[biggens77]

So had to stay late at work this morning, I work overnight, driving home it was raining other car was going north i was going south. Other driver said they saw the light change yellow and slammed on her brakes because she is fearful of the new traffic cams that take pics of your plates for going thru yellow/red lights and send you a ticket since she just got a ticket for it 2 days prior lol. Light was def still green. Her chevy cobalt decided to lock the tires and do a few 360s into the southbound lanes directly in front of me I had a choice of going to my left and going towards oncoming traffic or just as bad the concrete barrier or just hit her. I just slammed on my breaks and hit her. No one got hurt which is great of course but god damn I miss my car already. I absolutely love my focus. makes my 90 mile round trip drive to work a joy. Got it back in September and have 6000 miles on her.

So annoying because I was on Route 1 in NJ and there is a barrier along the whole road accept where the traffic lights are. Also annoying cause if I did not have to work late might not have happened lol. Also could not go my usual way cause of flooding.

I am concerned though with everything working properly again namely my parking assist. Who even fixes that? Anyone know the process. The body work gets done then does Ford take it and do the rest?

here are some pics

another

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[PratoN]

Nooo!!!!!!!!!

An accident happened RIGHT in front of my car on the highway (65mph) yesterday! A sedan hit their brakes, lost traction, drifted into a semi's tires then hit the median. At first I thought, "Oh my God!" then I thought, "Oh my God don't hit my car!"

Edit: Surprisingly no one was hurt. The sedan was totaled, the semi was unscathed.

 

[copernicium112]

Ouch! Total bummer. So sorry. Hope everything gets taken care of properly for you.

 

[jbird1955]

I feel for you man. That and municipalities that have these stupid cameras are begining to find them as a detriment. You should look into legal action against the city.

 

[DougC]

Gotta love those "safety enhancing" red light cameras! What a freakin' joke those things are! Glad to hear that everyone was ok.... sorry to see what happened to your Focus.

 

[PratoN]

Chicago is putting cameras up around "schools" to prevent speeding - which is apparently up to 47% of the city's streets.

I don't mind them enforcing the law - but don't lie to me. If it's about making money, it's about making money.

EDIT: Not as bad as the red light cameras. I've got a few in my hometown already.

 

[VOLDAR]

Sorry to see what happened to your car. Do they say it is totalled?

P.S. If I were you I'd pray for the insurer to decide the car as "total lost" and get me a new one (I have full refund insurance). Because I am sure the car will never be as new. [shameful]

 

[mainest]

Man, that sucks! Good that no one was hurt (at least physically). Psychologically, you may be spooked for a while. Good luck.

 

[DougC]

Sorry to see what happened to your car. Do they say it is totalled?

P.S. If I were you I'd pray for the insurer to decide the car as "total lost" and get me a new one (I have full refund insurance). Because I am sure the car will never be as new. [shameful]

I don't see that one being totaled by the insurance co.

 

[Mutinyofthemind]

Glad to see you're okay!

Hopefully the Focus fairy will help your car, but I really doubt it'll be considered a total loss unless the frame managed to get twisted somehow.

Best of luck though!

(Kinda funny related story, I totaled my Cobalt which led to me getting the Focus)

 

[Bleed Blue]

Our 2010 Fusion was hit in Oct. Ended up with over $8000.00 in damage (lady blew a stopsign and nailed our RH frt corner). I think the rule of thumb is the damage has to exceed at least 50% of the value of the car before they think of totaling it. Took us a month to get it back. As far as the repairs, it depends on the bodyshop. If possible, have it taken to a Ford dealer with a bodyshop. Otherwise the B/S will repair all that they can and then sublet it if ness. Make sure you INSIST on OEM parts!!!!! I had to stand firm with the insurance company and tell them aftermarket parts would not even be discussed. They came around to my way of thinking. By the way, our loaner for the month was a 2012 Focus. Actually a very, very nice car. It made my 05 Focus really show it's age as far as design and overall solidness of the new Focus. Wife liked it so much, that most likely our next car will be the electric Focus (as in to become our commuter car). Good luck with your repairs.

