Patrol GU Strong Alloy Bullbar

Submitted: Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 at 19:13

ThreadID: 15851 Views:2248 Replies:8 FollowUps:7

This Thread has been Archived

Member - Jeff M (WA)

Well.... I'm still a little sore in my back...
The ol' work GU held up very well today, I was out with the boss when some lady came blatting though a red light @ 70km/h in her 1 year old toyota camry and colided with our front right hand side. I was a passenger at the time, but it was pretty hairy!
The camry was a crumpled wreck in the middle of the intersection, totally written off. The boss and eye looked at each other as he carmly selected reverse and backed up onto the verge. The alloy bar was probally what saved us, it's absolutally bent tobleepnow, but the main impact was on the bar. It has bent the RHS quater panel and smashed the headlight (but it still works, even with no glass in it). The trucks not driving dead on centre, but looks straight, might have whacked the wheel alignment out or somthing, but from the other side of the street you can't even tell theres any damage!
But, reinforces that you should look before you right foot it, even if your light is green! All very lucky, no one seriously injured, not even any blood, just saw back and necks all round.

Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator Share

Reply By: howie - Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 at 19:27

Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 at 19:27

has compensation set in yet?

AnswerID: 74120

Reply By: V8Diesel - Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 at 19:49

Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 at 19:49

Glad to hear you're safe and well Jeff.

Had a similar kamikaze attack with an old dear in a Sigma driving straight through a stop sign into the drivers door of my old HJ75. Result was a new door, rocker panel, side step and barwork needed on Tojo - drove home. Sigma was stuffed and on fire, driver hospitalised.

BTW saw the fire start straight away in the Sigma with elderly lady inside and climbed out the passengers door with my extinguisher and put it out. When the fire truck arrived I was told off for having an 'illegal extinguisher' (the yellow ones). Didn't say anything but I thought that was a bit steep.

Think I'll take my chances in something weighing 2 tonnes with a full chassis vs a rice burner made of tissue paper and balsa wood any day. And yes I'm aware of what the 'studies' say.

Glad everyone is safe and well. That's the main thing.

AnswerID: 74125

Reply By: Willem - Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 at 20:52

Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 at 20:52

Glad to hear that you have escaped unscathed, Jeff. Out of the blue a mini-second of lost concentration can cause havoc. It is good that you were travelling a a strong truck!

AnswerID: 74139

Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 at 22:32

Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 at 22:32

Hold ya neck!! and headaches...

Its worth thousands!

but it will go down as another 4wd accident...

AnswerID: 74170

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:37

Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:37

Yeah I could sue, probally could moan and groan and take everyone for everything. End result, everyone's insurance and car registrations go up again. For what? So that I can be a greedy selfish pig.
Nah, I think going home to a few beers and panadol was the better option!
But I'd lie if it didn't cross my mind.

FollowupID: 334186

Follow Up By: Peter O - Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 13:03

Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 13:03

Well said Jeff, if you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem.

Peter

FollowupID: 334194

Reply By: Member - Captain (WA) - Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 at 23:32

Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 at 23:32

Hi Jeff,

Glad to hear all are OK. Never nice for any involved, regardless of who was at fault. While the Camry may have crumpled, at least it protected the occupant (but I sure would have chosen to be in the GU if I had a choice!)

Out of curiosity, did any airbags go off in the GU or the Camry (was there a passengers airbag in your GU?) ?

Cheers

Captain

AnswerID: 74178

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:33

Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:33

You know Captain, we were discussing this after the accident.
The Camry was an Altise? The top of the wazza model with twin airbags, none of which went off, the patrol had a drivers side which did not go of either, so a total of 3 airbags and none of them fired... You gotta wonder what the storey is eh?

FollowupID: 334184

Follow Up By: Member - Captain (WA) - Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:47

Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:47

Hi Jeff,

I'm pretty sure that airbags will not fire if the impact speed is below 22km/hr (or something very close to that). As you had only just taken off, the GU was most likley under 22 km/hr, but that doesn't explain the Camry not firing. Unless it actally managed to brake a fair bit at the last moment and was under the minimum speed. But then, you wouldn't expect such a huge amount of damage to the Camry then.

From your description, I was sure the Camry should have fired, but then if the driver walked away unharmed anyway, perhaps the electronic brains are smarter than us anyway!!!

Cheers

Captain

FollowupID: 334190

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:57

Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:57

Yeah well she hit us hard enough to move the front of the car about 1m sideways, she didn't leave any skid marks and after hitting a 2.5tonne patrol in the bullbar and pushing us she kept going for another few metres. She must have been motoring along!
The only thing I thought was that maybe because we hit her kind of on the side they didn't trigger??? Id' be asking Yoto a few questions if I was her though, as you say the patrol can be explained by perhaps going slowly and really not having pushed in the bonnet at all perhaps the sensors did not activate. Probally just thought it was one beelping big kangaroo! LOL

FollowupID: 334193

Reply By: Member - Chris M (QLD) - Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 09:12

Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 09:12

Hope all is good Jeff.

So the alloy bar did hold up ok???

AnswerID: 74202

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:40

Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:40

Mate it's unreal how the alloy bar took it, ANYONE who says they are no good for stopping kangaroos has NO idea what they are talking about. It took a full size sedan on the nogon at 70km/h and protected the most part of the car, it didn't even rapture the air con pipes that go right next to the panels on the drivers side. unreal really, mind you driving the GU this morning somthing is really amiss with it, might even have bent the chasis... oh oh.
It doesn't look bad, from accross the street you can barley tell it's damaged, but upone closer inspection there are a few things outa whack.

FollowupID: 334187

Follow Up By: Member - Chris M (QLD) - Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:42

Friday, Aug 27, 2004 at 12:42

Thanks for the reply mate.

Yeah, I'd reckon a smash like that at 70 wouldn't do the chassis the world of good. Put ya feet up tonight mate and have a healing ale.

cheers

Chris.

FollowupID: 334188