Got rear-ended as a result of others' road rage
 

We slowed down at a red light, preparing to turn right... A shocking explosion noise and a few more seconds of scraping sound...

My wife was driving. I went out and started taking pictures of first the passenger and the driver of the truck, who were fleening the scene hesitantly and dazedly.

They walked into the bushes to reach the overpass but were caught within five minutes by the police.

Both a witness and myself identified the poor guys as the hit-and-runners. They were straight out of a police chase video, leaning on the side, dirty clothes, one leg bleeding, being interrogated by the police.

By looking at the contents of the truck, I think they were some type of construction workers. By the fact that they fled, they were illegal in some way. By the beer can on the floor, they might have been drunk or more.

One of the witnesses said that they have been driving recklessly for about the last two miles and were coming very fast to them and stopping suddenly right at their tail.

Apparently they misjudged their speed and hit us very violently. Our car was thrown 30 meters (about 100 feet) from where it had been at the time of the hit. The witnesses were very shocked too because "the accident looked horrible."

Considering the accident, we are saved by the engineering of the car. We are fine except bruises on my lower back from the way the seat pushed me and my wife's feeling of a stiff neck. To be honest, our 5mph or so speed helped too.

The hatch crumbled and the rear doors were almost stuck. Even the front door is tightened a bit.

The most important thing that saved us was how the seats reclined probably actively. The two of the pictures show how much.

In one of the pictures, the driver's seat has creases right below where the headrest connects, as if the headrest moved back too.

Considering that the car is repairable, are the seats still usable, or do they need to be replaced to get back to their protective state.

<a href="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/19846/truck_and_beer_can.jpg">The truck and the beer can on the ground</a>. We were way behind where the truck is.

<a href="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/19846/crumbled_hatch.jpg">The hatch is crumbled and the rear door is stuck but still opens.</a>

<a href="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/19846/reclined_seats_1.jpg">The front seats are reclined automatically</a>. Note the crease on the driver's seat below the headrest.

<a href="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/19846/reclined_seats_2.jpg">The reclined seats from the side</a>.

You be safe and please make sure that you go to at least one autocross event to see how close the cars are getting out of control. :)

Ali

I so sorry to read this. Trite, but the car can be replaced, you can't

Thanks Bezor...
 

I hope that my question doesn't get lost in the story. :)

Are the seats still usable and protective, considering that both the seats and the headrests reacted in some way?

If the car is not totalled, will the seats need to be replaced?

Ali

Here's what I'm going to say... hope the car gets totaled - and if it doesn't, get diminished value
 

I don't know how the seats operate, or even if they SHOULD have reclined. Call audi.

Absolutely DO NOT reuse the seats or belts.
 

Besides, the cost of replacement will help drive it more towards the 'totaled' figure.

So..... how long do we wait before being mercenary and asking for parts before you sign it over to the insurance company to get squished?

probably more reckless driving than road rage
 

Glad to hear your are OK though

Heh! Surprised that hasn't already started.

My 97 Saturn Coupe front seat did that when i got rear-ended.
 

The chic who hit me... her car was pretty much totaled. Mine had hardly a scratch on the bumper. Just needed a little repainting. I was shocked when i got back in and saw the seat like that. lol

Interesting that there was no airbag deployment...

Why?
 

Front airbags are for front-end crashes.

Side airbags are for side impacts.

Seats are for rear impacts.