Hi everyone...
Well, first of all huge thanks to Jared for inviting me to this forum as he noticed me when I was looking for a new 850... and after this accident I am with 850 for sure.
Let me start with this... hm, not sure what to start with, so I'll just share my whole story. I apologize in advance if it takes too long.
Anyway, I wasn't even a crazy driver. To put it this way, I came to Volvo (and car overall) world from mountain bikes world and electric bikes. In the past, as a "city" person, I followed this - "I am a passenger, I'm not a driver". Buses, trains, you know. Then things changed, US is such a country where you have to drive a lot. Still, I hated to drive a car. I hated it so much that I made durable mountain bike to get to work - believe it or not, 50+ miles a day... so I upgraded bike and made it electric. Made about 3000 miles...and then, considering numerous arguments of other people, finally agreed to start driving a car. Got license, everything as supposed to...and my first car was Volvo 850R! Well, my first thought was a bit of revenge to get something really "80s shaped" opposed to the modern cars, which I don't really like (just the way I am). I didn't even think about Volvo first, just thought about getting something "squared" and safe. Long story short, after numerous searches 850 was the perfect fit. So I've got this 850R red sedan. Funny, I thought about getting something really "scratched" and "grungy" - part of the revenge, but this car was in perfect condition. Everything, inside / outside, mechanical - unbelievable, in the great shape. No codes / error lights. Transmission / engine / turbo - all like a clockwork. I was impressed by handling as well and the way it works. "Drive it like you hate it"... well, I thought I will hate it... but somehow I liked it, up to the point I fixed minor potential issues and detailed the engine. Plus, inside this car is a sort of "time capsule" (I guess some people call it this way) - something that still looks like a real car to me - old good memories, you know, and I guess Volvos were the last who kept that gorgeous shape... It even felt a bit like my mountain bike with handling... scary, it seemed like this thing had some sort of a soul in it... And then this happened.
Green light, speed 40 mph (as noted on signs)... evening. Crossing the well-lit intersection. Headlights on. And suddendy I see car popped up from the left making a turn. I guess he tried to slip in front of me, but of course didn't make it. There is nothing you can really do in 0.5 second... Then loud pop like explosion, that smell of "burnt plastic"... very typical. I felt seat belt holding me firmly without cutting into my body at all, and the airbag holding my head. Car just simply stopped. All electrical turned off. Engine off... looking to the right with the most horrible thoughts - my wife was at the front passenger seat that night. I saw her ponytail sticking out of the huge airbag... she answered. Sigh of relief - no broken bones / serious injuries for both of us. Jumping out if the car... it totalled of course.
Then I noticed other car, Nissan - front completely torn apart (looking way worse than mine) up to the point I couln't find out the car model. As expected, teenager kid was a driver... no one else in his car. Tons of excuses he didn't notice me... then his mom and dad came to the scene. I saw their frightened faces and just a silent question in their eyes: "What happened". Later on the report he was at fault as expected... "Failed to yield on left turn". I don't know, why he did it, what caused him to fail to yield... I just hope he wasn't texting someone / making selfie when driving at the intersection and so on... this is a question to his conscience after all. Anyway, here is a picture of his car...
Few minutes later, we're on the sidewalk, my wife sitting on the grass with bleeding nose... emergency sirens, lights everywhere... paramedics... turned out her nose was ok, just looked scary. No other significant injuries. I've got a few scraches and one tiny bruise. I swear when I dealt with downhill bikes I've been getting way more serious injuries.
My wife is ok and here, with me. Both of us are ok. This is the most important. Well... and I never knew car can behave like a true live being. It died and saved us, it did everything to keep us intact. It was painful to look at it and see all fluids coming out. At the moments like that sometines you think "Are Volvos alive too? This probably hurts then..." I guess Volvo fans will understand me here. Moreover, when I came to the towing company to pick up the rest of my stuff for the car, it was painful too. These cars are built to last, not to be ruined by negligent teenagers!
Not the first time I am in the accident. Got hit twice on my bicycle at the situation when drivers don't stop at the "STOP" sign and talking on their cellphones (multitaskers, yes). Then, prior to my Volvo's death... prior I even got this car... I was at passenger seat in the other car when someone from the oncoming traffic lost the wheel and ran into us - you can imagine the head-on impact if his turn signal stuck in our cracked windshield.
Summarizing all accidents, I can tell you for sure Volvo 850 is a tank... not to mention that kid's Nissan spun up to 180 degrees and dragged almost to the end of intersection. With all that me and my wife don't have any scratches/injuries anymore. As for me, I barely had any sore muscles after the accident.
Four accidents so far because of a careless drivers. I gave up on insisting driving safely - every time I rode my bike on the sidewalks, I've seen a lot of stupid accidents. I was about to give up on driving at all, had thoughts like... "what is the point of driving when you follow all the rules and you are careful, but being hit nonetheless?". I know, stupid statement. And there was something that gave me more confidence finally... now I have an amulet... talisman, charm. It is an 850. There is something about this car. And I will not give up if I will find one like this - this is something I can drive and something I still believe in.
Stay safe my friends... be careful on your left turns... check your wheels / drivetrain... take care of your volvos... and obey ALL traffic signs.
...And now you have one more example why 850s are safe.
