I'm stuck in a flipped over car in a ditch, I can't see the ******* address, and it's not an intersection...just send someone to Big Oak Road. It's two miles long and you can't miss me." He asked me the same question again twice more (he sounded very bored).
About this time someone showed up in my back window, braving the dangerous situation with the flipped car along with the icy water in the ditch. Calling to me and asking if I was Ok. I explained to him I was on the phone with 911. Become quickly angry at the 911 operator, I told the bored man on the phone that I was going to attempt to "exit my vehicle" with the help of another person who has aparently stopped at the scene.
After handing the new arrival my cell phone. I squeezed my way out of my (I hadn't noticed untill then) completely smashed out back windshield, with the help of someone who I don't think I ever really had a chance to thank. I realized that my rescuer was one of two garbage men who had stopped immediately to help. They wouldn't let me stand up, and I was admittedly quite shaken up although more than grateful to be freed of the increasingly clauster phobic inside of my now pitiful looking car.
Looking around I found that the driver of the car who I had avoided had stopped and seemed to be in almost as much shock as myself. This was also when I realized that the men who had helped me out were two garbage collectors who's route had happen to take them down that road at that time.
At this time I made a few phone calls. I tried to call my Dad, who I always seem to call whenever I get into a scrape with my car. But he was on the subway, and was never even notified of my attempt. Secondly I called work.
"Hello Derek, I don't think I'm going to make it in today..."
Shortly thereafter, two officers arrived and immediately took control of the situation. Asking me what had happened (this will be the first time out of hundreds I would tell the story today), I explained the story to them. This is about when the garbage men left. The officers also took the only witness's account (the man in the oncoming car), and let him go on his way. The ambulance showed up about then and I was looked over by the paramedics. This is when I realized that my nose was bleeding and it hurt a bit. I was still shaky, but was finally allowed to stand up for the first time since exiting my car. I declined the paramedic's offer to take me to the ER (it was Frankford, there was no way in hell I was going there), and after signing the waiver they left me in peace.
Sometime in the meanwhile, a small fire engine regiment had shown up but with nothing obvious to do, the firemen where gaping in wonder at my overturned vehicle.
The next helpful folk to arrive were the tow trucks. It never ceases to amaze me how fast the response of tow trucks is. They are like vultures, but some of the nicest and most helpful vultures I've met. Of course they are the only people at the scene who really stand to make money out of this all. It took two trucks and some winching, to roll my car back out of the ditch. As the car was rolling over, water drained, seeping out of the closed driver side door. Oil and radiator fluid, flowed out of the front grill. And the car rocked on it's (surprisingly, seemingly unharmed) suspension.
At this point, I had to retreive my laptop from the wreck. Hoping that somehow it escaped the water, one of the firemen volunteered to dive into the back window to get the keys out of my ignition. The car had been turned on this whole while. The doors had stayed locked automaticly, just as if I had been driving. The engine had stalled and siezed sometime shortly after landing. After getting my keys, my bag was gotten out of the car.
As the bag was handed to me, water drained out of it like it was a pair of wet swimming trunks. Acting quickly, I checked on my laptop to find that it's compartment in my bag was completely dry. Minor miracles. The same laptop by the way, that I am using the post this story.
Screeching, grinding metal and pastic. My car was pulled/dragged onto the bed of a towtruck. While watching this specticle, I was calling my mother and telling her what happened. She freaked out, as mother's are wont to do. Yelling at me on the phone that I let the paramedics go, among other things. She decided to leave work and come and get me where ever I ended up.
I will post the rest of the story later .... bet you can't wait for the second installment! But until then, Jester and I took pictures of my totalled car. They were taken after the car was cleaned up and looked at. Doesn't look that bad I know, but if I hadn't been wearing my seatbeat I would have broken my neck.
-------- 2nd post ----------------
After much discussion and confusion, I decided to have the tow truck take my car (now upright) directly to CollisionMax. They did an awesome job on my car last time (right around this past New Years). Ironicly, they just replaced the front right headlight and fender, my hood and my front bumper. After having myself and my car dropped off at the shop, I spoke with my guy and with just a glance he told me the car is probably totalled. At this point I had already decided I didn't want to get it fixed regardless.
While waiting for my ride, I called my insurance company and filed the claim. Waiting around for what seemed like hours, I made several other phone calls. At this point, about an hour and a half had passed since I was pulled from the car. I was still jittery, and more than a little wired.
My mother finally arrived, hounding on me to go to the ER. I kept refusing. I wanted to go home, and shower, clean up. We compromised, I let her take me after going home first.
