Black and Blue Bird

[Gobird]

On the way back from Florida Fri. afternoon coming north on I-95 we got hit on the right quarter panel. I'll fill you in tommorrow, we just got home and it's 3AM. But there was a brush with a T-Bird and a PT Cruiser. And YES, I am pis---!!!

Well it's 9am and I got a little sleep and starting on my first cup of coffee. so here is what happened.
We were cruising up I-95 around 5pm on Fri.in the passing lane of course, I came up on this silver PT and didn't think much about it. I was 3/4 past him and my wife yelled step on it! I though what is she talking about because we were already going over 80 mph. Then she said HE'S COMING OVER. By the time she said he's coming it finally hit me what she was talking about. I floored it and at the same time we felt the back end of the Bird lift up. It was too late.
We both pulled off the road, at least he stopped. I ran across the road as he was looking at his PT. Hardly any damage to it. He said he didn't see me, yea right, we were more then 3/4 of a car lenght ahead of him when it happened. Think he wanted a closer look at the Bird and forgot where he was. He said it was his fault. Hope he stickes to that when he calls his Ins. Co.
The end result, the lower right quarter panel is now black from his wide bumper that hit us. But it also creased the sheet metal right above the plastic part of the panel. Don't know if it can be taken out or will have to replace some sheet metal also. Taking it to my body man on Monday to get the damage.
Oh, by the way we are both alright.No physical damage to us. But all kinds of mental damage.

I guess that's life and that goes on.

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

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[mwhit]

Sorry to hear about your brush with the PT Cruiser!!! Hope it can be repaired as good as new. I would feel the same as you. I guess the way you need to look at it, is was only a brush, and no one was hurt except the bird. Hopefully your bodyshop will take the care needed to return it to perfect condition.

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(2)Turbo Coupes
Yellow 2002 11528 in the shed

 

[HeelBird]

Dang, Gobird...hate to hear that!

Is the driver of the modified panel truck out of the hospital yet, or haven't they be able to find the body?

 

[TbirdSandie]

OUCH!!!!
You didn't mention a police report. Were they called????
I hope your bird recovers soon....

 

[LON O'CONNELL]

Gobird I'm so sorry to hear about your encounter with the PT. Like Heelbird said, is the PT driver still alive? So many people think the PT Cruiser is the darling of the road. This proves otherwise. If it was the darling that driver would of had his eyes on the road and Gobird would have run into the PT checking it out. Not.

I guess this did not come across the way I meant it to. I was trying to make it sound like which car was the most appealing eye-candy. The T-Bird of course.
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Yellow/Yellow Prem. 02 Bird w/full accent
1999 F150 Super Cab 4x4 Off Road
1998 Taurus SE Sport 24V

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[niteflight]

Gobird,

Sorry to hear about your way too close encounter. I'm glad nobody was injured, and that it's nothing like totalled. Other than those who can afford to keep the car as a Sunday driver (but even some of those, unfortunately), every single one of us is certainly going to experience the pain of those first rock chips, those first windshield pits, that first aggravating buildup of road tar, that gradual "patina" of micro-scratches - on one of the most expensive, long-awaited, dreamed-about acquisitions many of us will ever own. That's one psychological hurdle that you're over with now, in a big way. Glad you're ok.

postscript: After I wrote I went out to wash my car and experienced one of my first little insults: I popped the hood to wipe around the edges. When I lifted it, I heard a rattling noise and bird seed fell out from between the hoodliner and the hood. I've got a high-rent mouse making a home under my hood! Mousetraps, poisoned bait, and mothballs in the garage (supposedly they hate the smell). Do they make any of that stuff for clueless drivers?

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[retrobrd]

My stomach lurched when I read of your accident. Naturally I'm happy that there were no people injuries, but boo boo strips on your new baby aren't fun. Hope she gets repaired quickly. With this rotten, cold weather, I haven't had mine out since I brought it home a week ago. Come on spring--I hate that groundhog!

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[InfernoRed]

With all due respect,there are more than just T-Birds on the road AND this accident could have happened with any OTHER type of car than a PT Cruiser INCLUDING another T-Bird of any model year.

Just cause the PT was moving over DOESN'T mean the driver was trying to get closer to get a better look...any one driving a PT knows of the one very bad thing about them...BLINDSPOTS.They could honestly not have seen you.Guess what,many cars will be in accidents everyday....it happens.I hate to see it occur to ANYONES ride.Especially T-Birds and PT Cruisers.

I own two PTs,so the seemingly unspoken idea that comes across as "what do you expect from a PT driver" is very amusing to me.Both owners are probably just as upset as one another for different reasons....NOBODY goes on the road with the idea to hit another car except insurance fraud scam artists.The T-Bird can be repaired and will be just like new.So calm down,be happy no one was hurt,and look forward to future drives in your T-Bird.

