Seasnake Totalled

SEASNAKE

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First. Thanks to the guys at Dodge. I do not have a scratch or bruise on me, but I'm going to be sore tomorrow for sure.

A lady pulled right out in front of me while I was going 55 and I t-boned her. Luckily she had no passengers in her car and only sustained slight injuries to herself. The firefighters and police were amazed that I was out walking around and even more so to see that there was no damage whatsoever to the passenger cockpit of my car. The front is destroyed.

I'll post pictures of my dead snake sometime later.

Any help or advice dealing with her insurance is sure welcome. Seems like we've been reading alot about wrecked Vipers lately, but this one saved my life. You have to love the overdesigned frame of the Gen 1's.

I have no idea what car awaits my future now - but another Viper is my first on my list. Maybe 2003 is my year.
 

Craig 201 MPH

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That's it, too many wrecks lately, nobody drive their cars.

Seriously, that ***** for you and the other guys. Glad you're okay, JonB is going to have a very merry christmas with all this prospective business.

Craig
 

Y2K5SRT

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I am VERY sorry to hear of your accident and am pleased you were able to walk away. It amazes me that these cars are so well built (and they are).

As to the insurance, here are a couple things I learned from my recent "event":

1. Take pictures. If you do not have pictures of the accident itself, go back and take pictures of:
  • <LI>The location it happened. Shoot pictures from where you were traveling and where she pulled out.
    <LI>The traffic signals or signs. Assuming she had a stop sign and you did not, she is guilty of failure to yield at a right of way and should be ticketed.
    <LI>The cars themselves, even at a wrecker's lot or body shop. By showing the damage on your car (frontal impact) and the damage on hers (side impact), it clearly demonstrates how she pulled out in front of you.
A picture is worth a 1000 words, even if hers become false (I have experience with this).

As to dealing with her insurance, they are largely at your mercy as their insured is at fault. Don't accept any settlement that you are not happy with. Be sure to talk with folks like JonB and Bill Pemberton about replacement cost, etc. Their expert opinion can be used to help get the settlement you need. One of our Kansas City members had almost the exact same thing happen to him in his '94 RT/10 and he now has a new 2000 RT/10, courtesy of their insurance.

I hope this works out very well for you and am very sorry to hear of this happening. You had one of the most beautiful Vipers I have seen and I sincerely hope you replace it with something you like just as much, if not more.

Chris
 

NCVCA

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OH MY GOSH. THANK GOODNESS YOU ARE OKAY.

JonB could care less about the business from these accidents - he'd rather be helping with upgrades (not repairs). That being said call Jon B. He can help with the insurance and will do anything possible to help otherwise.

For a new car don't forget Bill at Woodhouse.

and.... that was a beautiful car. Sorry you lost her to a wreck.

Jeff
 

Tom Sessions

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OK Dave this is enough.It's not funny anymore.This is all a joke right!You and this car are mostly responsable for me being where I am today being involved in the viper community the way I am.Which has led into being involved in Viper Days and who knows what else.I owe it all to you.So I'll go to sleep tonight and act like I never got the phone call.I'll get up in the morning and you will pull up at the shop with the car just to say HI.Yea that's it that is how it's all going to work out.Nothing ever happened that's it.Glad to know your all right and we'll all get through this.
 

JonB

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Craig 201 MPH:
....Seriously, that ***** for you and the other guys. Glad you're okay, JonB is going to have a very merry christmas with all this prospective business. Craig <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know Craig did not mean how that sounds to some. No merriment here over someone's wreck. I would indeed rather sell upgrades. But after a wreck, "Parts Is Parts."

I have been helping VCA members with diminished value and other such insurance advice long before PartsRack became my livlihood. That includes telling them how PartsRack MIGHT be able to help buy out the salvaged wreck..... Today, I helped "this week's wreck 001" learn how to deal with aquiring the salvage and possibly selling it himself. Maybe to me. Wreck #2 has over $60K in UPGRADES. THAT case is going to be a nightmare. And the owner and rider walked away.

IF I do end up with some panels, interiors, wheels and/or wiring harnesses........the Member will FIRST get treated fairly by all concerned.

