Some photos from my Civic that was totaled(with me in it) Friday night. http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/rz_racer_69/lst?.dir=/Civic+destruction!/ I was rearended while waiting to turn left, slammed into a suburban in front of me and popped out into oncoming traffic where I had a head-on with a lincoln navigator, wheee! Nothing broken, but some bruised internals and various cuts and scrapes. Still in a lot of pain, but it's managable with the stuff they gave me. Be careful out there. Doug

That?s why I say those stupid SUVS are dangerous... Not that I don?t want one... I think they are rather cool indeed, however I think driving those TRUCKS should be allowed only to skilled drivers... I don?t know how it works there in the US, but here in Brazil we have several driving license categories: A - Motorcycles (A1 for bikes up to 250cc and A2 for bikes bigger than 250cc) B - Regular cars (including diesel ones), up to 8 passengers for private use. Cargo cars (pick-ups, vans) up to 2 ton payload. Regular cars can have a trailer attached C - Passenger transport cars (taxis, buses, etc.) and cargo vehicles with payloads bigger than 2 tons (except semitrucks+tow) D - Semitrucks without cargo section attached (only the semi!) E - Semitrucks with the cargo section The motorcycle driving license can be mixed with other drivers licenses... I, for example, have an A2B (however I never had a motorcycle and I believe since I haven?t driven one on the last 6 years I don?t know how to drive them anymore :) ). One other thing is that , in order to have a "C" type license, the driver should have at least 21 years age (18 for the "B") AND have at least three years of a "B" license. To change from "C" to "E" (The "D" license exists only on paper) the driver should have at least an age of 24 and 3 "C" driving license years. Just for an example, an F-250 diesel (the petrol version carries only 1.8 ton) or any F-350 around here can be driven only by class "C" drivers and up. SUVs, however, although they have "B" characteristics (generally 5 passengers, 1 ton payload, etc), they have those dangerous steel bumpers and they are taller than small cars. Driving one of those (I have already driven a petrol F-250) is fun, they are not as "hard" to drive as a regular truck, HOWEVER, they are not as safe to drive as a car! In my opinion, at least here in Brazil, they should be restricted to "C" class drivers. They should be allowed only to skilled drivers, or have their "toughness" reduced to allow people inside smaller cars to survive in case of accidents (which means, they shouldn?t be able to crush smaller cars, should have soft bumpers like the smaller cars, and should have their height reduced). I mean, although your car was totalled, you are a damn lucky man. From what I see in the pics, you were born again, my friend. I wrote an article about that to a Brazilian magazine some time ago, however it?s too large to translate to English... :) Well, back to the accident, I?m very sorry about your car, but I?m very happy (indeed) that you survived to tell us the story. C ya! [s] Ubirat? Muniz da Silva (Bira)

man! that's some serious hit!!! that's almost like a mashed potato. it's kool you're alive!!! do you need another civic? I have one I'm selling.. he.he.. that's if you're in MD or northern VA area. hope you get better! peace out!