Are our Slants "Unsafe"?

DusterKrazy said
A car is often only as safe as the person driving it. I drive a '65 Newport daily and it seems plenty safe to me. I don't go down the road trying to do thirteen things at once either. I am actually driving. I have been in two accidents involving old steel (neither were my fault)..

*One was a rear end collision to a '77 Aspen. The woman rear ended me in an early 90's Toyota Camry. She was doing close to 60mph. I got out and could find only a scratch on my bumper. Her grille was smashed, hood was warped, busted the bumper cover and headlights. I was perfectly ok and told the State Trooper to not bother pressing any charges whatsoever.

*Back in '03 or '04, I was driving our previous '73 Duster. A woman pulled out in front of me from no where and I slammed the brakes causing the rears to lock. I went off of a hill and down into a creek. The woman kept on driving like nothing happened...It broke a tie rod end and dented the car up a little. I was ok with the exception of some bruising IIRC.

This is why I don't understand how newer cars are supposed to be safer. I mean freakin families are in these things! I feel safe knowing my wife drives a Volvo 240. Otherwise I'd literally be calling her every time she got to work to make sure she's safe.

And that's why I drive slow - if someone pulls out in front of me on these roads out here...I'm not gonna be able to stop soon enough. The speed limit's 45 on almost every road here. If someone pulls out, I'm gonna plow through them which I definitely do not want.

Btw, I adore Newports. That's awesome you have one as a daily driver.

fzmax said
IMHO, this is what's wrong with the automotive world today. If airbags were filled with nails and broken glass and seat belts were designed solely for the restraint of small children, people may pay attention to driving instead of talking on the phone, playing with their entertainment centers and texting.

+10000. Excellent post. That is exactly how people drive out here. The idiots driving cars don't scare me. It's the SUVs that I know are gonna hurt when they hit me.

FlatheadGeo said
Give me bigger and heavier any day! My 75 LeSabre was rear ended by a Nipmobile who was hit by a 1992 Buick. Nipmobile was totaled, 92 Buick front clip was on the street and only my rear bumper was damaged. Oh, and I was stopped at a light. My 67 Buick Skylark was rear ended by another Nipmobile. My car sustained heavy frame damage due to rust. I heard a thump, car didn't move, I was stopped. The car that hit me was bouncing off of my Buick as I looked in my rear view mirror.
Old school for me!

That's what I mean! I got rear ended by some moron in a RAV 4 who was going 50 MPH. I had a 1991 Volvo 240. The guy's whole front bumper was destroyed, and both fenders on his RAV 4 were smashed. I had a scratch on my bumper. I understand the whole crumple zone thing and airbags...But I've been watching crash tests and guess what? Those airbags ain't gonna save you from a snapped neck.