About a mile from home on a 40 mile an hour pot hole ridden country road, I was just about at 40 mph when a permit driver edged out from a side street, almost a whole car length. His dad must of have panicked and the kid lurched forward the front of his mountaineer reaching the dividing line, and he froze. I was 50 feet away, and already straddling the center line. With no where to go, I slammed on the brakes, and went for the left ditch. I could feel the 250 wanting to roll, I straightened out the front, and came to rest with the drivers side in the steep ditch and not stuck. Pressed the old button for 4x4 and dragged myself out. IMHO the truck is officially totalled. We'll see. 2000 black over gold lariat 4x4 7.3 SC SB, auto. It was a dutifully kept 160 k miles. Just got my claim number. And, no one was hurt. They drove off without a scratch.

 

Wow, glad to hear everyone's okay! Do you have any pics of the damage? Is their insurance paying for the damage?

It's an ironic thing to happen given your username.

 

I bet they are glad you went for the ditch instead of running into them! Hopefully they admitted fault...

 

I hope you have their insurance info.

 

This is a terrible thing to suggest, I know. but having had my fair share of dealings with insurance companies I'm thinking it probably would've been more advantageous to at least clip the other car in some way. Otherwise the other guy's insurance is likely to deny any and all claims or liability.

 

That being said, the most important thing is that no one was hurt. And that's what really matters.

 

Trucks are easy to repair and replace. People are not.

 

While I get what you're saying here, the idea of inflicting more damage than necessary and possibly risking people's lives to ensure you're not the one paying seems particularly depraved to me. I'd happily risk their insurance disclaiming responsibility every single time to ensure the other guys are okay.

 

I was thinking the same thing too. I wouldn't broadside the in door, but if faced with possibly hitting an oncoming car(hurting me and another innocent person), running off the road and hitting a fixed object like a tree or rolling my truck(hurting myself) or hitting the person that caused the accident then I am protecting myself and my family first. Regardless of insurance or vehicle damage, etc, the safety of my family is more important to me than the safety of theirs.

 

I'm glad to hear everyone is okay. After reading some of the replies to this thread, am I the only one that can't imagine thinking of insurance liability in those split seconds before a crash? I think most people would be simply reacting to avoid a collision at that time. OP, you never said if the other car stayed to provide a statement or even if the police responded. I would hope the other driver would have at least wanted to be sure you were okay before they drove off.

 

I won't speak for everyone, but for me I wouldn't be thinking about insurance right before a crash, but the safety of my family. I have 4 kids and a pregnant wife with me and they are safer in a frontal collision than what could happen from an evasive maneuver(especially in a van). I will avoid a wreck if possible, but not if it puts me or my family at a higher risk.

 

going to agree with Josh on this one

ditches are bad bad places to end up. they usually end with roll-over and flips



glad you made it out okay. got any pics of the truck damage? luckily Ford has used the same sheetmetal from 1999-2007 that will bolt up 100% with modifications required. junkyards and online pricing are pretty maneagble for repairs

if they do salavage the truck, I'd recommend purchase and repairs out of pocket...provided the damage is just metal and not substructure

 

I've thought about this many times since I got my truck. I think I'd have done the same to avoid broadsiding a vehicle with this monster of a vehicle. The truck can be replaced but if I took a life I don't know how i could cope with it.

 

its a sad sort, but at least everyone is ok

 

Man, that it sad, but at least everyone was ok.

Any pics of the damage, or if their insurance covered the damage or anything? Hopefully its not too too bad.

I think we could all agree that we don't really know what we would do, until actually in that situation, except for to try and take the safest route possible.