At the beginning of the week I was going to visit a college acquaintance to acquire some RTR tapes. I got to the top of the exit and the right turn lane had it's own red light while sitting there I was putting away a charger, and someone came up behind and LAID ON THEIR HORN while the light was red (City drivers here are mostly crazy assholes, hence why I rarely go to the city). Startled, I assumed the honk was because the light had changed and I started to go (why else would someone be so damn rude?), but that was not the case and I realized and slammed on the brakes as I was entering the cross street....at the same time an suv was coming.....
The result: No one was physically harmed. The other driver's rear quarter has some small scratches and dents, and the rim of their wheel was damaged. I got the worst of it......If their wheel well had not hooked my bumper and pulled it forward I'd just be griping about dents and a turn signal lens, but in pulling it forward it ripped the piston out of one of the shocks that the bumper mounts to and tore the frame to shock bracket for the other bumper shock....I feel stupid for letting my self be startled/goaded into acting without due caution. The one behind me who startled me got nothing, but bad Karma, and my personal request to God that their rudeness gets them into as bad a situation as they caused me in the future.
After all the hullabaloo of reporting it, exchanging info etc. I strapped the bumper end that was unsupported due to the destroyed shock, proceeded a few blocks to my acquaintances house. There he loaned me a air wrench (using it made me wonder why I have not got one those yet) to get the bumper off so I would not have to worry about strap failure on the ride home, (and of course I got my RTR tapes).
Both bumper-shock to frame mounts are damaged. The failed shock limited the damage on the one to being bent, but the other where the the bumper hinged is torn/cracked and about as useless as the shock that ripped in two. Between the scratches, the dents/bends and the thick gauge of the bent part of the bumper I think it will never be the same.
I've got a pending deal with someone on CL for the bumper, it's shocks, and their mounts, as well as all the lights (except the head lights), much of the chrome, a set of the optional aluminum rims/caps (why not have a spare set?), and some other bits for ~ $300.
I was able to bend the signal fin back enough to pop most of the dent out today, and after the ETF meet I'll make that deal and than pop the light and try to get the dents completely out my self (if that fails I'll see a body shop).
This is probably going to eat up the rest of the savings I've been using for a long post college summer vacation....Guess it's time to start applying to some of those jobs the folks have been suggesting I apply to...
What I've learned from this experience: When prodded by impatient/rude drivers I'm not going change what I'm doing until I've decided I'm damn well ready. And avoid city driving....It is usually rough on my nerves.