Re: New Jetta crash test results

[George Turner <getone@mediaone.net>]

you have my sincere thoughts and prayers...8(
george

Christopher Morgan wrote:

> The instrumented dummy (me) recorded minor neck injuries in the latest crash
> test of a New Jetta GLS 4 cyl.
>
> Yes, I got wrecked.  Friday 5/14, 4:30 pm, southbound Merritt Pkwy in CT
> just before exit 49.  Due to an accident about 1/4 mile down the road,
> traffic came to a stop.  The Taurus behind me didn't.  He hit me (stopped at
> the time) at about 15 mph impact speed and punted me into the Expedition
> (also stopped) in front of me.  The Taurus front end got bashed pretty well
> and the airbags went off (the passenger bag shattered the windshield).  The
> Jetta rear bumper cover got knocked off, the rear floor got bent, and the
> right quarter buckled slightly as the crumple zone thing began to happen.
> The front bumper of the Jetta went under the rear bumper of the Expedition,
> so that the Jetta hood, fenders, headlights, grille, radiator, etc took the
> impact.  The black engine cover got cracked and the battery got pushed back.
> The airbags did not go off (understandable if you consider the deceleration
> of the impact).  The driver's door wouldn't open due to interference with
> the fender, so I ended up climbing into the back seat to get out of the car.
> Damage to the Expedition?  Don't know.  The guy took off.  Never even got
> out of the truck.  Probably had some issue (Warrant?  No insurance?) and he
> didn't want to stick around for the police to show up.  The driver of the
> Taurus was, of course, pretty upset about all the damage that he inflicted.
> I said something like, "You know, this is a new car".  "Yeah I just got the
> Taurus, too (used '96)".  "No, you don't understand.  This is a new car, not
> yet titled, 69 miles on it."  "Oh shit".  Anyway, in the 2.5 hours that it
> took to get the accident written up (the Taurus guy got a ticket for
> following too closely) and to get towed, the Taurus guy and I talked a lot.
> Cool guy, considering.  He was concerned that I, having no way to get the
> 100 miles back home, would get left standing on the street in the bad
> section of Bridgeport (which did, in fact, happen) and he offered to put me
> up at his place for the night.  I didn't take him up on the offer because I
> didn't want to take the risk of getting rear ended twice in the same day, if
> you know what I mean.  So, after standing on the street for about hour,
> giving the crack dealers (who I was told would leave me alone) and the
> addicts (who would roll me) the best evil eye I could manage, my other boss
> came and picked me up.  Whew, what a day.  At least nobody got injured any
> worse than a few aches and pains.
>
> -Chris