Death to teen drivers!

[228iconvert]

That sucks I would of lost it on that teenage driver. Years ago I just got my new 3 series coupe and we are in traffic. This idiot feels he is better than everyone else and trys to drive the shoulder. As this great teenage driver pulls out he takes my bumper with him and screws up my brand new BMW. I got out of the car in rage and started to scream and yell at him. He was so scared he stayed in his car until the police came! Which was a good idea. I then get a call from his dad saying he doesn't want to go through the insurance and he will pay out of pocket. I said fine and went right to a BMW dealership saying fix it the right way. The bill was over $1500 so I submitted the bill and the father flipped out! He was like why so much. I said your son hit a BMW not a crap car! He said can't you just respray the bumper. And I said no because your son tried to ride the shoulder and hit my new BMW I will be replacing the bumper!!! Like hell i was skimping on the repairs!

[228iconvert]

Originally Posted by SchlauCow

Agreed, but I will say that I have yet to see a terrible German teen driver.

That is because Germans do it right just like their cars. The road test in the states is a joke! You have to be a idiot to fail he tests here! And it shows!

[romak47]

Holy Shit man, that is crap luck.. saw your post in the Alufelgen gb..

I cant believe that idiot had the nerve to say "dont yell at me for hitting you" !!!

Did you explain to him why your so upset and that you just got the car back that monday after extensive repairs on the bumper as well??

How much will you be getting from the state after this accident now? Im sure your resale value is getting lower .

Whats the details on this accident?

[Rikx1M]

In June 2003 my family and I flew to Frankfurt and rented a TDI Audi station wagon. And then we proceeded to blast and I'm saying blasting at 120mph-150mph all over where we legally could. We cruised all over Germany, tried to get into Czech Republic but not in a rental Audi...all over Austria, and all over Italy. In 1600 miles I saw one accident (Italy...a big truck bumped a little Fiat in bumper to bumper traffic). I get back to the USA and July 4th we're sitting in Savannah Georgia waiting for firework traffic to clear going out to Tybee Island...broad daylight.... My family and I are sitting in traffic and I look in my rearview mirror...all I see is the grill of a Ford Explorer smashing into us. Cops say he was doing 50-55mph when he hit us. We bounce off the car infront, he bounces off the car infront of him. Kid (20 years old) gets a $56 ticket, totals my wife's Toyota Avalon.

Now I live in Germany and boy do I love German drivers....I'l be posting an autobahn blast from my 1'series soon.

Anyway...glad you're alive and made it through...save your $$ for 1M

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by romak47

Holy Shit man, that is crap luck.. saw your post in the Alufelgen gb..

I cant believe that idiot had the nerve to say "dont yell at me for hitting you" !!!

Did you explain to him why your so upset and that you just got the car back that monday after extensive repairs on the bumper as well??

How much will you be getting from the state after this accident now? Im sure your resale value is getting lower .

Whats the details on this accident?

Yes I explained to him why I was so pissed and he just went on about his business looking for his spit can. He didn't care just like every other idiot around here.

My diminutive value check still has not posted from the last accident but this one will not be very much.

As for the accident it went as follows: I just went through the gate on base and was sitting at a red light waiting to turn left with my blinker on. He pulls up behind me, parking over the pop-up barriers like he shouldn't have, as the hold line for him was about 20 feet back. The light turns green and I put it in gear, start to proceed turning left and was hit from the rear. It was a low-speed impact but still creased my bumper and popped out my lower valance in the middle (I cannot push it back in for some reason). The rest I have already posted.

[Rawhide]

I can relate. Back when I had my 128 I went through 2 back bumpers and one trunk lid.

Originally Posted by MadMan77

Then after I get out of the car and call him a jacka$$...

Really not a good idea. You never know what the other driver is going to do - it's not worth getting injured or worse over some busted machinery. Stay calm.

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by Rawhide

Really not a good idea. You never know what the other driver is going to do - it's not worth getting injured or worse over some busted machinery. Stay calm.

