Dave

> Wow those curtain airbags look comfy I think that's the first pic i
> have seen of them deployed, did they make a difference?
> Glad everyone was ok, it looks like a nasty smash, did they side airbags
> deply too, those leathers will go perfect in my A4 haha
>
> Was it a quattro? if not will you go quattro next time

My wife was driving and I suspect if the head airbags hadn't gone off she'd
have had a serious head injury. All the airbags deployed on her side. I was
in the left rear and nothing went off on my side (we added rear side airbags
in the options). My 4 year old was in the front left so her front airbag was
turned off as the advice is that they can cause bad injuries to young
children.

Both car seats were ISOFIX and stayed firmly fixed to the car. I don't think
the kids would have faired so well if te seats have been secured by the
car's seat belts.

Replacement will almost certainly be another A4. Just have to see what the
insurance offers for ours to see what we do. We may lease as it'll save
having a big unplanned expense. Not sure whether or not to go Quattro. Ours
wasn't and even in NE Scotland there are very few occasions when it's really
necessary. Having said that, the Quattros drive better generally so we may
take the MPG hit and get one. It's only another £30 or so a month for a
2.0TDI 170 Q Avant over a 2.0TDI 143 FWD Avant for the same spec.

Dave

> Drivers side door?
> Cut away?

That's the passenger side as this is in the UK. That was the only thing that
dissappointed me as the door opened during the accident and was folded
forward. Luckily it didn't come back into the cabin. All other doors
remained closed. The two rears were OK to open but the drivers door was
slightly difficuly due to the lower hinge being destroyed.

Ronny

"Dave" <a@b.c> wrote in message
news:L9ednWGuHfB9lObUnZ2dnUVZ8o2WnZ2d@bt.com...
>> Wow those curtain airbags look comfy I think that's the first pic i
>> have seen of them deployed, did they make a difference?
>> Glad everyone was ok, it looks like a nasty smash, did they side airbags
>> deply too, those leathers will go perfect in my A4 haha
>>
>> Was it a quattro? if not will you go quattro next time
>
> My wife was driving and I suspect if the head airbags hadn't gone off
> she'd have had a serious head injury. All the airbags deployed on her
> side. I was in the left rear and nothing went off on my side (we added
> rear side airbags in the options). My 4 year old was in the front left so
> her front airbag was turned off as the advice is that they can cause bad
> injuries to young children.

Hmm that's a bit worrying, you would have thought all the roof airbags go
off on a roll over??
I would imagine the pre tensioners exploded with a bit of a bang too


> Both car seats were ISOFIX and stayed firmly fixed to the car. I don't
> think the kids would have faired so well if te seats have been secured by
> the car's seat belts.

yeah this is a god send, good childseats can mean the difference between
life and death. And everyone is still alive due to you not buying a cheap
*** car, and fastening everyone in properly.

> Replacement will almost certainly be another A4. Just have to see what the
> insurance offers for ours to see what we do. We may lease as it'll save
> having a big unplanned expense. Not sure whether or not to go Quattro.
> Ours wasn't and even in NE Scotland there are very few occasions when it's
> really necessary. Having said that, the Quattros drive better generally so
> we may take the MPG hit and get one. It's only another £30 or so a month
> for a 2.0TDI 170 Q Avant over a 2.0TDI 143 FWD Avant for the same spec.
quattro is not just for snow it is great in the wet, great offroad on
muddy fields and handles alot better then your standard FWD A4, my 2002 A4
quattro is just about to hit 200k miles so it's time for a change, I am
tempted to lease this time, have you been quoted any prices? I was thinking
£400 a month max?

Dave

> quattro is not just for snow it is great in the wet, great offroad on
> muddy fields and handles alot better then your standard FWD A4, my 2002 A4
> quattro is just about to hit 200k miles so it's time for a change, I am
> tempted to lease this time, have you been quoted any prices? I was
> thinking £400 a month max?

A 2.0 TDI 170 Q with the spec I was looking for was around £480 a month. I
think about £40-50 of that was due to the extras I'd added. Unfortunately I
didn't bookmark the company and now my google searches don't seem to be able
to find it. I'll just have to keep hunting.

Dave

> Thank god you were ok, but perhaps it shows that when you have children
> in the car you need to drive like a slow old person and never try
> passing other cars (assuming it was a one lane each way type of highway)

Sorry, but you never get anywhere doing that. Also, you'd infuriate drivers
behind you.

The overtake was perfectly safe. We had a half mile straight and nothing
come. No side junctions either. The other driver simply failed to look and
signal.

Dave

> Sorry, but you never get anywhere doing that. Also, you'd infuriate
> drivers behind you.
>
> The overtake was perfectly safe. We had a half mile straight and nothing
> come. No side junctions either. The other driver simply failed to look and
> signal.

