# Lucky Wreck **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 16, 2020, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027 "2020-02-16T16:59:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/1 "2020-02-16T16:59:26Z")
I walked away from an overturned car wreck today without a scratch. It overturned because it went into a ditch. It went into the ditch because I spun across the freeway. I spun across the freeway because I tried to avoid being run off the other side of the road. No other cars hit me. I was running errands alone. I was able to self-extract out the SUV trunk. A passing ambulance stopped to help. All in all, I got extremely lucky. My wife, mrs.gnu, has kindly reminded me that I also survived cancer so please stop, and I am not a cat. We have to buy a new car seat for our son. He was at home with mrs.gnu, but the (undamaged) seat isn’t supposed to be reused after being in a wreck. The trick will be fitting us all into our surviving Fiat 500. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/2 "2020-02-16T17:07:40Z")
Sounds like good, clean living has paid off! Your description is terrifying - glad you’re OK! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/3 "2020-02-16T17:10:58Z")
Congratulations? 😕 Really don’t know what else to say in a case like that. I assume you were using the seatbelt? Did airbags deploy (if any)? I mis-read the thread title as **Lucy Wreck** and thought, _“Oh, God! Not another one!”_ :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/4 "2020-02-16T17:57:38Z")
I’ve been in a flipped over SUV wreck. Me vs deer, caused it. I wasn’t lucky as you. But, I lived. Congrats to you. Gato…what are you going on about? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/5 "2020-02-16T18:46:45Z")
I’m glad you’re ok. It sounds horrifying. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/6 "2020-02-16T19:07:26Z")
About six-foot. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/7 "2020-02-16T19:12:09Z")
Glad you’re OK. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/8 "2020-02-16T19:26:15Z")
That is my nightmare. Maybe 15 years ago I was on the 405 near Fountain Valley. I heard a screech and saw a car maybe 3 cars ahead of us in the fast lane skid across all four lanes to the shoulder. There was definitely traffic, moving but not bumper-to-bumper, and everybody avoided everybody else. It was amazing to be a part of that. It happened so quickly and with no bad results, I was actually not as shaky as I think I should have been. Glad you were able to walk away! ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/9 "2020-02-16T19:36:18Z")
no sense buying any lottery tickets, you already won. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/10 "2020-02-16T19:59:44Z")
Wow, you must be pretty shaken. I’m glad you survived with no injuries. Thank God for modern safety features. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/11 "2020-02-16T20:10:28Z")
Glad you survived OK! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/12 "2020-02-16T20:35:11Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > no sense buying any lottery tickets, you already won. I’m not sure. I believe buying lottery tickets would be smart. Maybe his luck is holding. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/13 "2020-02-16T20:47:34Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I’m not sure. I believe buying lottery tickets would be smart. Maybe his luck is holding. That is the other way to look at it. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/14 "2020-02-16T21:29:50Z")
Glad to hear you’re okay! All cars are replaceable. People are not. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/15 "2020-02-16T22:10:37Z")
Thanks everybody. Now I’m dealing the figurative headaches like retrieving my car and calling insurance. One more thing that was lucky - the driver that merged into my lane that caused it stopped and gave their info to highway patrol. Not so lucky - the policy number came back as canceled. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/16 "2020-02-16T23:45:03Z")
Glad you are OK. You are very likely to be sore tomorrow morning (if not already). Usually neck and back pain. Maybe some ibuprofen at bedtime. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/17 "2020-02-17T00:27:28Z")
I walked away from a bad wreck (18-wheeler never saw stop light, t-boned my late Toyota Yaris at 40 mph). I view every day since then as Bonus Time. _(How dare my wife want me to clean the bathroom? This is Bonus Time; I should be riding manatees while toasting St. Somebody with a travel mug of Single-Malt.)_ Enjoy your Bonus Time, Gary! ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/18 "2020-02-17T05:17:25Z")
Hope you took the Ibuprofen advice. In fact, friends, I think everyone should take a couple before bed. Sleep well! ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/19 "2020-02-17T13:18:58Z")
I just took several ibuprofen on your behalf. So glad you survived to tell the tale. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027/20 "2020-02-17T15:32:27Z")
OMG! The ball joint failed on my car (that was still under warranty). It stopped as abruptly as though it had hit a wall, and I developed SEVERE whiplash. I had no idea something like this could hurt so fucking much. On the second day, it hurt so bad, if someone had told me it would hurt like that for the rest of my life, I would have killed myself-- not hyperbole. I will never make fun of “mere” soft tissue injuries again. After three months, flexaril, lidocaine patches, tramadol, naprosen, and PT, I am no longer in any pain I have a right to complain about, but still only back to about 90% range of motion. Please, Garygnu, get checked out. It’s probably true that a soft tissue injury can’t be detected until you have symptoms, but don’t dismiss anything. For 24 hours, I just thought I’d slept weird, and that’s why my neck was sore. It wasn’t until I was beyond any pain I’d ever known that it dawned on me this was whiplash. I’ve have prolonged labor, forceps; migraine headaches; an untreated broken ankle (long story); and an adult tonsillectomy. Nothing fucking hurt like the whiplash injury. It’s my new #10 on the pain scale. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lucky-wreck/848027.md?page=2)