I wish I could live your nonchalant life there.

[dcho]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

I wish I could live your nonchalant life there.

what he is alluding to is the lack of gun control laws

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by dcho

what he is alluding to is the lack of gun control laws

LOL... if that civilian was carrying on a US Air Force base, there would be a lot more to worry about than my damaged bumper.

[Cris]

Originally Posted by DSB135i

That is because Germans do it right just like their cars. The road test in the states is a joke! You have to be a idiot to fail he tests here! And it shows!

Indeed! Correct me if I'm wrong, but when I was stationed at a German base a few years back, I talked to some of my counterparts and they required minimum driving period with a state certified instructor AND €2000 (roughly $2,800) to get a life time driver's license.

[NewYearsBoy]

Originally Posted by Cris

Indeed! Correct me if I'm wrong, but when I was stationed at a German base a few years back, I talked to some of my counterparts and they required minimum driving period with a state certified instructor AND €2000 (roughly $2,800) to get a life time driver's license.

Thats crazy I would like to see statistics... Why the hell should I drop 2,800 on a drivers license...

Also why do you need all of the testing and driving skills for when all u need to do is pay attention... Im 21, driven everyday since 16 and have had no problems....

I would like to know what this girl was doing and I forget what she was driving but I think if people cared more about their car they would try to avoid more accidents... Just my thoughts...

[mosx]

Speaking of yelling at the person that hit you... here in Texas that is illegal. It's considered "Road Rage" and can get you arrested. This woman hit a friend of mine and pushed them both off the road. He got out and started cursing at her immediately. The police showed up to handle the accident and told him that he was lucky that the woman didn't want to press charges against him or he'd be going to jail. Be careful what you say, it sucks but keep your cool, call the police, and punish their insurance company. Some things to remember when you file with their insurance:

1. You have lost wages.
2. Lost time dealing with all this crap.
3. Diminished value of your vehicle.
4. Inconveniencing you by making you drive a rental

Count every minute you have spent out of your life screwing with this. Every phone call, every minute you spent finding a good body shop, everything. Walk out of this with a fixed car and $5-10k in your pocket.

[Rawhide]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

I wish I could live your nonchalant life there.

I wouldn't call it nonchalant so much as having the right perspective. I've loved cars since I was a kid, but they've come and gone - in the end they're just so much scrap metal. It's people that matter.

Had that same person attacked or threatened my son for example, I would not be so restrained. Now he would be worth fighting for.

But I'm not going to get all hot-heated and throw a fit at someone because they accidentally rear-ended me. Shit happens, deal with it like a grown man.

[NewYearsBoy]

Originally Posted by Rawhide

I wouldn't call it nonchalant so much as having the right perspective. I've loved cars since I was a kid, but they've come and gone - in the end they're just so much scrap metal. It's people that matter.

Had that same person attacked or threatened my son for example, I would not be so restrained. Now he would be worth fighting for.

But I'm not going to get all hot-heated and throw a fit at someone because they accidentally rear-ended me. Shit happens, deal with it like a grown man.

I guess everyone handles every situation differently... Haha... I would be pissed a hell and give them a piece of my mind but never threaten anyone... thats a lil overboard...

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by Rawhide

I wouldn't call it nonchalant so much as having the right perspective. I've loved cars since I was a kid, but they've come and gone - in the end they're just so much scrap metal. It's people that matter.

Had that same person attacked or threatened my son for example, I would not be so restrained. Now he would be worth fighting for.

But I'm not going to get all hot-heated and throw a fit at someone because they accidentally rear-ended me. Shit happens, deal with it like a grown man.

Wow, really. Now I am not a grown man for getting pissed at the guy for rear-ending me because he was reaching for his spit cup and not paying attention to what he was doing with his 7,000 lb truck? Thanks for your insight but get over yourself, Gandhi. People have feelings and express them quite often.

