Rig Down

[TJM]

Yesterday me and the family packed up for a vacation and hit the road. Not 20 minutes into the trip, some genius decides the far left lane on the interstate is an appropriate place to stop for a minor fender bender. Pulling to a stop behind traffic, I watched the lane next to me for a clearing, because if there's anything I can't stand it's being at a dead stop on the highway.

Seeing a clear opening, I moved into the lane on my left. I had almost completely changed lanes when I was hit by some Ford POS monster pickup going 70+. He clipped the rear drivers side bumper, tail light and rear fender, buckled the wheel well and rear door. No idea if the frame is bent yet. He glanced off of me and plowed into the rear end of two more vehicles, ending in an 8 car pile up.

I immediately got off the highway and called 911 (they already knew) and checked out my family. All ok, all conscious, all shook up. I was ok but for a sore left shoulder/neck. Everyone walked away from the other wrecks too.

Fire, EMS and PD, even the towing guys were super cool, polite and pleasant to deal with. But due to the nature/location of the damage, I'm pretty sure The Beast is totaled. Unless they will pay to replace the rear quarter panel (completely caved in) which means a large part of the body itself, it's gone.

I'm glad my family is ok, and I know that's the important thing, but now I am left with the loss of a friend. I got it with 500 miles on it, the first and likely last vehicle I will ever own brand new. we traveled hundreds of thousands of miles together, from mountains to lakes to rivers, across cities and states, work and play. I knew that truck better than any vehicle, molded it to my personality and hobbies, studied it, dismantled it and put it back together. In fact, the day before we left I had just finished doing the timing belt.

It's kind of stupid to mourn the loss of a material object, I know, but it was very much a part of my life and lifestyle.

 

[Brveagle]

If anyone understands the "pain" of your loss, it will be this forum.

Sorry to hear about it. Especially since you just did the timing belt.

The good news is that it sounds like you already know what vehicle you will be getting next.

 

[cek77]

#1 Glad you and your family are ok. I agree that its depressing to lose a car that you spend so many miles in. 2/4/15. Guy loses control of minivan and hits me into a head on with concrete median. 11 years 267k with my commuter. Loved it. That loss made me lose my 4th Gen runner since I didn't want 2 car payments (new '15 Jetta TDI) and the end result is I just picked up a reasonably priced 3rd Gen 4Runner. Which brings me back to this forum.

 

[GreenbowCounty]

Man that sucks...

Based on the damage I’d assume repair will be more than what dollar value your insurance company appraises at so likely looking at a total. Sorry for the truck but glad it protected you and yours in the accident. Like many others here with all I’ve invested in mine I’d feel the same way in a similar situation but as much as it sucks it is still a replaceable item. Hope your next one or resurrection rebuild is even better.

 

[scrapper]

Sorry man. That f'ing sucks. If they (dumbass's insurer) total it buy it back with a salvage title.
Assuming you're sticking with 3rd gen.
You can repair it and drive it or use parts for your next one.

 

[Justin727]

Thank goodness everyone is fine.

I'm like you. The Highway is a dangerous place to stop due to weather, accidents, or whatever.

Almost lost a friend because of something similar. He was stopped on the highway due to an accident (at night) was 2 cars behind I semi and there was another SUV stopped behind him and that's all he can remember.

He woke up in the hospital 2 days later not knowing how or why he was there. A semi truck driver wasn't paying attention and plowed through him and the other cars stopped and sandwiched one between the stopped semi and the careless semi.

The vehicle behind him unknown to him at the time as he was 2 hours away from home carried his neighbors family. Sadly they were all killed except the driver. Wife and 3 kids.

Stopping on the highways, freeways, and Interstates are extremely dangerous and I try to find ways out of it as well especially if there isn't much traffic behind me.

 

[T4Tools]

Glad you're all okay. Been there, they will total it. Definitely ask to buy it back, you can usually make money parting it out in most cases.

 

[slapdappy]

some genius decides the far left lane on the interstate is an appropriate place to stop for a minor fender bender.

wtf is wrong with people? is possible to be that stupid yet still be breathing and walking upright? I wish he would be held $ liable for ALL of the carnage as it is clearly his fault.
again, wtf?!

 

[ShaneRC51]

...some genius decides the far left lane on the interstate is an appropriate place to stop...

I moved into the lane on my left.


I had almost completely changed lanes when I was hit by some Ford POS

Just trying to follow along with your story. There's cars stopped in the left lane and that's the lane you tried merging into?? It also sounds like you didn't quite look well enough to ensure that you had an open lane. The Ford truck hit you before you had established the lane? Did you get sighted partially at fault?

