Cars are dangerous. This is the result of being rear-ended last night. It was entirely the other guy’s fault. I was completely stopped waiting for oncoming traffic to clear on a two lane road so that I could turn left, and some guy in his Hummer slammed into my SUV from behind. My neck is sore, and my bicycle pump, some spare pedals, and a crank bolt tool are stuck in the back of my SUV. Otherwise, insurance should pay for everything else. Be careful out there.
This is why driving in europe is safer…
You are really lucky that he wasn’t going any faster than he was, Hummers are massive.
Just wondering, was it a hit and run sort of thing, or did he stay there?
edit: Did the airbags go off?
He stayed. Are Europeans less likely to be distracted when driving?
No, the airbags didn’t go off. I don’t think they would’ve helped anyway.
Glad you’re OK. Sorry for the headache.
Not sure, but they all drive little cars.
-Miles
That sucks! Glad you’re OK.
Is that a total?
No, but they are less likely to drive Hummers.
Ah, yes, it’s better when everyone drives smaller cars.
I don’t know if it’s a total yet. Before the accident it was worth around $13K probably.
yes and they all wear berets
Kevin - glad you’re (mostly) OK. Was the Hummer-driver at least apologetic?
i find these posts rather amusing,
1.could a hummer go fast, there too heavy for their own good
2. england is in europe, and we dont all drive small cars
3. not all europeans wear berets
does this class as steriotyping??? who cares anyway but…
sorry to here about your car, is there any way you can get the other driver to pay the repairs, it looks like a bit of a write off anyway
I’m not sure if he was apologetic. Neither of us said much. I really didn’t have anything good to say to him, so I only spoke minimally to get his information.
Now that I think of it, it is pretty outrageous that his Hummer only had a few broken pieces of decorative panel that fell off. It didn’t look dented at all. Why are war machines allowed on the roads?
Either his insurance will pay for it, or my insurance company will go after them. I’ve been paying into the system long enough–it’s about time I get some benefit. 
…so men (who can afford to) can compensate for other shortcomings.
I am sorry but ??? Just because something is solidly built it should not be on the road?
glad you are OK.
AT LEAST YOUR UNI ISNT HURT!!! haha im sorry bout all that. gett better.
Safety should be the primary design constraint. The fact that his car didn’t bend at all and mine crumpled is disturbing, more for his sake than mine. What would happen if two Hummers collided?
Yes and no. Some countries in Europe have much better driver education than we do. I kind of doubt any of them do worse. But I think Mornish was referring to the fact that people don’t drive massive metal boxes around much in Europe, unless they are truck drivers.
They shouldn’t on a rear-ender.
Glad you’re okay. Pay close attention to how your head and neck feel. The guy who hit you is not off the hook if you later develop some kind of medical problems as a result of his carelessness.
Compared to America? Yes you do.
When two cars collide, it’s all about specific angles and impact points. Generally the front of a car is going to do much better than other areas, but this is not always the case. Once upon a time, my famly’s 1972 Plymouth Satellite (tank) station wagon was rear-ended by a full-sized pickup truck. This was in Tucson, AZ, at the furthest point from home on our 1977 National Lampoon’s Vacation (that movie could have been based on this vacation). The pickup was totaled, but we drove the car for the rest of the vacation (back to Michigan) as-is, with some dents and a non-functioning back seat passenger door.
Hummers aren’t war machines. The H2, which is far more common than the original H1 Hummers, is based on the Chevy Tahoe platform. So basically it’s a big fat SUV, made to look even bigger, but with even less room on the inside. It’s just a car. The real Hum-Vees are diesel powered.
Insurance:
Sick as this sounds, expect your rates to go up. Somehow, having a claim is enough to raise your rates, even if you were doing nothing and someone else drove into you. I hate this practice, but I don’t know if switching companies can do you any goo either, for the same reason (having a claim).
Safety should be the primary design constraint? Oh no, that isn’t what sells cars. Though safety has gotten more popular in recent years, one of the best ways to be safe on American roads is still to be in a heavy vehicle. Some people buy those big SUVs for protection!
Under UK law, and I guess European law generally, cars are designed in such a way that the panels collapse in a predictable way, dissipating the force of the impact. It’s like when a stuntman falls onto a pile of cardboard boxes to break his fall.
Some utility vehicles (Landrover Defender, Hummer, etc.) stay rigid. This increases the risk of injury to the occupants and to pedestrians and cyclists.
Be glad that the rear of your car collapsed. It reduced the impact to you.
There is a simple Freudian explanation for people driving hummers. If you’re going to be rear ended unexpectedly, far better that it’s be someone who needs to drive a Hummer…
If I could afford a Hummer or other very large SUV, I’d buy one. Then I’d put a bumper sticker that says, “Tailgate all you want!” And I would finally feel safe driving the speed limit. But that’s a discussion for, um, that other thread.
Kevin, sorry about what happened to you. Glad you are basically okay. I mean, it could have been much worse. There are occasionally true “accidents”, but I think they are rare. Most “accidents” are no accidents at all. They are the inevitable outcome of reckless driving. Most people seem to have very little regard for the safety of others, which in my mind is despicable.