Mine got sideswiped last year but was lucky it caused just a very minor damage....Caused by a car trying to get on the interstate....Well it made me kinda park it....I can't afford or find real good body parts for my 34 Ford....At the end of the day they own it and can do whatever they want to do...
Funny how things haven't changed on a 14 year old thread. People couldn't drive then and they still can't. I drive the crap out of mine, and will continue to as long as I can get it in them and hit the gas pedal. I will be laying on my back, staring at the back of my eyelids soon enough. It will be too late then.
Seems like everyone wants to be right here now, traffic REALLY picked up in the last 5 years. I drive/ride by the motto "Don't trust ANYONE", which means I have a bunch of self imposed rules like don't parallel people, don't drive in certain lanes, don't turn left while on a two lane road with no center island, use a dash cam......among many other rules. That's worse then Irvine............
I still drive the wheels off of my stuff. It may be because it was all junk to start with, but I figured I saved it from the crusher once, I can do it again. If I can't, as least I got as much use out of it as I could before the crusher finally got it. Life is too short to cheat yourself out of something you love, just because of something that could happen. If your concerned about a financial loss, put enough insurance coverage on it to cover your possible loss, and drive it. Why would you own a car you won't drive? Cars were not designed to be parked in garages without being used.
I think you’re right Anthony,,,,the more things change,,,the more they stay the same ! Some humans live in fear of everything,,,,I don’t understand why . If it’s coming,,,,it’s coming,,,,,,,,and there is nothing we can do about it ! If those people’s nerves can’t stand it,,,,,they need to go to bed and pull the covers over their heads. Maybe it will pass them by,,,,,,,,but,,so will their life . This reminds me of a message I read in my hometown many years ago right before the first Gulf War ,,,,,about fall time of 1990 . Our local guard unit was being called up,,,,,,and some bridge workers painted a message on one if the barricades here . It read : Hey _ _ _ _ th ,, Take two Darvon and drive on . Vietnam 1967 I left the unit number blank,,,,,since this can basically apply to any unit anywhere . But,,,,I never forgot reading that message . We as grown men must get a handle on our fears,,,I refuse to live my life in fear ! Tommy
I have been rear-ended in my avatar 500+ miles from home. I was stopped at a crosswalk on the grounds of Vassar College in NY - I heard the screech of tires and my gut reaction was to take my foot off the brake. The hit pushed me about 20 feet - bent the rear crossbar and gas tank, shoved the rear forward which bent the rear radius rods, the engine recoiled, broke the rubber motor mounts and crunching the 5-speed between the rear and the motor. I was wearing my lap belt, my head went back but I was totally relaxed for some reason and did not have any whip lash. The 2010 Honda civic was totaled and my car - it still ran, no fuel leaks or leaks of any kind, the tranny shifted - I was totally drivable. I continued on my way to the Goodguys event up in Mass and all my good buddies were there with frame, tranny, and all other skills to there credit to check my car over right at the fairgrounds. She crunched a bit, had more squeaks than normal but I was totally roadworthy. Then I found out a very dear friend of my family passed away in LI. I drove there, did the whole funeral thing, then went to my buddies place in Owego NY who taught me whatever I know about body work. I had/have Grundy and they were cool with all of this. Was I lucky? You bet - a hit in the side on a fender less roadster would have been it for me. Ya got to have eyes and ears all over driving our cars and my accident involved just me and the guy that hit me - there wasn’t another car around. Stay safe out there gents - but never stop driving them. The car got fixed and she went cross country to the Father’s Day LA Roadster Show the following year and it’s still making runs both near and far. It’s who we are ……
Poor old dead thead that died back in 1012 gets dug out of the grave for some guy to fuss about his wife's driving. It doesn't matter what the hell you drive you risk it a bit. Had some clown look straight at me this morning and pull out in front of me and locking up the brakes I missed him by about feet. Outside of the ass chewing he got from his passenger for being stupid I don't think he ever noticed or he thought that BMW should have good brakes so he could just pull out and make it stop. Had a senile old biddy back into my 51 Merc back 30 years ago when I was pulling into a parking lot, she never did acknowlege that she hit me. Wasn't worth the hassle of calling the cops because we were on private property. Had some clown with a bogus address and no insurance turn into my 48 in Waco in the mid 70's destroying the right front fender and bending the axle double. His address that he gave the cops was a vacant lot. JD Fikes found me an axle and a fender and we fixed it outside his father in law's shop after work and life went on.
If you have a cool car and don't drive it, it's like having a hot girlfriend and saving her for the next guy!
Isn't there supposed to be some level of fear? Like a motorcycle? Lol. I like that it's semi dangerous... That's why I don't put seat belts in it. I'm lucky tho, I live in bfe, so I worry more about deer than other drivers... Not that we don't have our share of idiots around here.... Just got her out today!