I'd also add that driving too slowly can cause you to loose concentration
which can be just as dangerous as driving too fast.
>

Dave

> I don't think driving at a normal pace causes you to "lose"
> concentration. I know some people feel they have to drive quickly to
> keep themselves alert, but that probably means they are too tired to be
> driving.
>
> Don't get me wrong - I cruise the 400 series highways at 130-140km/hr.
> But when I have a child and they're in the car, you can bet I will
> adjust my driving habits.
>
> While what you (or your wife) were doing was perhaps not unsafe in it's
> own right, the position you put yourself in opened you up to a great
> chance of error by other drivers. You're right, just because the other
> driver made a stupid move doesn't mean it was your fault, but try
> arguing "fault" next time when a little kid is dead.
>
> I'm sure you (and your wife) are safe drivers and I'm not putting
> either of you down at all. But my feeling is that when there are other
> people in the car, it is the drivers responsability to practice
> defensive driving.

I appreciate your point but first of all the cars we were following were
doing 45 on a safe 60 road. That is not "normal pace". I can also guarantee
you that people get bored if they are forced to meander along at a speed
that is too slow regardless if they're tired or not.

There is also the issue of not overtaking. On a two lane road like this one
a queue will very soon build up if you don't pass. This results in drivers
behind becoming infuriated and perhaps taking more chances. That in itself
could cause an accident that you get caught up in. Also, at this time of
year the roads are very often wet even on a sunny day. you get in the
situation where you're following a car that is throwing up spray and
reducing your forward view. I'd much rather be past that car and have a
clear view in front.

You always have to watch out for other drivers and my IAM training (and
motorbike riding) has taught me to be far more observant but at the end of
the day you can't hold back all the time because the driver in front might
not look.

You could argue that we shouldn't ever leave the house again as that's the
ultimate in defensive driving. But then of course I live near an airport so
who knows when a 737 might land on my house

Dave

dave AKA vwdoc1

I agree with Dave!
JMHO but doing a constant pace gets boring and unexciting especially if
there are no curves or something to perk your interest. I can deal with the
boredom by listening to audio books to stimulate my mind while driving long
distances.

Actually I think that there are some laws here in the USA that if one
vehicle is going too slow and has a line of vehicles behind him, he should
try to allow them to pass easier.

But you do have to watch out for the idiots that only focus on their goal
without watching out for the other vehicles. I see sooo many of them here
that now I have my wife and daughter playing the game of "What is the idiot
going to do now" as we predict how they weave in and out of traffic as they
try to jump in front of the next vehicle. We have seen an idiot turn left
from three lanes on the right (we were in the middle lane) cut in front of
us (in the '83 Audi 4000s), another vehicle then lose control travelling
across a short 25' intersection between opposing traffic, then 3 lanes of
oncoming traffic, over the sidewalk, over a small wall, into a large glass
pane window and winding up completely inside of a gift store. AMAZING that
no other vehicles were involved. That was the most bizzare accident that I
have seen!
Also amazing, since I talked to the owner of the store offering what I saw
as a witness, that idiot stopped within 3 inches of pressurized Helium
tanks. He did not even jump out of the car and run away but waited for the
emergency services to arrive! lol

All he was doing was turning left without thinking of the consequences.
STUPID and TG I did not have the same thing happen to me as what happened to
you!
NOW (by always playing my game) I will admit I had a feeling, no indication
though, that he was going to try to cut in front of me and I did not slow
down to allow it. I really did not think he was going to turn left from
that right lane. He was very lucky to be alive and not take out a few
vehicles with his actions!

Glad you and your family are safe Dave, and BTW I like your name too! lol
Oh and the bathroom is a dangerous place too, but sometimes you gotta go
there! <g>
--
later,
(One out of many daves)
1997 Red A4 1.8tq auto
1983 Audi 4000s 5 speed


"Dave" <a@b.c> wrote in message

snip

>
> There is also the issue of not overtaking. On a two lane road like this
> one a queue will very soon build up if you don't pass. This results in
> drivers behind becoming infuriated and perhaps taking more chances. That
> in itself could cause an accident that you get caught up in. Also, at this
> time of year the roads are very often wet even on a sunny day. you get in
> the situation where you're following a car that is throwing up spray and
> reducing your forward view. I'd much rather be past that car and have a
> clear view in front.
>
> You always have to watch out for other drivers and my IAM training (and
> motorbike riding) has taught me to be far more observant but at the end of
> the day you can't hold back all the time because the driver in front might
> not look.
>
> You could argue that we shouldn't ever leave the house again as that's the
> ultimate in defensive driving. But then of course I live near an airport
> so who knows when a 737 might land on my house
>
> Dave
>