We arrived at St. Mary's ER. Signed in, and settled in for the wait. Several Chapters of my book later, my name was called and I was lead into a secure room in the back. The ER at St. Mary's has been redesigned because of an incident there last year, where an armed man shot a police officer inside the ER. Now all major doors are keypadded, and ambulance patients are brought into a seperate area among other precautions.
After taking my information and asking about what happened (I gave the same story I've been giving all day to this point), I was lead into a small room. This room was much like one you would find at your family doctor's office. So far my trip to the ER has been uneventful, and boring to boot. After waiting for what seemed like longer than neccessary (someone could be dying out there!), a young good looking female doctor comes in. She asked me for pretty much the same information that I had already told two people since arriving at the ER, so I just followed the routine. Immediately upon hearing that my car accident was a "rollover", her interests seemed to peek and she went into action. Not letting me finish my story, she told me to take off my shirt. She rushed over to me like a woman posessed, or maybe she just wanted my body that badly. Reaching behind me, she pulled out a hospital gown, and handed it to me telling me to put it on. This all happened to so fast I didn't even have time to get my hopes up, let alone anything else. (Of course I'm joking, I was much too sore to be thinking of anything but rest.)
Sitting me down in a wheelchair, I was wheeled out into the hallway while a nurse took my vitals yet again. It seems they just love vital signs. Now I'm not a small guy, and I don't appreciate being pushed around when I can walk perfectly fine on my own. We went down several hallways, through several keypadde doors, and took many turns. My head was spinning more than it was when I was flipping my car, and I felt like I had been cheated out of my hospital tour (they rushed it, it seemed).
On the way to our destination (which I had no idea what it was), the good looking doctor told me that since my accident had involved a vehicle rolling over I was to be immediately elevated to a "Trauma Level 2" patient. She also said it would get me out of there quicker probably, which I was really thrilled about. Arriving at the ambulance portion of the ER, I was wheeled into a Trauma ward room. Surrounded by all sorts of instruments, most of which looked like they were supposed to be inserted into unnatural places, I was instructed to lay down on the table. Suddenly I felt like a lab specimen, or perhaps an alien abductee.
Shortly thereafter, a specialist come into the room. Or so I thought. He turned out the be the specialist's little help, a specialist in training. After the young man checked me over and heard my complaint's of what hurt, he provided me an ice pack for my nose which was obviously broken and swollen. A few minutes passed, and the real specialist graced us with his presence. He was a really nice guy, funny and looked like he was geniunely happy to be there helping me. He told me this and that, and asked me all sorts of questions that I hadn't been asked yet (I was thrilled let me assure you). He was amazed I survived my accident with so little injury. After determining that I needed nothing more than a few days relaxation and ice on my nose, he called off the other specialists and pronounced me good to go after I recieved an X-Ray. So I had to wait for a little while longer until that could be done.
Finally getting into the X-Ray lab, I was told to lay down on a hard cold table. At this point my body was stif and my shoulders hurt a bit. After being positioned in several uncomfortable ways, I was led back to the Trauma ward room. I had some more waiting in store still aparently. I had to wait for the X-Ray to be read.
A half hour later, the X-Ray was read and it confirmed what we all already knew to be true. My nose was broken, but there wasn't anything they could do. I had the possibility and of slight concussion, but again nothing really to be done except ride it out.
Finally it was discharge time, and I was able to go back home. On the way home, my mother and I stopped and picked up a pizza. Large Meat lovers. I devoured it in record time. Sitting at the kitchen table with my extremely lucky laptop, I began looking at new cars. I knew I wanted another Honda Civic. I love Civics, they have always treated me well and I have never had any problems with them. I immediately feel in love with the 2006 Civic Si. I convinced my mother to drive me around the corner to the Honda Dealership that I brought my old car from (old, because it was totalled now). I lucked out again, like I have been doing all day. They had one available, and the last one available for several states around. I saw the car, but they wouldn't let anyone test drive it unless they were buying it. I said I wanted it, but I had to figure out if I could afford it and what the insurance difference would be.
Heading back home, I figured out my finances and what all of my monthly payment increases would be. To my surprise, insurance wouldn't go up anymore than if I brought the 2006 Civic EX (my second choice). That finalized my decision. When my dad came home from work, we headed back to the dealership.
My dad is a pro at dealing with car salesmen. He's done it well all his life, and learned it from his father as I have from him. He didn't like the fact that they marked up the car because of it's rarity (it is a limited edition also). After much dealing, in which we walked out and came back once, I put down several grand on the car. All that I needed to do was get qualified for the loan, and wait for a letter from the insurance company confirming my old car is totalled. It was late at night and I went home happy.
Against everyone's better judgement, I went out with good friends afterwards and had a great time. Everyone was so relieved that I was alright, and I tried my best not to let my pain slow me down.