[Rawhide]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

Wow, really. Now I am not a grown man for getting pissed at the guy for rear-ending me because he was reaching for his spit cup and not paying attention to what he was doing with his 7,000 lb truck? Thanks for your insight but get over yourself, Gandhi. People have feelings and express them quite often.

I'm guessing if the car had 4 gang-bangers, weightlifters, bikers, or whatever sitting in it you would not have been so quick to "express your feelings". How about if the 4 of them got out and "expressed their feelings" at you? Or maybe you're Chuck Norris and you can kick 4 outlaw biker's asses for breakfast.

Right.

[dcho]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

Wow, really. Now I am not a grown man for getting pissed at the guy for rear-ending me because he was reaching for his spit cup and not paying attention to what he was doing with his 7,000 lb truck? Thanks for your insight but get over yourself, Gandhi. People have feelings and express them quite often.

i understand your frustrations, especially with trucks. here in texas there are too many in the wrong hands. at 7,000 lbs they are very lethal on the road.

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by Rawhide

I'm guessing if the car had 4 gang-bangers, weightlifters, bikers, or whatever sitting in it you would not have been so quick to "express your feelings". How about if the 4 of them got out and "expressed their feelings" at you? Or maybe you're Chuck Norris and you can kick 4 outlaw biker's asses for breakfast.

Right.

Seriously, we are talking about a DoD (that is Department of Defense for you non-military folk) civilian on an Air Force base. Quit jumping to conclusions with your "what-if" scenarios and Chuck Norris quips. I am a grown-enough man to know not to mess with a car full of drug addicts or gang-bangers.

[EmmDrei]

Originally Posted by Cris

Indeed! Correct me if I'm wrong, but when I was stationed at a German base a few years back, I talked to some of my counterparts and they required minimum driving period with a state certified instructor AND €2000 (roughly $2,800) to get a life time driver's license.

The quoted price is realistic. You have to drive at night, on cross country roads, in town and on the autobahn for specified periods (12 hours altogether) before you can take the practical and theoretical driving tests.

Imho our requirements are still not enough to really educate young drivers. They learn how to operate a car, not how to drive it. The attitude young drivers tend to have (as you can also read in this thread) is: "nothing has happened so far, I know what I'm doing". Wrong! When you know how to drive a car, then you know what you are doing and you don't learn that by rolling around in daily traffic. You learn that by taking cars to their limits and bringing them back in one piece. In a safe and controlled environment! There have been discussions in Germany for years that they want to make safety trainings mandatory and I personally think they should.

[The1]

that sucks about the bumpers!!!!

i think driver training is very relaxed, people are too easily satisfied. or just don't car, a car is a convenience to them and nothing more. Who cares who gets in the way.

as for yelling at another driver, it's not my style to do something like that, however, i think the driver that hit you should know what they did because, what if your car was really a pedestrian. People need to think before getting behind the wheel.

for the young people arguing in here, I too thought i was a good driver when i was young. I may have been for all i know, I think i'm a good driver still. However there's a huge difference between the teenage me, and the me of now. I took a lot more risks when i was younger, and the fact of the matter is, no matter how well you drive. your risks can scare other drivers and it's their reactions to you that can cause just as big a problem.

and don't worry guys. When i was younger, i knew everything too :P

just kidding!!!!

OP: have you gotten a quote for the new fender bender yet?

[gnat]

Originally Posted by Stoutnj89

Im 21, driven everyday since 16 and have had no problems....

Which implies you have never really been tested in worst case scenarios. The point of the higher standards for licensing and more involved training is not to keep you from being an idiot on the road, it's to prepare you for how to deal with the other idiots on the road in a manner that will help you avoid serious injury/damage. The only way you get such skills is by practice and (proper) instruction.

It is more than simply just paying attention (though if you aren't, no amount of skill is going to save your ass when it goes bad).

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by The1

OP: have you gotten a quote for the new fender bender yet?

Nope. Waiting on the police report from the on-base cops, which takes forever, so that I can do everything at once. I think the clips for the lower valance are damaged so it will probably be another new bumper cover. I am going to push for that no matter what, though.