Unsafe week indeed. Firts Advice: REVIEW POLICE ACCIDENTS REPORTS ASAP. Ensure ACCURACY, and correct any errors NOW while the cop's memories are fresh. If they wont cooperate, attach a Witness Statement (yours) to their report.
 

Gavin

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All good advise - I would not talk to the "other" insurance company - Report the accident to your insurance company and do all the "Talking" through them - it is their job to represent you.
 

Craig 201 MPH

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Originally posted by JonB - PartsRack:
I know Craig did not mean how that sounds to some. No merriment here over someone's wreck. I would indeed rather sell upgrades. But after a wreck, "Parts Is Parts."

Whew, yeah I was going to clear that up, I didn't mean Jon loves for this stuff to happen but its his business, the sales are merely an effect that viper accidents cause.

Sorry for any misinterpretations.

Craig
 

Paul Fischer

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Very sorry to hear about your accident SEASNAKE, I've been there and done that. I couldn't agree more completely with your observation of the structural integrity of these cars in a front end collision. The paramedics etc. that asisted in my collision said exactly the same thing. I too am considering various cars that may be in my future and Viper is on every short list. And don't worry about playing hardball with the insurance co.s, I had to personally interview every comparable source they provided before they came around to real world compensation figures.
 

Janni

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OK - enough - stop already.... First Sam in SC, then Slaughter in DC and now Dave in Kure Beach. I usually don't get that "maternal" but jeez - you NC/SC members are scaring the **** out of me.

Of course come to think of it - didn't I start the ball rolling at Watkins Glen?
frown.gif


Its amazing that in all the various types of impacts - Dave's and Sam's to be the worst - by a longshot, all occupants were fine - a little sore - but fine.

I really appreciate the structural integrity of these cars - the solid tube frame underneath is a great amount of overkill. And the designed impact / crumple zones are doing their jobs.

Thanks Dodge - you are earning customers for LIFE. Please take this to heart - safety is a HUGE factor in people's purchase decisions these days - can be as much as performance and aesthetics. Strive for and acheive the highest crash ratings from IIHS and NTSB - you will be rewarded with renewed sales and loyal customers.

Again, glad everyone is OK - going to go downstairs and pat both our snakes to say thanks.....
 

Serious Eric

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I just went through the same thing. Awful experience, about 5 wks of misery dealing with body shops, appraisers, insurance companies, rental car agencies etc, but lo and behold it all worked out quite well. My silver '99 coupe, 5k miles (bolt on mods) got T-boned by a stop-sign running butt-munch. I ended up with a brand new 2001 GTS from Woodhouse -&gt; no $$ out of my pocket.

Got your attention? Take a number of immediate offensive and defensive steps to cover your a$$, because the insurance company damned well is gonna try to tool you over and cover theirs. Go into this thing with the proper hard-a$$ mind-set right from the start and you'll have a better chance of coming out ok.

1.) Go see a doctor ASAP. Even if you don't hurt on the day of the wreck (I didn't), you will probably find yourself increasingly sore as soft-tissue damage manifests itself. This is not a tutorial on how to be a whip-lash weasel. On the other hand, you have just been in a collision violent enough to total your car - it's only sensible to have yourself checked out medically. This is also an excellent way of getting the insurance company's SERIOUS attention. They lose way more money on medical claims than on replacing automotive machinery. The fact that you may have been injured will make them all the more interested in trying to keep you happy on the car deal. In my case I only asked them to reimburse my single doctor's office visit ... nothing more, but the fact that there was documented proof that my head and neck had been bounced around and bruised in the collision made the insurance company lovey-dovey.

2.) Document (or even record) ALL phone conversations with the insurance company. Who you talked to, when, about what. They WILL record your conversations with them and they don't have to tell you about it. Be careful what you say.

3.) Start off with the honey rather than the vinegar. Save dropped hints about lawyers etc for later only if they start to **** you around. I never had to go there and I think the process was smoother because of it.

