Almost Accident Close Call (Almost Homeless)

[pros80]

I recently had an experience that has made me a bit paranoid 1 week into my fulltime van living.

I currently have a 1996 Ford E150 van. So far I've put some money to keep it running and in good shape.

I was at an intersection at around lunchtime in a city. Everyone is moving fast and rushing. I was making a wide left turn into a narrow road at an intersection as I need to with this big boat of a van. As I was turning I heard a loud horn and an SUV on the inside swirving and missing my vehicle. I pulled to the right and avoided the SUV and kept going straight. Not sure who's fault it was, could have been mine. But glad no one was hurt and there was no collision.

After inspecting the side of the van it looked like there was no touching or damage at all.


This got me thinking, as a fulltimer I am one accident or even a small fender bender away from being homeless. All the money I put into the van would go for nothing if I got into that accident.

I have insurance, but I probably would have just got a small check for the low value of the van.

I am now driving the van less and only driving it when traffic is low.

Have others had this paranoia or fear??? I mean all it takes is a small collision or bump at an intersection and the van/home is out of service.

 

[TMG51]

It's a valid point. You're right, insurance would pay off the value of the vehicle, not your perceived value of your home. (Too bad you can't get homeowner's insurance to cover the cost of housing while yours is out of comission!)

However, I think insurance is largely a scam anyway. It's built around the assumption that you have bad credit or are otherwise a deadbeat. We all pay insurance premiums whether we have accidents or not. Instead, save the money, and someone who causes an accident should be liable - take out a loan and pay it off, instead of paying all your life anyway. Liability insurance should be only for $100K plus. But the system is set up for people who don't have the credit/responsibility to pay off damages, and we all are made to follow the same system, and the insurance companies get greedy for it.

In the same way, the benefit of your van home is that you are NOT making monthly mortgage payments/rent. Similar to my ideal of accident liability, in the case of van dwelling, you are able to save that monthly cost of living. Save it. If that rainy day comes, you'll be glad you haven't been paying rent every month and you have some money in the bank. My goal would be to always have at least enough money saved for a replacement van - $1,500 would keep you from being homeless, while you rebuild. A month's rent in many places.

 

[jeanontheroad]

The problem with trying to self insure for liability (outside of legal requirements in most areas) is that a lot of people on this forum really would not be able to get a loan for the amounts needed. Even if they could, paying that loan off would be the equivalent of a mortgage. It could cripple their lives for decades.

 

[Patrick46]

I was making a wide left turn into a narrow road at an intersection as I need to with this big boat of a van.

here's a question you got me wondering....

why on earth are you swinging wide driving a Ford van??? Were you pulling a trailer or somethng?? Didn't sound like it to me.

It's a VAN. This isn't some big truck or something. The footprint this vehicle makes is not much more then a 4 door car...only a bit taller.

If you don't feel comfortable driving this thing in traffic, then you need to be driving something smaller. No two ways around it.


Not out to step on toes or hurt anyone's feelings, but this is a real danger. You're putting yourself and others at risk if you can't keep this 6'6" wide vehicle contained inside of a 9'-10' wide road lane.

 

[MrNoodly]

I was in a fender bender that bent a fender so that the front passenger door wouldn't open all the way. The van was in the shop for a week. I was lucky that it happened where I have family and they were able to house me. Otherwise, I would have had a problem, or I wouldn't have gotten it fixed.

My van doesn't have any side windows except in the front. That creates huge blind spots. I try to remember to check my mirrors and my review camera, but sometimes I can't see a darned thing. All the more reason to avoid traffic.

 

[PastTense]

A fender bender is not a cause of homelessness. I, for one, was rear-ended, the car was a total loss, but a friend and I straightened out some a couple of areas (so doors could close) and I drove the car with its body damage for several years.

You definitely need liability insurance (I think I have $250,000). But forget about collision or comprehensive and build up an emergency fund. I don't see any difference between a car accident and an engine totally going out: both with cost substantial amounts of money--but insurance will only help you with the car accident, while the emergency fund will help with both.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I think about it all the time, so you aren't alone in that. I don't restrict when I drive but I do take my time and drive carefully now. I usually go well under the limits (but not so slow to cause an accident that way either). I wait a little longer when making turns even tho i know i can slip out, i just wait till its clear by a long shot.

