Grrr @ 18-wheelers

texas*princess · #1 02-14-2003, 06:33 PM

Well it finally happened. After a couple of months of babying my new car that I got in November, it finally happened.

I was driving along behind an 18-wheeler because traffic was really bad, and the 18-wheeler kicked up a rock and it hit my windshield

It's a really tiny crack, about a 1/4 of the size of a dime, but just knowing it's there drives me crazy.

I called up the local auto-windshield repair places and they want to charge me $40-$50 to fill it in or whatever they do to prevent it from cracking more

Any suggestions on what I should do?

Kevin · #2 02-14-2003, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by texas*princess
Well it finally happened. After a couple of months of babying my new car that I got in November, it finally happened.

I was driving along behind an 18-wheeler because traffic was really bad, and the 18-wheeler kicked up a rock and it hit my windshield It's a really tiny crack, about a 1/4 of the size of a dime, but just knowing it's there drives me crazy.

I called up the local auto-windshield repair places and they want to charge me $40-$50 to fill it in or whatever they do to prevent it from cracking more

Any suggestions on what I should do?

Be thankful that it's only a small crack. Sounds like all you can really do is suck it up and pay the money... If you don't get it fixed it could (and likely will) get worse.

KillarneyRose · #3 02-14-2003, 10:07 PM

Pay the money and get it done then try not to think about it anymore

If you don't get it repaired, especially in winter, it will continue to spread and eventually will be too big to patch and will need to be replaced (to the tune of about $500). Also, I'm not sure about in Texas but in Maryland where I live, a car can fail inspection for a crack in the windshield.

I'm so sorry that happened to your baby!!!

A Random DphiE · #4 02-14-2003, 11:07 PM

When i read the title of the thread, i IMMEDIATELY thought OoHnO!
I am relieved to hear it was just a crack in your windshield...last November i had an 18 wheeler side-swipe me! Both driver's side doors and side panels were sliced through... i had to hop in from the passenger side for two months 'till my parents fixed it for me as one of my Christmas gifts.

I'm glad you're ok....and BELIEVE me that $50 is a BARGAIN when compared to having to replace an entire windshield!!

Hope all goes well!

xoxo

Tom Earp · #5 02-14-2003, 11:57 PM

The Big Car Drivers on the Boulevarde of today are not like the good guys of Yore!

The Guys/Gals driving the Rigs today are making less money, doing speed, and cooking the logs! Why, cause they are getting paid less so have to run fast, lie, and dont get sleep!

97 % of the Trucks stopped have mechanical violations. They are totally unsafe. 3 weeks in a row, I was getting ready to pass a Semi and a Tire blew, for a total of 3!

If I pass a truck, I get by as damn fast as I can, I do not follow if at all possible!!!! Do you know what tire road kill can do to a car window?

No you say! Well, it can kill you, plain and simple!

I dont know how many times I have seen trucks in major accidents and have also been in them myself!

But guess what, how much of the Countrys goods are shipped via Semis! A Shit load!

Ah well, I am still here to talk about it!

KillarneyRose · #6 02-15-2003, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by A Random DphiE
last November i had an 18 wheeler side-swipe me! Both driver's side doors and side panels were sliced through... i had to hop in from the passenger side for two months 'till my parents fixed it for me as one of my Christmas gifts.

You mean that the trucking company didn't pay for your repairs??

That's terrible!

A Random DphiE · #7 02-15-2003, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by KillarneyRose
You mean that the trucking company didn't pay for your repairs?? That's terrible!

unfortunately the trucker didn't even feel the impact and kept driving (merging into my lane)...by the time the Highway Patrol officers came, he was looooooooong gone

texas*princess · #8 02-15-2003, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by A Random DphiE
When i read the title of the thread, i IMMEDIATELY thought OoHnO!
I am relieved to hear it was just a crack in your windshield...last November i had an 18 wheeler side-swipe me! Both driver's side doors and side panels were sliced through... i had to hop in from the passenger side for two months 'till my parents fixed it for me as one of my Christmas gifts.

Yikes ARandomDphiE!! I'm so glad you are OK!!

I went to AutoZone and found some windshield repair kit thing.. but I think I would rather get it done from a person who knows what they are doing...

juniorgrrl · #9 02-16-2003, 04:07 AM

A similar thing happened to Boy's new Altima (he just got it in Nov., too). An 18-wheeler ran him off the road, into the emergency lane, and then kicked up a rock and it put a 5-8 inch long crack in his windshield.

I had one nearly run me off the road (after the bastard was trying to pass me on the right!) a few weeks ago. It was one of those huge things that carries cars on it. I wasn't able to see the plate (because of the giant car hanging off the back of it covering the plate), but I did catch the name of the company. So I called *LSP on my cell (Louisiana State Police) and reported the asshole. We were near a weigh station - I hope they pulled his ass over...

justamom · #10 02-16-2003, 10:53 AM

When I lived in Houston, I was driving my little green VW Beetle on Harwin Dr. This 18 wheeler changed lanes INTO ME, and I went spinning round like a pin ball!!!

Tom is right. So many changes. I always felt safe around them because the had their CB's and there was a sense of chivalry about them. Anyone remember all those 18 wheeler songs? Teddy Bear, Convoy... Now, everything that Tom described is true. Just wait till NAFTA opens the roads completely. We will see more terror on the highways than anyone can imagine. Mexico doesn't begin to have the safety rules we have. Many are driving trucks without adequate brakes and I believe their inspections are all but nonexistent. One of those news shows like 48 Hours or 60 Minutes did an expose' and found load limits, mileage, road hours and THE STRAPS that hold the load dangerously inadequate.
I too try to get as far away as fast as I can, but has anyone ever seen I-10?

One of the busiest roadways in the nation!

bucutie02 · #11 02-16-2003, 01:04 PM

here is Houston we have little places around that fix your windshield for free. I dont know how extreme yours is, but maybe you should look into that and see if your city has that somewhere.

I am glad you are not hurt, but i feel sad for your car!

texas*princess · #12 02-16-2003, 05:47 PM

bu, wow they fix them for free? how nice of them. I've called all around town and everyone wants to suck the money out of the college students who live here. There was this one place who offered to fix it for $25, so I may just end up doing that.

I will try to check around the DFW area to see if I can get a better deal. Anything less than $50 sounds good to me.. it's really teeny tiny and hardly noticable, but I don't want it to get worse.

juniorgrrl · #13 02-17-2003, 01:13 AM

Most places say "free" but if you look in tiny print it says "with most insurance coverage."

Most car insurance will cover filling in a "star" but once it becomes an actual crack, they usually don't cover that.

AngelPhiSig · #14 02-17-2003, 07:23 AM

I hate 18 wheelers. On the street going back to my apt there is a glass factory thing and they take FOR-EV-ER to park and block the road and ugh... besides, we live right off of I-80 which is like truck central.

UF_PikePC98 · #15 02-17-2003, 06:53 PM

You might want to check the insurance laws in your state.

In Florida they replace the whole thing for free....