So my brother wrecked his Jetta and I saw it happen.

[douglas vincent]

And it was nasty and horrifying to watch.

My brother and I drove out there to drive up Rocky point at about 7:30 this morning. Then I was to go back home and get my kids, and they were going to take pictures. That freaking simple.

He and my other brother were in his outragous Jetta and me in my wagon. We stopped at the bottom, talked for a second, confirmed me going up first with him following since he had never been on the road.

I led up the straight that starts the hill, took the two easy sweepers and into the first hard right corner which I braked plenty for.

And there was a damn pickup coming down the hill. All I could hope for was for my brother to have slowed way down. I was only about 35-50 yards up the road watching in my rear view mirror as he came around the corner, slid and his car exploded into the side of the truck. Plastic and glass went everywhere.

The jetta stayed right where it was with the tail end swung around and the truck off the road. The jetta hit the truck semi head on/T-bone style.

At first it was unreal, like a bad dream. Then I started yelling/screaming "Oh my God, Oh my God!", over and over. It looked really bad and since both my brothers were in the car, well, you can just guess how scared I was.

But.... Everyone walked. The airbags in the Jetta were miraciously still functioning and went off and the trucks front i-beam took most of the damage for the truck driver and he was fine as well.

The truck (nice old Hardbody Nissan) is probably totalled because it is 15 years old. Too bad because it was the guys since new and his baby. Took out the drivers wheel, door, hood, and messed up the front grill pretty good.

Then there is the Jetta. Sob. Destroyed the whole front drivers side. Wheel pushed back so hard it got stuck in the rear of the fender well. Destroyed the hood. No bumber or headlights. Bent the pillar front hood to roof, and buckled the roof. Broken windshield. And lets just say the rim and tire have seen better days. Both airbags went off. The battery was pushed back about 12" into the engine bay.

The actual engine and tranny didnt move and the turbo seemed located where it was supposed to be. But all the frame and body damage indicate there isnt much chance of saving it. This "was" a 335 whp 3.0 liter turbo VR6 with insane brakes, Quaffe differenttial, and all the goodies and looked awesome to boot. Now it is history. But my brothers are alive thank God.

And of course we all analyzed what happened and what it comes down to was A-too fast for conditions because of B-pea gravel on aspalt. But the suck ass part of this was that if the truck had not been there at that exact instance, he never would have touched the brakes enough to get the gravel skidding under the tires. Once those tires started sliding, it was over. We watched 4 trucks a few hours later while waiting for the tow truck, and they all took the corner at close to what the Jetta took it at, but they knew the corner and so didnt brake at the same place.

The skid marks even showed this to be true for the most part. They are only about 15' long but just go straight front the moment they hit the gravel. All the damage basically came from the fact it was a near head on so all that mass has to damage something!

We even had a state trooper pull up a few hours after it happened and ask what was up. We told him, he asked if everyone was licensed, and then drove off, but only after commenting there had been a few accidents on that corner.

Did we learn anything? Yeah, but only stuff we already knew, which was never drive in the rain, fog, night, ice and gravel. We werent driving crazy but combine not knowing the corner with the gravel and you get some bad situation going. In fact, after the road had been cleared but while we were still waiting for the tow truck, a woman in a little kia/suzuki thing took the corner faster than we did but since she knew the road, she hooked the inside of the corner with her front wheel and flew around the corner! But I must say it reiterates to me what I almost always do anyway, and that is SLOW WAY DOWN on corners I dont know or can't see around.

So kids, drive safe.

[BAC5.2]

Damn, that sucks! Buy the car back from the insurance company and salvage all you can from it!

I'm glad everyone was OK. Poor Hardbody. Those things are awesome

[Yukonart]

Holy crap. . . I just got through reading this on NASIOC before seeing it here, too.

Glad everyone's allright.

[jake15]

sorry to hear that. do you have any pictures? sounds like both cars are pretty messed up.

[skid542]

Glad to hear everyone's alright. When my brother and I are driving hard in different cars I know it'd be scary as shit to see his car take a hit.

[evolutionmovement]

Good thing everyone's fine. Those Nissans were sweet, what a shame. At least the Jetta's parts can probably be sold off or swapped into another car, right?

Steve

[legacy92ej22t]

Man, good to hear everyone is ok but that sucks.

Any pics?

[tris91ricer]

Wow, Douglas.. That's a terrible thing to witness, but I'm glad they're all okay.
Can that corner be swept, so that the pea gravel doesn't break someone else's traction?

[douglas vincent]

Amazing. Here no one has tried to rip me a new asshole (yet), but on NASOIC I am apparently the devil incarnate. And yet I wasnt speeding, and obviously not in the accident. But if you show your boobs once, the world will see them forever via the internet!

I have found also that not only do people not on NOT read between the lines, they misread, then post their own "quotes", and plain don't read entire sentences. I guess I managed to stick my brothers foot in my mouth but through my teeth!

[tris91ricer]

People on NASIOC flamed you over that? WTF? The way you explained it, which I have no reason to assume was incorrect, was that your were a witness, not a participant. Apparently they drew their own conclusions/story lines, and tried to tell you your own story was not only wrong, but incorrect!
Accidents are traumatic, no matter which way you slice it. You're just lucky no one was seriously injured. I hope the folks who 'ripped you' on NASIOC wreck their beauties, so you can sling the poo right back at them!
Some people just have no compassion. See, you need to stay off of NASIOC. It's too big, and there's too many assholes. Not a very communal sense, like we get here.

[Brat4by4]

Well, the problem is... it sounds like your brother was going too fast and didn't know how to drive - or he just plain didn't know how to drive. Maybe some approximate speeds or such? Picture of the turn?

I haven't read the NASIOC thread, but can imagine what they would say. Link?

And unfortunately bottom line is your bro slammed into another truck coming head on and it was his fault :shrugs: - No one here thought it was appropriate to rip into you... yet . Nasioc is retarded when it comes to internet warriors.

[evolutionmovement]

I find it annoying when people feel the need to open their faces to comment on something you've said when they didn't even read it all or listen to what you said, sometimes arguing 'against' you with the very point you were trying to make.

Steve

[dzx]

It's nice when the people who are quick to tell you that your wrong or stupid find out for themselves. Its even better when its the darwin way.

[scottzg]

Shit happens, especially when you're having fun. Everyone is ok. Insurance is a beautiful thing. Nasioc is full of idiots and i can't stand that site.

Horrifying thing to have to watch though. Seeing friends or loved ones wreck is a bit disturbing.