I think putting back enough money for an emergency is a good idea. I was also thinking having a tent ready in case you need to camp out a few days might be a good idea, even if you have to do it on the sly near the auto place in the woods somewhere....beats a blank.

 

[wagoneer]

Odds are you will experience some sort of accident the only thing you have control over is your own actions I drive super defensively even with that mindset an accident can happen.

 

[pros80]

here's a question you got me wondering....

why on earth are you swinging wide driving a Ford van??? Were you pulling a trailer or somethng?? Didn't sound like it to me.

It's a VAN. This isn't some big truck or something. The footprint this vehicle makes is not much more then a 4 door car...only a bit taller.

If you don't feel comfortable driving this thing in traffic, then you need to be driving something smaller. No two ways around it.


Not out to step on toes or hurt anyone's feelings, but this is a real danger. You're putting yourself and others at risk if you can't keep this 6'6" wide vehicle contained inside of a 9'-10' wide road lane.

Well thats a valid point. I guess I would have to show a picture of the intersection to give a better idea.

I usually am ok with driving it and being careful, but at a lunchtime rush I may have had a brief mind lapse and made a wider turn than usual. Since I was turning so slow, it gave enough time to avoid the collision and continue.

I also had a cargo carrier I was cognizant about.


One thing that seems to still stick out to me is by law of averages, the more you drive, the greater the risk of some sorta accident even small.

 

[Zil]

A ford 150 is not a big boat of a van. The more we drive, the better we drive. What did i learn? always be aware of the traffic flow around my vehicle.

 

[caseyc]

I also have a Ford E150 van. I used to think it was big when I first got it, now it feels fine to me. I see plenty of carpool vans driving around downtown that are longer with its extended body. I consider myself an experienced driver, especially in downtown areas. With that said though, I avoid driving my van anywhere downtown especially during the weekdays with commuter traffic. Not worth the frustration. I will either take the bus or drive my "normal" car.

 

[light trip]

All extremely valid points. Although it sounds like the person driving the SUV was trying to pass you on the inside left - during a turn, blame is irrelevant when you lose your home. And although hopefully you and your van will have a long relationship, longer then a week, the money you put into your van is not for nothing. Because it provides you a home and transportation.

The short answer for me is yes, we all need a backup plan and money to execute it. Good for all of us because we have the Internet. As mentioned in a post you could do the tent thing if your van was in the shop. Or rent a van, u-haul has them for $20 a day with (I think) 59 cents a mile. But if all your doing is waiting on repairs you don't need to drive too much and a u-haul van could be pretty stealthy in the city. And you of course could rent an RV, hotel or air b&b, lots of options. We should all just be ready for that rainy day.

There are so many distractions for drivers these days. In the past year I've been hit three times as a pedestrian. Although all minor, one broke my cane in three places while in a cross walk in the city. With regard to insurance, I agree, it's like a license to steal. But full coverage over just liability is so cheap, I still carry it on my 13 year old Toyota. And by most estimates nearly half of drivers aren't carrying any insurance.

Finally, and I know I think about it almost every day. There will be a time when I won't be able to drive and for that I need a plan. Part of that plan was already set in motion in my younger days. I traveled, lived in a van, RV and even sometimes a tent. Hiked Death Valley, Goblin, the Grand Staircase and Mojave. Rode a motorcycle coast to coast many times and into Canada, across the Highway to the Sun in Glacier National Park and crossed the Bridge of the Gods and onto the Pacific Coast Highway, across the Golden Gate Bridge. I forget who posted their expenses for a year of boon-docking, but it seems a toss-up if you also just rented a cheap RV space or lived on a boat if you couldn't drive anymore.

But in the mean time, to all that read this, live your life and travel far and wide. I can only wish for everyone the memories I have of my adventures. Make it part of your plan.

 

[caseyc]

I agree with others that the best backup plan is to have $3k to $5k in savings to buy another alternate vehicle in case of total loss. I can pretty easily buy another used van for $3k with my savings. Or worst case to liquidate some retirement funds. Heck, my current van was bought on a credit card just for the reward points, which only cost $3,000 total. As others have already pointed out, it's not worth insuring a 20 year old vehicle for comprehensive coverage, since it's not worth much to begin with.

