[Ulala]

Here's another I've learned, and I hope you don't have to learn it the same way I did. Hopefully you'll learn it just from reading this. Anyway, here it is: Never, ever, drive anyone else's car, ever if you're not a primary/insured driver of said car. Ever.

Here's why: Last weekend we're driving down to Willamette Pass for some snowboarding. I'm driving Friend A's car, following friend B. Friend A is riding with Friend B, with some other friends. Friend B's brother passes us, and Friend B follows his brother who was also headed for the pass. Friend B's brother drives fast. Not knowing how to get to the Pass, I try my best to keep up with Friend B with Friend A's car. The roads got progressively worse. Friend B starts passing some cars to keep up with his brother, so I get over to follow Friend B. Friend A's car loses traction and into the guard rail on the opposite side of the road I go. Fortunately there was no oncoming traffic, or I and my passenger would be dead. Actually dead. Thanks, "friends".

I yell over the radio and my "friends" in Friend B's car have no idea what has just happened. I explain to them, quite (impressively) calmly what has happened, while getting back on my side of the road to catch up. I lose traction again, and Friend A's car slides into the middle of the road. I put on the hazard lights and drive 20 mph until I catch up, screaming at my "friends" to pull the frick over. They do and in a few minutes I catch up and pull over too. We look to see the damage to the car, decide there isn't anything we can do right then, and continue, get this, just one more mile and we're arrive at Willamette Pass.

Long story not too long, there are now two possible outcomes: For driving to the best of my ability, to simply keep up with the driver in front of me so I can get to a destination that I have never been to, nor know how to get to, and the car that I'm driving losing traction because of conditions and the speed of the driver ahead of me I either get to A) pay $600 or B) let insurance cover it and rates increase greatly. I can't afford either option, and somehow I doubt my parents will be thrilled to pay up.
"Don't worry about it," Friend A tells me after we arrived at the Pass. So I try not to, and do my best to enjoy snowboarding. But now there's this. Don't worry about it? Yeah, right. Thanks, "friends."

What's the moral of the story? I'll say it again: Never, ever, drive someone else's car. Something could happen to you that you don't expect, nor deserve, and you could end up in a similar situation, or even a worse one.

Trust me, you don't want to be around me right now...

[Polpolion]

Man, that sux.

[WMCoolmon]

Why were you driving A's car in the first place?

Unfortunately, I don't think there's much (legally) you can do...if you were to ask somebody official they'd probably say to that you should've slowed down and radioed your friends when you lost control.

[Ulala]

When I lost control, I didn't magically regain it before I hit the guardrail. Of course I tried to slow down, but the car slid leaving me with no control. While trying to regain control, I didn't really have the time/ability/mindset to radio my friends just then. We needed Friend A's car to take stuff, and my passenger. He asked me to drive because he was tired.

[Kosh]

He shouldn't have been driving that fast in the first place on a bad road.

[Ulala]

Well, Friend B's brother is an idiot, Friend B is an idiot for trying to keep up with him, and so I'm an idiot for trying to keep up with Friend B. Just my luck that it had to be Friend A's car to lose traction, which I was driving at the time because he asked me too. Hooray for life.

[karajorma]

Thing is if you had a way to contact your friends in the other car you should have used that before crashing. Or just slowed down and gone elsewhere if you'd lost them.

Just cause your friend is being a moron doesn't mean you have to be one. Especially as you can see it nearly cost you your life.

[aldo_14]

I ca't say I have a massive degree of sympathy because a) it;'s your responsibility to ensure you're insured and licensed for the car you drive and b) it's your responsibility to keep your passenger and other road users safe regardless of what some other - any other - dickhead is doing in the lane across.  Oh, and c) never exceed the limits of the car you drive (which must have happened if you managed to lose traction).

But you live, you learn.  Unless you die.  Then you're ****ed.

[Ulala]

Unfortunately it's not like I drive his car every day and know exactly how it deals with traction. Also, I had no idea there were any traction problems before control was completely lost, hence my not calling them on the radio and saying "guys I'm losing traction" until I had already lost it and hit the guard rail. Thanks for the lack of sympathy. I wasn't necessarily looking for any, just wanted to share the new lesson I learned: Even if a friend asks you to drive, politely decline. You never know when you'll suddenly lose traction and hit a guard rail. 

[ionia23]

Legally, there isn't much you can do.

Morally, you can beat the ever-bleeding **** out of the guy who caused all this.

Big deal if he sues.  You can make more money, he can't grow new teeth.  I'd say it's a good time to grab some friends and a few bike chains and settle this.