Sucks you hear about your rig, man. From your description, it sounds like it's toast. If you're going to get another 3rd gen, you should buy the salvage back. Glad your family is ok...

 

[Blitzkrieg]

You lost a family member but the human ones are okay. Thats what is important for sure.

Those highway scenarios like you encountered always scare the shit out of me because all it takes is one texting imbecile doing 70 mph to do some real carnage. Whats the saying - a vehicle doing 70 mph covers a football field in 3 seconds.

Thats not a lot of reaction time if you are not paying attention (which is the norm for 50% of the people I see here on the roads).

Glad you are okay. That being said, if you really, truly love this vehicle a rear quarter replacement is not the end of the world if you have a good body man. I had a quarter panel on an old muscle car of mine replaced years back and you would be hard pressed to tell it was done.

 

[TJM]

Just trying to follow along with your story. There's cars stopped in the left lane and that's the lane you tried merging into?? It also sounds like you didn't quite look well enough to ensure that you had an open lane. The Ford truck hit you before you had established the lane? Did you get sighted partially at fault?

Sucks you hear about your rig, man. From your description, it sounds like it's toast. If you're going to get another 3rd gen, you should buy the salvage back. Glad your family is ok...

I don't think you're following the story. I was IN the left lane, the lane that became blocked. The lane immediately to the right came open, so I began to vacate the left lane. The guy that hit me was in the left lane as well, and only hit the portion of my vehicle that was still in that lane. If I had not been moving into a cleared lane, he would have hit me fully. I was found to be in no fault at all.

I appreciate how this community understands the connection I had to this vehicle, and how the loss of that connection is a painful experience that goes beyond dealing with insurance adjusters and police reports. I feel like a long time companion is gone, the last faithful act of its life was protecting me and my family.

Having worked for nearly a decade in the public safety arena, doing Fire and EMS, I was never less than amazed at how dumb people can be when driving by an accident - look at the wreckage, not at what's in front of you or coming from behind. No attention to speed, direction, hazards, human life, just desperate for the entertainment of a couple of busted up cars. Rubbernecking should be a crime.

 

[Unner]

So sorry to hear about your loss. Hopefully you can find your way back into a car you love just as much. I can only imagine loosing my cars, I'm way too attached to them. Don't let his insurance screw you either on your compensation.

 

[Rocky5000100]

some genius decides the far left lane on the interstate is an appropriate place to stop for a minor fender bender. Pulling to a stop behind traffic, I watched the lane next to me for a clearing, because if there's anything I can't stand it's being at a dead stop on the highway.

Seeing a clear opening, I moved into the lane on my left. I had almost completely changed lanes when I was hit by some Ford POS monster pickup going 70+. He clipped the rear drivers side bumper, tail light and rear fender,

I don't think you're following the story. I was IN the left lane, the lane that became blocked. The lane immediately to the right came open, so I began to vacate the left lane. The guy that hit me was in the left lane as well, and only hit the portion of my vehicle that was still in that lane. If I had not been moving into a cleared lane, he would have hit me fully. I was found to be in no fault at all.

Actually in the first description, you state "I moved into the lane on my left". in the second quote, you say you moved to the right lane, so that's why we were confused. You made is sound like you merged into the lane the truck was already in. It's a simple misunderstanding.

I'm glad you guys are okay. It sucks that you probably have a totaled 4runner on your hands. It sounds like it means a lot to you.

 

[Brique]

Losing a truck like that is kinda like putting a beloved pet down. Yeah, it's not a person, but the attachment and the history are still there.

If it were me and in any way repairable I'd take the settlement, buy it back and Fix it.

Also, don't forget, if you're sore, that counts as an injury. Don't milk it like a douche, but you are entitled to a little something for it.

 

[TJM]

My mistake, sorry. Yeah I'd like to buy it back and fix it but I need a drivable rig asap. If I had the money I would buy a new one and my old one but that is way beyond my means.

 

[Range]

Yeah, I hate seeing the death of 1st, 3rd and 4th Gens because we all know they will never be made again. Cars like those are just timeless because the look and functionality are so far beyond other SUV's out there. I'm glad you guys are ok though. I've actually come to despise pick-ups these days because of the people driving them. The people that actually uses them for what they're built for I have no problem with, it's the douche bag's with $10k of upgrades, low profile tires that would pop running over a thorn and they drive around not giving a sh*t about anybody because their dumb asses cant even see anything. I hope that guy gets raked over the coals with insurance claims from all 9 of you and the only thing he can ever afford is a moped with pink streamers.