This is not a good news post. Unfortunately I must announce that Rocky Bal-Bravo my Italian Stalion has been written off. The end of the road has come for him. Whilst incredibly sad about this as I absolutely loved this car more than any car before it, it is also the reason I'm alive to type this now.
On Friday 28th October I lost control on a national speed limit, country road whereby i thoroughly misjudged a bend in the road causing me to catch the curb at quite high speed damaging the steering and causing me to violently bounce off and swerve across the road. It hit a tree stump with enough momentum to lift the car and flip me many times before eventually coming to rest on its drivers side. All airbags and safety devices triggered and saved my life. And with adrenaline pumping through my veins I actually pulled myself from the car through the passenger window. Emergency services were called by my brother who had been following in his car as I'd just shown him a location he needed to get to the next day. This was the site that greeted them
Ambulance, fire and police were at the scene in less than a few minutes and treated me and recovered the car. I was shortly taken to hospital with blue lights and sirens as I was in severe pain with my back. (The airbag had also smashed my face in and I had a broken nose but that was the least of my worries). It turns out i had fractured my spine. Lumbar spine number one to be precise (L1 vertebrae). It's now been over a week and I walked out of hospital yesterday albeit with a back brace and some help. And my recovery is expected to take a fair few months.
Insurance are paying out on the car (valued at £3,390). They have retrieved it but Allowed my brother to visit the wreck in storage to recover my personal belongings. These are photos he took
The car has been declared a Catergory A write off with no surprise and has probably already been crushed by now. Ambulance and fire crews have told me I'm one unbelievably lucky guy, not just to get myself out of the car but to even be alive and actually praised the vehicles safety. They tell me that as they pulled up they were expecting a lengthy process of cutting me out of the car. I am one very lucky boy and whilst I will spend many months in recovery and pain I'm thankful to the car for saving my life.
I absolutely loved this car as anyone who knows me will tell you. I spared no expense with it and mechanically and visually it was perfect. Sentimentally I'll always remember this car and look back in fondness for it. But it was a piece of metal at the end of the day that did its job in saving and preserving my life.
Now onto better news. Whilst the insurance pay out was nowhere near what I expected. with money I've saved for rainy days I am already able to purchase a new car on monday. The criteria set for buying my new car have changed severely from when I bought Rocky. And all I want now is good looking, economic, cheap to run and most of all SAFE car. And with that being said it had to be Fiat. So on Monday I will be buying this beautiful 2012 Punto with the well praised 870cc TwinAir engine. It has a lot of extra features both styling and options. Including 17inch shadow wheels, gloss black roof and mirrors, privacy glass, parking sensors, duel climate control, centre arm rest and blue and me. It is also in the beautiful green colour for which I am yet to find the name of.
So yes. A very sad post but with silver linings of a father who gets to see his daughter and wife again. And In a few months time I will be able to get back behind the wheel of a car. Those that own/thinking about buying a Bravo and have worries about safety, shouldn't.
So yes. PLEASE Stay safe people. It's not just your car you can lose.