[Flaser]

Real moral of story:

If you happen to drive somebody else's car make sure
a) it's insured and has its papers
b) you have a valid license
c) in case of an accident the insurance will cover it

I don't see the whole deal with never ever driving you friends car.

Yes, friend B was an idiot. You didn't know the car well.
Neither aleviates that you were the one behind the wheel - and wheter you were aware of it or not, you were responsible for both the car and the passangers inside by the law.

As I see it, both your friend(?) and you were inconsiderate. I know borrowing a car may be a casual thing, and not given much thought, but said friend should have evaluted the what ifs, as unlike a book, a game or daily items a car can be a mighty expensive thing.

Sadly crashes and accidents are part of the driving reality - you have to prepare.
It's not much of a condolescence, but 600$ is not much of a teaching fee considering the ultimate price of this exame.

Drive safe - and drive insured.

PS.: ...and I wouldn't call dickheads who toss you an uninsured car and fail to help out with arising problems my 'friends'.

[kode]

car insurance is required by law here in sweden. which is why I don't really can partake in the moral of the story. a couple of weeks ago I was riding in a car with a friend (who was driving his parents car). we ran over a deer. insurance covered it. land owner gets roadkill stew. yay.

[aldo_14]

car insurance is required by law here in sweden. which is why I don't really can partake in the moral of the story. a couple of weeks ago I was riding in a car with a friend (who was driving his parents car). we ran over a deer. insurance covered it. land owner gets roadkill stew. yay.

Isn't that quite a high killer in Sweden (car hits deer, deer goes through car window); or is it only moose?

[redsniper]

I can't speak for Sweden, but hitting a deer is a pretty common way to fark up your car around here.

[Wanderer]

Up here (atleast in Finland and most likely in Sweden too) mooses are the real killers in the roads.  If you get half a ton of meat through the windscreen there isnt much to do afterwards.. And the shape of the animal improves its effiency, long and narrow legs combined with bulky body on the top...

[kode]

car insurance is required by law here in sweden. which is why I don't really can partake in the moral of the story. a couple of weeks ago I was riding in a car with a friend (who was driving his parents car). we ran over a deer. insurance covered it. land owner gets roadkill stew. yay.

Isn't that quite a high killer in Sweden (car hits deer, deer goes through car window); or is it only moose?

I guess it happens sometimes if you hit it right on. this one hit front left and then again on the backdoor (it stuck a bit in driver door frame). they're kinda small, tho (at least those roe deer). moose are a lot more dangerous, like wanderer said.

[Ulala]

Real moral of story:

If you happen to drive somebody else's car make sure
a) it's insured and has its papers
b) you have a valid license
c) in case of an accident the insurance will cover it

I don't see the whole deal with never ever driving you friends car.

Yes, friend B was an idiot. You didn't know the car well.
Neither aleviates that you were the one behind the wheel - and wheter you were aware of it or not, you were responsible for both the car and the passangers inside by the law.

As I see it, both your friend(?) and you were inconsiderate. I know borrowing a car may be a casual thing, and not given much thought, but said friend should have evaluted the what ifs, as unlike a book, a game or daily items a car can be a mighty expensive thing.

Sadly crashes and accidents are part of the driving reality - you have to prepare.
It's not much of a condolescence, but 600$ is not much of a teaching fee considering the ultimate price of this exame.

Drive safe - and drive insured.

PS.: ...and I wouldn't call dickheads who toss you an uninsured car and fail to help out with arising problems my 'friends'.

Well, as my dad always says, no education is free. I'm over the money part, I can pay it off fairly easily since my job fortunately brings in reasonable income. It certainly is annoying that I won't be able to save any money or buy anything I want for a lil' while, but it's only money. The part that bothers me most is no one has apologized. Friend B could've apologized for driving the way he was (why couldn't his car grab a guardrail? He was in a Jetta, not a 4WD with studded tires. *sigh*), and Friend A could've apologized for not driving his own car, not riding in his own car, or at least saying sorry it was his car that lost traction without warning, scaring the crap outta me, costing me money, anything. I guess I ask too much, since apologizing/talking about issues with your male friends makes you a pussy (or so I'm told). Bleh, I'm over it now, but resentment sure does come easy. 

[aldo_14]

Stop blaming the car for losing traction.

[WMCoolmon]

I think...
A) Friend B should be at least a little sorry
B) You should've let Friend B go, radioed him, and told him that if he didn't slow down, Friend A would be picking up his car at the nearest hotel.
C) If you have more confidence than you have ego, apologizing/talking over issues does not make you a pussy.