Old threads like this one and the new one that HRP put up on the history of the HAMB always get me to wondering where some of the posters went. Lots of names I remember from when I first joined that are no longer active. I’m sure many have went on to their final destination, but a lot of them just drop off and you never hear from them again. In keeping with the context of this thread, I don’t worry too much about driving my car, but do try to stick to two lane roads. Right side visibility is not the best on mine, so I avoid the left lanes as much as possible. About anything smaller than a truck would not fare well if they hit mine, it’s a heavyweight.
Hey Tom, who's your buddy in Owego NY? I grew up there, been hot rodding in the area forever, and been involved with the show at Hickories Park (Owego) for many years. Jack Murphy 17 yrs old, 1969 Owego NY
Hell, I forgot I even started this thread.... I must not have held onto my dread too much; I'm building a car now that I never would have back then..... let's say zee'd T-frame with a little Eye-talian four banger in it.
Hey 62Rebel, it's okay you totally forgot about starting this thread. It seems not so long ago, but heck it's been over a thousand years!
I narrowly avoided being smoked by a 3/4 ton Ram when I was making a left turn in my ‘37. He took the ditch at the last second, I completed the turn and pulled over to see if he was okay. When he bitched about me not using my turn signal I pointed to my car which still had the left turn signal flashing. Smallish tail lights and inattentive drivers are a bad combination. Heavy traffic worries me, but I’m not afraid to drive my old cars…
I'm in traffic most of the time, so I'm used to driving like I'm riding my motorcycle.....head on a swivel. It's going to be different when I transition into a rural area, but from what I've been reading over the years, never make a left turn from a 2 lane road (unless both sides are empty).....you're going to get hit either from behind or when you're turning.
Having spent near 5 years instructing the skills of tractor trailering, I developed this: "Stare at nothing, see everything." The texts and videos stress checking mirrors, the road ( as far away as possible ) ahead. Being aware of traffic in adjacent lanes. Give the idiots room and do not engage them. When something of interest rolls into view keep the eyes moving and double or triple check your concern, briefly, while being aware of the rest of the scene. One more tip I picked up from a school bus school, Go when you are expected to go. Lastly, An example of the danger, found while reading these forums. Two times, vehicles that were considered too glaringly showy, were T-boned at the cross road
I've ridden to both coasts (including an Iron Butt) on a motorcycle as well as lots miles on shorter rides and had virtually no "close calls". I've not driven this roadster 50 miles yet and have had two people pull out in front of me. My wife reminds me of the motorcycle safety class we took years ago...she says "that car is just like a motorcycle, people can't or don't see it". I guess I need to take the mufflers off "Loud pipes save lives"!
I know two people who got hit from behind and their cars totalled within the last year. Normal every day cars, one a pickup truck, waiting for traffic to clear so they could make a left turn, both with turn signals on. Both in a supposed to be 35 mph zone. My buddy was in a 95 F150 extended cab truck, he got hit so hard his head busted out the back glass. Kind of rough on an 80 year old man, sitting still, minding his own business. Seventeen year old kid, even admitted he was looking at his cell phone. Be careful people they are out there.
You could paint it pink and cover it in flashing lights and people won't see it, because they're only paying attention to where they're going, not what's around them. Last night I was coming down our straight, paved rural road in my daily driver with daytime running lights on, still daylight, and the lady coming at me with a new Volvo SUV swerved completely onto my side of the road. She swerved back just in time. She wasn't avoiding anything, most likely just not paying attention. that was at 50 MPH, would have hurt.
I was letting the engine run last night to keep it lubricated and the battery charged. Then I drove it around the apartment complex, and then out of the neighborhood. I don’t even have plates for it yet but it is insured. I let the buck fever of having a new to me car overrun caution, I bought it to have fun with it and so I did. Drive your car, that’s what its there for.
I'm still trying to figure out why I should be scared. If I can't drive my old junk, I don't need it. They are just cars and insurance typically works out as long as the coverage is sufficient on this old stuff. I would hate to lose one, but that thought will hopefully never keep me from driving. Oh, and this is coming from a guy with a pretty nice survivor that still has original paint on it. I know that can't really be fixed, but also hasn't kept me from putting about 30k miles on my car in the past few years.
@flynbrian48 got hit biggly and was lucky everyone survived. He didn't give up on the hobby, instead he built a new wagon to replace the one that was totaled and built a new roadster for shits and giggles. Brian be all like that Chumbawamba song, "I get knocked down, but I get up again, You are never gonna keep me down..." Be like Brian.
The Jalopy Journal