 

[Patrick46]

Gad....I think I'm just gonna stop driving altogether!!

 

[SoulRaven]

I was in a fender bender that bent a fender so that the front passenger door wouldn't open all the way. The van was in the shop for a week. I was lucky that it happened where I have family and they were able to house me. Otherwise, I would have had a problem, or I wouldn't have gotten it fixed.

My van doesn't have any side windows except in the front. That creates huge blind spots. I try to remember to check my mirrors and my review camera, but sometimes I can't see a darned thing. All the more reason to avoid traffic.

Another good reason to have a window van so you can see what's going on around you. They are so much safer and easier to drive.

 

[SternWake]

I drive as though everybody around me is a drooling idiot just waiting to look at their cell phone.

Not much you can do about the person behind you, except give them plenty of time to look up, and brake.

One time I was planning on making a right turn and checked my mirrors to check to see how close traffic was behind me. I saw some tall haired woman with a phone in her face, and decided to not make the turn, and she nearly rear ended me anyway.

But even vigilance will not protect someone from all the narcissistic morons who have drivers licenses and cannot put down their phones.

Makes me wish I could press a Button, have tug boat like tires appear on the sides of my Van, and push the nimrods into the nearest telephone pole.

Assisted Darwinism. Too dumb and self involved to drive properly?Meet Mr telephone pole.

How important is that text message now?

Narcissistic Morons, they are why I don't own a gun.

 

[caseyc]

That's why I added a rear step tow hitch to my van. Should provide me extra rear collision impact. Will hopefully do more damage to the nimrod who rear ends me than anything else. Also added a front step tow hitch for the same reason. I notice when parking, other cars give me more space, hah!

 

[66788]

This is one of the reasons I decided to finish the Dodge High Top and the Starship Grumman Olson at the same time. It's always nice to have a completed back up van ready to go at a moments notice. Major breakdown, accident, fire, theft, all these are valid threats to our security. Being able to fly or take a bus to pick up the back up van is a viable alternative.

 

[LucyImHome]

Great question, one I have experience with. Thank goodness for the people here that helped with their advice and support. I was living in my extended cab truck in Palm Springs, CA when the engine crapped out. I managed to get it back to where I was parking, but wasn't going to throw more money at it. I won't elaborate on the ordeal, but to say it was a long 4 months until I got a motor home. A tent wasn't an option in that kind of heat and no one to stay with. The motor home died on the way home with it, amazingly coasted 9 miles! I parked it at a biz that I knew the owner, said it was safe with all his cameras. Broken into, most of my belongings stolen, gas tank vandalized and drained. Insurance.... only covered the tow, even though I had contents coverage. Insurance assumes if you're in a MH, you don't have much in there. Lots of companies won't cover you if you're FT. I wasn't covered because I'd just gotten the insurance. I did find an rv repair guy that would allow me to stay in the MH while it was being repaired. He worked out of his own garage. From my experience...... I set aside some money every month. If something happens, or when.... I have the funds to make informed decisions. Not emergency OMG kind of decisions. Having some sort of a back up vehicle is really good. Even if it's a truck or car, in a pinch it'll get you by. The Car Living section is full of resourceful folks.

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I want to add about the whole accident risk thing. Seems sometimes there's a giant target on our rigs. Safe way to go is assume everyone is an idiot. Drive defensively. Give yourself WAY more room than you think you'll need. Don't be intimidated by those idiots that are in a big hurry. Have your mirrors properly adjusted and check them every time you get in. A back up camera is wonderful! I have fantasized about attaching tires all the way around my rig. Think that'll wreck the stealth factor? LOL Even the best driver can still get nailed. My son was pulling into the drive and got rear ended, she was on her phone. Funny part? She's an insurance agent.

 

[highdesertranger]

lucy I remember your ordeal glad you have rebounded. lots of good advice on this thread. best advice I think is about the mirrors. you need good mirrors and must know how to use them. it's good to have one on each side of the vehicle and you should be able to back up without using the mirror on the windshield. if you have blind spots you should get some of those bubble mirrors. oh yeah the drive defensively is important too. highdesertranger