I Fought the Trailblazer and the Trailblazer won!

Here are some of the photos we were able to get of my 2006 Aveo. I tangled with a Chevy Trail Blazer-hitting the back end trailer hitch on Corunna Road last Wednesday about 6 PM. The work has already started and many are saying after a crash like this, I should sell the car and get something else. This baby is paid in full-so don't see a reason to sell. I did say if they totaled it, I would not buy another, but got voted down. I hate driving to begin with, usually 5-6 thousand miles a year, so maybe staying home isn't such a bad idea. I would miss going to the gym but that is about it. I could live without my trips to Micheal's and Joann's and get my groceries delivered. We shall see.....


This is the right side (passenger side) and you can see where the metal was bent toward the right of the photo. They have started to straighten it, hoping to re-use as much as possible to keep costs down. As long as the integrity of the car is not compromised, I am all for recycling.


This is the radiator, air conditioner, part of the hood, the plastic bumper(decorative purposes only I suspect). None of this is re-usable, so I get all new innards!I have no idea what that black square thingie is. Maybe a protector of the engine-a fire wall maybe? It had wires and stuff coming out of it.


Here you will see the left driver side-amazing the receptacle for the washer fluid is totally intact. Every other fluid was lost from the front end-my precious 2.30 cent gasoline is still in the tank-almost a full tank I believe. See the red steel bar over the left tire? That is where the sensor for the air bag is/was. You can see a blue cap about where it would be positioned. The air bag never went off and I was going about 40-45 when I slammed on the brakes. The seat belt worked! I have a bruise to prove it!!



A better look at the hood-scrunched up. Not re-usable. I am still amazed at the damage that I saw with glass, plastic, hissing noises (it didn't blow-so the movies are so bogus!). I hope these guys recycle!.






Now you will have to use your imagination here. We were surprised they had already started work on this. All the crushed metal is gone, all the broken glass hauled away, stripped plastic in another photo above. Pretty ugly now-but not half as ugly as the night of the crash.








The remains of the bumper-this black beauty probably saved me broken limbs. It was buckled in several places but didn't break and neither did I. The first thing I did when I stopped was feel my knees, which have taken so much abuse in recent years. Then I felt my mouth and all my teeth were still there!



Unlocked my belt and wondered why no big white balloon went off-that still really concerns me. I see all those ads on TV with cars hitting walls and stuff-and a big white balloon poofs out-but not for me.

Here is what it will look like again once all the new parts are on and its painted all purdy. I have a sun roof-and an air deflector on the back-but neither were harmed. My air bags did not go off-apparent the sensor wasn't tripped but they are going to check to see that it was actually capable of going off. Everyone seems amazed they didn't, and that I had only a bruise on my left knee and the burn from the seat belt.

I am 99.9 % sure the other driver did NOT have her lights on. But I hit her in the back, so I am guilty. She moved her car twice even tho I said not to. No other witnesses-actually no one stopped to even ask if we needed help. Sad society we have become that getting home 10 seconds faster or making the light is more important. I am so glad Marley wasn't with me as he usually is. He has a seat belt but if you turn your back on him-he wiggles right out of it! Artie thinks that is so funny! But Artie doesn't like his seat belt either and sometimes it mysteriously unlocks itself!! He was so funny-he was glad I wasn't hurt but even gladder it wasn't Ron's car with all the buttons and gadgets that wasn't wrecked. Typical guy!