And this is why I should commute more often...

[Tri Girl]

Today I was coming home from work. Drove the car. Have been lately because it's winter and I work 25 miles from home and sometimes it's just too dang cold.
It's almost rush hour, and I was cruising along about to change lanes on the highway when the car in front of me suddenly stopped (for no apparent reason that I could tell). Brakes locked up, I fishtailed on the wet road, went into another lane of traffic, hit the center median and then rear ended the guy. I'm fine, and realize that it could've been a really bad situation. I have to think my dad was there helping me handle my car. My poor car is not so fine. We'll see what the adjuster says we're to do with it. It's been a great car for the last 7 years. I'd hate to lose it.

Anywho- I was thinking I should ride my bike more often. The pluses: less chances of rear end collisions (and the associated emotional breakdowns after said collisions), no money spent on gas, better fitness. The minuses: too dang cold and windy most days of winter, 4+ hours of riding a day takes up a lot of time.
The pluses win. Guess I'll be riding more often now. I thought I remember someone saying that there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes to ride in.
My hats off to you northern ladies who commute daily in the wintry muck that exists this time of year. My frozen toes salute you.

[KnottedYet]

(((((Tri Girl)))))

Thank goodness no injuries! That picture makes my heart pound!

[Trek420]

In the 12 + years I've been commuting from A to B I've been hit 5 times. Fender benders but a hassle none the less. Imagine the odds if I did not:

bike to work once a week in season

take transit to work most of the way the rest of the time.

I read somewhere (L.A.B. I think) that riding your bike once a month for an errand saves $1500 + in car expenses. How's that possible? Once a month. It reduces the odds of this kind of cr@p.

Glad you're ok

[fastdogs]

Go glad you're ok!
How long does it take you to cmmute that far? I wish I lived close enough to commute (45 miles), except on these really cold, dark mornings. But I expect once you're dressed warm and on the road it's not so bad.
Were you sore the next day after the wreck? I've never had one, but people tell me you don't feel it till the next day.
vickie

[Tri Girl]

hmmmm Trek: even if it probably saves $1500 over the life of the car, that's pretty high. So if I commute more, I'll actually be making money??? Hmmm... Still- more incentive to commute, huh?

It's the first accident I've had with another car (when I was driving anyway- was involved in an accident with my friend when we were 16). This same car was hit by a runaway dumpster during a tornado when it was only a month old (poor baby), and 11 years ago I hit a dog on a rural road (and that almost totaled my toy Geo Metro ).

fastdogs: It takes about 2 hours one way to commute because of the traffic and lights and such (and I'm slower on my commuting bike than my race bike- way slower).
As far as being sore, I was very lucky. I'm not sore at all. I'm more sore from the ab and chest workout I did that morning than from the car accident. My back is glitchy tho, so I'll go see a chiropractor to get adjusted and put things back where they belong. I'm just glad my car did what it was supposed to do: absorb the wreckage and keep my safe. I (heart) my Camry. I dread car shopping again, but we'll have no choice. DH's truck is 14 years old, and I need to have a vehicle that gets more than his 14 mpg and can take us on trips longer than 20 miles (which we often have to do). This is the first time in my life I've been dreading getting a new car. The other two times I was so excited I could barely contain myself. I'm just dreading car payments again (we've gone 4 years without one).

[sbctwin]

Tri Girl, sorry about your accident. I have not commuted by bike for 2 weeks now because of cold and wet weather. The last few days have been nice enough to ride but I am coming off a cold/flu. I am lucky that I live only 5 miles from work, but even 5 miles I can't bundle up enough and still move when it is under 25F. I do, on non-bike days, walk and take transit, but the last few days I have succumbed to the car. I want to get over my cold for the holidays. Maybe, you can commute by bike T,W,Th and drive M and F or some combo. The pluses for bike commuting are so positive...I hate it that I have parked my bike these days....

[Pax]

Bummer about the accident! Glad to hear you're not injured!!

[cosc]

So sorry about the accident and wrecked car but thankful your o'k. I hope your having a few warmer days there so you can get out on your bike to calm nerves and put things in perspective.

[bouncybouncy]

Glad you are OK! from the looks of your car, and from personal experience too many times, if they give you a choice...total it!

I had a Camry wagon and LOVED it...hated to see it go! But it had internal problems that just would not go away...I got a Focus and love love love it!!! It is the 5 door, roof rack for the bikes but I have been known to give rides to fellow cyclist and fit 2 bikes on top, one inside (a 29'r mtb), 3 people and 2 trail dogs! I also carried a canoe and 2 bikes, 2 people and a dog from St Louis to Asheville...all of which comfortably! A friend just got a Toyota Matrix which he is quite impressed with...carries dogs and bikes and has a real good gas mileage!

...just my $0.02 worth!

Happy Holidays!

[RoadRaven]

Oh TriGirl!
HUGS!!!

[light_sabe_r]

Geez tri girl I'm glad you're okay!

[Melalvai]

After my husband's recent fender bender caused by a high school kid, I hoped he might start to feel more interest in biking.

After we used the insurance check to replace the clutch instead of fix the bumper (still driving with crunched bumper) I hoped he might start to feel more interest in biking.

I'm sad to say I believe he could have a heart attack and still not feel any interest in active transportation. Or any exercise.