Well, first of all huge thanks to Jared for inviting me to this forum as he noticed me when I was looking for a new 850... and after this accident I am with 850 for sure.
Let me start with this... hm, not sure what to start with, so I'll just share my whole story. I apologize in advance if it takes too long.
Anyway, I wasn't even a crazy driver. To put it this way, I came to Volvo (and car overall) world from mountain bikes world and electric bikes. In the past, as a "city" person, I followed this - "I am a passenger, I'm not a driver". Buses, trains, you know. Then things changed, US is such a country where you have to drive a lot. Still, I hated to drive a car. I hated it so much that I made durable mountain bike to get to work - believe it or not, 50+ miles a day... so I upgraded bike and made it electric. Made about 3000 miles...and then, considering numerous arguments of other people, finally agreed to start driving a car. Got license, everything as supposed to...and my first car was Volvo 850R! Well, my first thought was a bit of revenge to get something really "80s shaped" opposed to the modern cars, which I don't really like (just the way I am). I didn't even think about Volvo first, just thought about getting something "squared" and safe. Long story short, after numerous searches 850 was the perfect fit. So I've got this 850R red sedan. Funny, I thought about getting something really "scratched" and "grungy" - part of the revenge, but this car was in perfect condition. Everything, inside / outside, mechanical - unbelievable, in the great shape. No codes / error lights. Transmission / engine / turbo - all like a clockwork. I was impressed by handling as well and the way it works. "Drive it like you hate it"... well, I thought I will hate it... but somehow I liked it, up to the point I fixed minor potential issues and detailed the engine. Plus, inside this car is a sort of "time capsule" (I guess some people call it this way) - something that still looks like a real car to me - old good memories, you know, and I guess Volvos were the last who kept that gorgeous shape... It even felt a bit like my mountain bike with handling... scary, it seemed like this thing had some sort of a soul in it... And then this happened.
Green light, speed 40 mph (as noted on signs)... evening. Crossing the well-lit intersection. Headlights on. And suddendy I see car popped up from the left making a turn. I guess he tried to slip in front of me, but of course didn't make it. There is nothing you can really do in 0.5 second... Then loud pop like explosion, that smell of "burnt plastic"... very typical. I felt seat belt holding me firmly without cutting into my body at all, and the airbag holding my head. Car just simply stopped. All electrical turned off. Engine off... looking to the right with the most horrible thoughts - my wife was at the front passenger seat that night. I saw her ponytail sticking out of the huge airbag... she answered. Sigh of relief - no broken bones / serious injuries for both of us. Jumping out if the car... it totalled of course.
Then I noticed other car, Nissan - front completely torn apart (looking way worse than mine) up to the point I couln't find out the car model. As expected, teenager kid was a driver... no one else in his car. Tons of excuses he didn't notice me... then his mom and dad came to the scene. I saw their frightened faces and just a silent question in their eyes: "What happened". Later on the report he was at fault as expected... "Failed to yield on left turn". I don't know, why he did it, what caused him to fail to yield... I just hope he wasn't texting someone / making selfie when driving at the intersection and so on... this is a question to his conscience after all. Anyway, here is a picture of his car...

Few minutes later, we're on the sidewalk, my wife sitting on the grass with bleeding nose... emergency sirens, lights everywhere... paramedics... turned out her nose was ok, just looked scary. No other significant injuries. I've got a few scraches and one tiny bruise. I swear when I dealt with downhill bikes I've been getting way more serious injuries.
My wife is ok and here, with me. Both of us are ok. This is the most important. Well... and I never knew car can behave like a true live being. It died and saved us, it did everything to keep us intact. It was painful to look at it and see all fluids coming out. At the moments like that sometines you think "Are Volvos alive too? This probably hurts then..." I guess Volvo fans will understand me here. Moreover, when I came to the towing company to pick up the rest of my stuff for the car, it was painful too. These cars are built to last, not to be ruined by negligent teenagers!

Not the first time I am in the accident. Got hit twice on my bicycle at the situation when drivers don't stop at the "STOP" sign and talking on their cellphones (multitaskers, yes). Then, prior to my Volvo's death... prior I even got this car... I was at passenger seat in the other car when someone from the oncoming traffic lost the wheel and ran into us - you can imagine the head-on impact if his turn signal stuck in our cracked windshield.
Summarizing all accidents, I can tell you for sure Volvo 850 is a tank... not to mention that kid's Nissan spun up to 180 degrees and dragged almost to the end of intersection. With all that me and my wife don't have any scratches/injuries anymore. As for me, I barely had any sore muscles after the accident.
Four accidents so far because of a careless drivers. I gave up on insisting driving safely - every time I rode my bike on the sidewalks, I've seen a lot of stupid accidents. I was about to give up on driving at all, had thoughts like... "what is the point of driving when you follow all the rules and you are careful, but being hit nonetheless?". I know, stupid statement. And there was something that gave me more confidence finally... now I have an amulet... talisman, charm. It is an 850. There is something about this car. And I will not give up if I will find one like this - this is something I can drive and something I still believe in.
Stay safe my friends... be careful on your left turns... check your wheels / drivetrain... take care of your volvos... and obey ALL traffic signs.
...And now you have one more example why 850s are safe.