InfernoRed

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[tleslie]

ok, take some valium and be glad everybody is ok. I was in a bad accident as a kid in Seattle where I was hit by a motorhome. I was driving a Toyota celica. The darn thing was a fortune cookie. Gas and foam dont taste good, so be happy its just some metal. I too would be upset, but I deal with death every day and this could have been much worse....tleslie...aka birddoc

 

[Spiderman]

GoBird

Sorry to hear what happened to your bird.
InfernoRed on the PTE forum told us about the accident.
I have a rather large car club consisting of PT Cruisers. And many have made comments about the blind spots. Don't feel too mad at the cruiser owner. Chances are that he/she thought that their was enough clearance when they started to merge back to the right.

Just thankful nobody was hurt. You car can be fixed, I know how you feel. I would die if somebody hit my cruiser.

One last thing if any of you on this forum would like to show off your new birds(I Love Them). We are having a large car show in Farmer City, Illinois. So far I know of no new birds that have pre-registered for the show.

I am having a car show (PT Cruisers) in co-operation with the Farmer City's "Show Us Your Wheels" but the show is open to all makes and models...

If you would like to come I/we would love to have you.

More information can be found at www.ptcoc.com

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.....PT Cruisers of Champaign Car Club......

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[Gobird]

InfernoRed, I don't know what you got out of this BUT I was NOT inferring that PT Cruiser drivers are to blame for what happened. I just made a statement that it was a PT Cruiser that hit me. Hope you do not take offense to this but that is the way it happened. It could have been a Studebaker for all I care. It just hit my T-Bird after only having it for a month and a half and only 3000 miles on it. I really don't care what kind of car it was but it HIT me. That's all I care about. Sorry if I hurt your feelings!!!

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

 

[InfernoRed]

Gobird,no you didn't upset me at all,infact no one really upset me.My response was more commenting about responses made to you by others here.....and once again let me say I wasn't upset,just amused by those responses.

InfernoRed

 

[lisa]

I am so sorry to hear about your accident! Boy, that is a shame. Please don't blame the PT guy! I just wondered, were you passing, or just driving in the passing lane? Just wondering if maybe he needed to pass someone, also. There are a few blind spot issue with the PT. I have had a couple of near misses myself. I am waiting to purchase a new 2002 dream cruiser. My current 2001 cranberry cruiser got taken out by a school bus on the 15th. I know how upset you are! I have been dealing with insurance companies and rental cars for a week (try and get a school system and their insurance to pay for anything-I dare you). I was crushed when that bus ran the stop sign and took out one whole side of my beautiful cranberry car-glancing blow and no serious injuries. Thank goodness the bus was so high that most of his bumpers and stuff went OVER the fenders of the cruiser-no structural damage-all cosmetic! My heart just sinks when someone's baby gets injured! Thank goodness you are OK. Good luck with the insurance and repairs and I hope your baby gets returned to you better than new. I know-you will know it is not!

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Lisa

 

[LON O'CONNELL]

InfernoRed if it was what I said I was not pointing directly at a PT driver either. It could have been someone on a bike ran into the car and I would still ask if he was still alive. And part two was trying to say which of the two cars had the most eye candy appeal. Bottom line it boils down that somebody hit a precious new T-Bird and I'm sure Gobird was extremely upset over it. No hard feelings at all towards PT drivers or any other drivers for that matter.

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Yellow/Yellow Prem. 02 Bird w/full accent
1999 F150 Super Cab 4x4 Off Road
1998 Taurus SE Sport 24V

 

[RTBRD_aka_jodrod]

Gobird,

Shades of the first NASCAR '02 Bird? What's next, a Darlington stripe? Just kidding of course.

Really sorry to see that but you might have the dubious distinction of being our first member to have any major damage.

P.S. Got your pics, they came out fine. Boy, you all do go all out.

 

[Gobird]

Come to think about it maybe that guy did look a little like Jeff Gordon!

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

 

[joelja]

GoBird,

I feel for you. Driving home from a nice, relaxing vactation in you new baby and WHAM.

It sucks. But, you know what?
This too shall pass. Based on the damage I saw in the picture you posted, a very minor/easy repair....with no on-going signs of damage.

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blue/blue/full blue/premium on order: 10 of 18

 

[Gobird]

joelja, yea I know it's small but it's still there and I want it to go away.

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

 

[Gobird]

lisa, yes I was passing I never just ride in the hammer lane. If you take a look at the pic of my car on the yahoo site under new rides and then Florida you can see that I was within clearing this guy by about a foot. I don't think blind spots had anything to do with it. Sorry to here about your PT but you can get a replacement for it a lot quicker then we could replace one of our Birds. That would take another year. Don't want you to think I'm being smart about that remark but that is how long it would take to get a new one if one of our Birds was totaled.

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

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[greyfox11]

Gobird,
Sorry to hear about the accident with your baby. Your reaction and the responses show the passion we all have with these "special"cars. I bet that each person reading about it shared some of your pain.
Sure it can be fixed, good that nobody was injured BUT your baby got an injury and when our babies get hurt we hurt.
On the issue of the other car being a PT Cruiser, I felt you were just reporting the facts. Could have as easily been a Honda Accord. I had a PT Cruiser prior to the Bird and I can tell you that if that person had one of the earlier ones they are well aware of the gawking that takes place.
It is truly unfortunate and as I said there are a lot of us that do feel for you. Best of luck getting it back to new.