 

[chaimav]

I am concerned though with everything working properly again namely my parking assist. Who even fixes that? Anyone know the process. The body work gets done then does Ford take it and do the rest?

Why not find a Ford dealership with a body-shop? A couple of years ago I had an altercation with a tree (it was either that or the car which stopped short in from me) in my Taurus X. I shopped around a few body shops, and the dealership where I purchased it was actually cost-competative on the body work.

Edit: It was Freehold Ford in Freehold, NJ if anyone is interested.

 

[Macsleuth]

Glad you weren't hurt. Did your air bags go off? If possible see if you can get it fixed at a Ford dealer. Hopefully, they'll do the bet work for your Focus.

 

[biggens77]

Thanks everyone for support.

No air bags went off thank god.

I actually drove the car like 20 yards off the road into a gas station and it just felt like a flat tire. I Was able to go from the left lane over 3 lanes and into the gas station.

Thanks for the info about the Ford dealers with body shops and to insist on eom parts. Looks like Freehold is the closest to me with the onsite collision center so will look into taking it there. All I know is the car was immaculate, not 1 scratch I park the thing 8 miles from everyone in any lot, it drove perfect and just hoping it will again.

 

[Edgar]

I feel for you, if she's not deemed totaled then everything should work just fine again. Definitely don't take it anywhere but Ford

 

[Nutty 5.0]

Bummer to hear and see this especially since it looks nearly like the wifes lowly SE. The rain yesterday was nasty. THere's a good body shop in Montgomery County I can recommend, but its a good ways from Bristol.

 

[DaeHanL]

those cameras are a menace. I'm sorry to hear/read that bud. Hope she comes back good as new!

 

[jcornwall]

[]

I learned how I'd feel about my Focus (1000 miles on her) taking some body damage a few days ago.

A truck was reversing on the road outside my apartment while I was driving forwards on the other side. He pulled into a parking spot and I kept going forwards. Then, without looking, he pulled out to turn left after I was already in front of him. How you can miss a big shiny yellow thing I'll never know. Some tire squealing later, and I'm level with him giving the dirtiest glare my polite British upbringing allows. [mad]

Sorry for your car, man.

 

[tmnCA]

I am sorry about your car that really really sucks

But I would not be so fast to blame the red light cams. Around here we do not have them and people BLATANTLY run red lights all the time. It is very dangerous. The kind of accident you had is not nearly as dangerous as being broadsided by a red-ligh-runner, and you can't stop people from making bad decisions from time to time, accidents happen to good drivers too. But at the very least we can deter people from endangering others lives on purpose by running red lights. I've been nearly run down as a pedestrian by red light runners, as well.

 

[hotleadsingerguy]

I feel for you man. That and municipalities that have these stupid cameras are begining to find them as a detriment. You should look into legal action against the city.

Well nothing can legally be done against the city, since it was the woman who was stupid. The city could place bright pink balloons over every intersection...they wouldn't legally be responsible for someone getting into an accident because they're looking at them.



I've already been in an accident, as well. I picked up my car on May 10 and have around 11k miles on it now. At around 10k I was sitting at a red light and someone ran right into the back of my car. Luckily this car is apparently on par with an M1 Abrahms tank because the only thing it did was dent in the bumper cover and mess with some of the under-lining. It was still $950 of damage to fix, but it all came from his insurance anyway. Still...it was a miserable week without my car and 3 weeks of complaining and hating the situation.

The guy got out of his car and started talking about his bad week. I had to inform him that it was probably best for him to not talk to me until the cops show up because I was still in a relatively good mood and talking would do nothing but make it worse. He complied and got back in his car while all of my coworkers drove by making sad faces (it was about a mile away from work).