4.) Use your network of friends/acquaintances/interested-parties in the viper community to help in establishing the fair value of your car. The ins co will try to low-ball you badly. Find your own "expert witnesses" to offset this. HINT! HINT! If you are interested in replacing your snake with a new one, contact a reputable dealer and explain your situation. Many viper dealers are very savvy and experienced at dealing with insurance companies and car evaluations and hey, they're on your side since you are a prospective customer.

5.) Never give the insurance company any more info than you have to. Don't give them your bill of sale if they ask. They don't have to know how much (or little) you paid for your car. That's your business not theirs.

6.) If it hasn't been determined that your car is already a total, then send it to a first class body shop that knows vipers. They can be extremely helpful in getting it totalled ... which is what you definitely want.

7.) Don't let the insurance company take your wrecked car to a salvage yard until the deal is done and you have a satisfactory settlement in hand. They will piss and moan about the daily storage costs at the body shop ... tell 'em tough sh*t. It's still your car and you have more leverage while it's in your posession.

8.) Keep an organized file of ALL information, receipts, expenses, correspondence etc relating to the wreck. Mine is now about an inch and a half thick.

9.) Call Bill Pemberton. Now. Just do it.

10.) I chose to handle the other guy's insurance company rather than letting my insurance company handle it. I'm glad I did and I believe I got a better settlement because of it. As they say, If you want the job done right do it yourself. Ask yourself how much your insurance company really knows or cares about vipers? It's just another car to them.
 

SAM Team

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Dave My Friend,

I do not know what to say other than Thanksgiving will be very special for you and your family, glad you are ok and I am glad she is ok also. I can not believe I am reading this...I sit here and I remember all to well what the day after felt like, it is very unsettling to say the least. You expect to go out and look and all your hard work in the garage it is not there.....

Thanks for your note the other night, I remember it quite well, your car is awesome too!!!!!

We have so much to be thankful for, just remember you have your health, your mobility, and you can go and do anything you want, including starting your Christmas shopping early for that new Viper....

Does anyone have three "fronts", Dave, Afy and I (I may need a little more) could have, just kidding! We want new cars if we are going to go through all of this.....I like the sound of a new 2003.....Maybe we can get Dodge to make them early for us tough luck guys???

Got to keep our humor and our FAITH, life is to good, even with all this.
 
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SEASNAKE

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Thanks for all the support guys & girls. I don't know how many calls I've received asking about my welfare. It's gratifying to know so many people care about you.

I'm including the post I did after I first purchased the car to let you guys know just what the car meant to me.

The following is a true and somewhat long story and just goes to show what a little car and some help can do for you. I wrote this in 1998.

Last summer was the worst of my 32+ years. It started with an emergency appendectomy for me, then the untimely death of my father, and topped off by the damage done to my new beach house by Hurricane Bonnie. After this I was in severe depression and the only thing I was looking forward to was buying "The Car" with the money my father left me. I thought that if he didn't get to enjoy it, then I was definitely going to and at the same time have a reason to tell everyone what a great guy he was when they asked about the car.

Anyway I looking for a 55-57 Tbird (something my Dad and I both liked), but I decided against it due to rusting concerns and maintainability. I then moved on to early 60's corvettes. I had decided on a black '62 when a friend of mine suggested that a Viper might be better. Well, after 1 week and a couple of vivid dreams, I knew the Viper was the car my Dad would have wanted for me. It was a car I never would have to say I settled for.

Then I started looking seriously for my car. By the time the money came, I had called many places and people and had finally narrowed it down to a green 94 in Canada owned by Steve Seagal (a prolific poster here). After we had worked out all of the details, Carla (definitely my better half) and I flew up to Canada to get the car with the intent of driving it home - a vacation away from the kids. I called Steve when I arrived only to be informed that the car would not pass US customs without seat belt modifications. The broker Steve had been dealing with neglected to tell us this until the last moment (my flight had already left when Steve found out).

