RIP Lean2: 10/88-12/20/2010 "You were well loved"

[Beach Bum]

I was heading down the road, preparing to make a U-turn. I moved slightly to the right (never even touched the lane marker with my wheels), checked six, noticed a van about 50m back, tapped the brakes, and began my turn. I was well into the middle lane when said van suddenly appeared at my window like a hobo asking for a handout. He smacked me dead center of my door. We ended up well up over the curb, the van perpendicular to the street, rear tires resting on the curb and my car's rear bumper a good 6 feet from the curb, rotated a good 135 degrees. I got a rather nasty cut on the left of my face, and my doctor pulled a nice chunk of broken glass out of me. My leg is a bit sore where the van tried to come through the door, but otherwise the old girl took it like a champ and saved me a trip to the ER. This is why I love BMWs, and will get yet another.

Pictures













Oil Pan Carnage


I also got charged with "Failure to yield to oncoming traffic when making a left turn". Yeah, I don't think so.

I'm so sad right now. I really did love this car.

[EN318isPDX]

Sad site to see! Time to get another one eh? Glad you are safe bro! E30 hold up amazingly vs newer rigs.

[Beach Bum]

I"m already cruising the FS section. Just gotta get this squared away first.

Should I keep it and take a smaller payout? I've already got a 84 318 in the backyard that was my fault. I thought I was over this crap, to have this happen is just crap. I've been going over it over and over again, and while there are things I could have done better, there is NO REASON that van should have been that far over to the left.

[Eecen]

So...you went to make a U turn, saw a van behind you and still decided to make the U turn?


Your car didn't deserve to die like that.

[Beach Bum]

Lets try to improve your reading comprehension.

I never left the lane to my right. He was 50m behind me on a two lane road with center lane. The speed limit for that road was 35mph, or ~15m/s. If he wasn't speeding, it would have taken him 4s AT LEAST to overtake me, and that was if I'd stopped IMMEDIATELY after checking my rear. So why did he end up in the middle lane in what was MUCH less than 4s?

When he hit me, I was in the center lane. He hit me hard enough to push me across the road, over the curb, SHATTERING my oil pan, and putting me 6ft off the road.

[iamsam]

So it was one of those center lanes bounded by yellow lines, meant for turning across traffic, can be used by both directions of traffic?

So you were in the left lane, and you cut across this center lane to whip a U-turn, and was the van in the center lane to begin with, or was he in your lane behind you?

sorry, I am slightly confused myself.

[Beach Bum]

So it was one of those center lanes bounded by yellow lines, meant for turning across traffic, can be used by both directions of traffic?

So you were in the left lane, and you cut across this center lane to whip a U-turn, and was the van in the center lane to begin with, or was he in your lane behind you?

sorry, I am slightly confused myself.

It was a section of turnaround between median secions as wide as an E30 is long, unmarked. Van was traveling behind me, until he hit me. I have no idea when or why he went into the center lane area.

[iamsam]

It was a section of turnaround between median secions as wide as an E30 is long, unmarked. Van was traveling behind me, until he hit me. I have no idea when or why he went into the center lane area.

between median sections?? hmmm....

better idea: post a satellite pic of the place where it happened.

[e30trooper]

sucks man , at least you lived threw it.

[Beach Bum]

Blue is my course, red circle is POI, red line is trajectory after impact. I did my best to illustrate my slight drift to the right before committing left. Again, at no time did my tires touch the right side lane marker. There was no oncoming traffic, the van was behind me on the right side of the road

[matias88e30]

Thats fuckd up man! good thing ur ok!

[e30trooper]

Blue is my course, red circle is POI, red line is trajectory after impact. I did my best to illustrate my slight drift to the right before committing left. Again, at no time did my tires touch the right side lane marker. There was no oncoming traffic, the van was behind me on the right side of the road

Did they test the van driver for drug use or drinking? Do you think he intended on hitting you? IDK its pretty hard to hit somone when the roads are open and theres two lanes on both sides. Was it raining?

[vegaskyle]

In before "wow that sucks xxxx shipped to yyyy?"

Thats a hard hit to push you that far. Could it be he saw you slowing down and was in such a hurry he decided to pass you on the left? What was his side of the story? What did the police say?

[Brian D]

Sorry about your car, that's a pretty damn serious impact to walk away from though, glad you're OK.

I think I understand what happened, the van tried to pass you on the left as you were starting your U-turn. The only thing I would say is next time get into the center lane and then make the U, lessens your exposure to someone from behind. He probably saw you hit the brakes and figured you were making a right turn, and went to pass you. Did you have a left signal on?

Doesn't make what he did right, but people are too impatient to get past sometimes. How many times do any of us cut around someone making a slow right turn?

Oh and all the facts and figures you have (50m, 4 s, etc)? Don't really mean much, do they?

Edit-picture makes it much clearer. Making a U, get into the center lane. Our cars turn real tight, you can make it.

[Beach Bum]

Did they test the van driver for drug use or drinking? Do you think he intended on hitting you? IDK its pretty hard to hit somone when the roads are open and theres two lanes on both sides. Was it raining?

Dry as a whistle, clear, cold. Driver did not appear to be impaired, officer did not inquire. I'd never seen the guy before, and I don't know why you'd WANT to hit someone like that. Hell, he even talked about how he liked the car!