Now you can imagine how upsetting this was to me after all I'd been through. We met with Steve the following morning and tried some last ditch efforts to get the car through customs with no luck. I did get my first ride in a Viper and Steve even took pity on me and let me drive for a little while ( I tried to be good!). If I thought I wanted one before that was nothing compared to what I felt after that ride (thanks again, Steve)! Now I remembered that Fiztgerald Motorsports had a black 94 that I had also liked and we got a map to see how far Laconia, NH was from Montreal and it seemed makeable. We got in touch with the bus terminal and found a bus that was making the trip that day. We made a mad dash to the bus terminal where Steve broke more speed limits in his Jeep than he probably does in his Viper. We made it with about 1 minute to spare, said our goodbyes and we were on the way again albeit a little slower.

Now to add to the story, it was friday and I had relatively little cash with me. I had a wire transfer set up for the canadien bank, but that would do me no good now. We had no stopover long enough for a phone call until 6:30 pm, by which time everything was closed. We found lodgings in Laconia with little idea what would happen in the morning.

I called Fitzgerald Motorsports that morning and Grant Woosley came to pick us up from the hotel. They had about 10 vipers there and still had the one I was most interested in. Carla and I looked and talked for awhile before agreeing on a car. We then negotiated for the car and got a fair deal for a really awesome car. Just to show you what kind of guys they are: I had no cash, couldn't contact my insurance or my bank and we were still able to drive away in our slightly used Viper.

The 1100 mile ride home was the best ride I had since my father and I rode out to yellowstone park after I graduated from high school. You could not wipe the grin from my face and Carla can't wait for the next road trip. I've had the car for about 4 months now and have put about 6K miles on it. Every time I drive it I think about my Dad and know that he approves.

For me this is not a car , it's an every day therapy session.


52K miles and many road trips later and I still felt the same way about the car. Now I just wonder how the insurance company will reimburse me for the 7 hours of therapy a week I'm missing.
 

George Murray

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Glad you walked away from it. You are far more valuable than the car, even though it does have those sweet stripes! Next time do the Rodney Dangerfield "My arm! I think it's broke!"

I agree that these cars are strong. Three years ago, I took a wild ride in my yellow 95 RT/10 thanks to a drunk weaving across three lanes of interstate, and the road and tires were COLD so my evasive maneuver resulted in two or three 360s (at 65 MPH or so), two slams and one bounce against a guardrail, followed by a rollover with the car travelling over 150 feet INVERTED (that's upside down for you non-aviation types)on top of the guardrail!

The w/s frame was smashed into the passenger seat, but held up on my side. Had it been the drivers side, I would now be the "Headless Snakeman of Tidewater Hollow." Yeah I ended up in the hospital overnight, and I have three sweet six inch scars on my scalp as souvenirs (which will be great talking points as male pattern baldness assaults me in the next few years), but it could have been worse.

So...I bought the wreck back from the insurance company, flew to Austin two weeks later and bought a Venom 600 from SW, sold the wreck to a local rebuilder in summer 99, then bought the rebuilt wreck back in June of this year after my buddy Dave Davis bought it from the rebuilder (where he works...and he's the guy who actually did the work on the car) and put 15K miles on it.

OK...so I'm going long here...

So I got the yellow car back in June with 42K miles on it. Now it has almost 51K, and has never missed a beat. They did such a good job rebuilding the car and adjusting the suspension that it actually tracks better on the road than the 99 GTS I picked up last week.

Dave's words to me as I drove it away from him in June:

"I ain't putting it together again...so watch out for those drunks. And no stunt driving upside down on guardrails!"

Best regards to all, and stay safe!
 

RickL

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by OrecaGTS-R/T:
Truely emotional message. Hope that one day soon, you again will feel the joy that that car and its importance brought to you.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well said! You had a truly awesome car sorry to hear about the accident, just glad you are ok. Did you get pictures?

-Rick
 

Daffy

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David,

I know I'm only repeating other posts, but I had to reply, your car is one that I really took a note of earlier and even snatched your avatar to share as sweet viper, even had it as my computer background before. Very sorry to read of the mishap, but you're OK & the other driver is OK, and that's a blessing.

All the best luck with the insurance, once you get through that you're in for a very difficult time - trying to decide to go 2002 or 2003 for your next snake. Again, all the best & please post follow-ups on how the insurance claim progresses and also on your decision process for your next ride.

Dave.
 

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