Whew, I just traded my SUV in on my new RX8 last week, and coming home late from work last night I was cruising through a light about 55 mph and some drunken b______ came right through his red light and pulled out in front of me. Without thinking I just jerked to the left to keep from hitting him in, and it's like the car took over and drove itself. I kid you not I zipped left then right, and it never missed a beat, and all I know is thank God for DSC!! I know I would've hit that guy in his drivers door at 55 if I had been in my SUV. GOOOOOO RX8!!! It paid for itself already! Sorry for the long post,..... but I've read about safety concerns... all I have to say is no more SUV for me! I luv it!!!

 

I know a 17 year old who's looking for stories like this.

 

My sentiments exactly. I am scared to drive my wife's SUV, although she says she feels safe in it. From her perspective, she wants a vehicle that will protect her in an accident. From my perspective, I want a vehicle that will enable me to avoid accidents. Bottom line, if you drive defensively in an RX-8, you will be 'accident-free'.

 

Glad to hear everything turned out allright.
Here's the thread about the kid who's trying to convince his folks that the 8 is safe. He would probably love to have your info...

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...threadid=20050

 

That is awesome! I'm glad you're OK.

 

woah, good for you. traded my suv in on my 8 too. at first i was kind of nervous going back to a sports car. u get 2 a comfort zone in an suv but w/a sports car your alert and fiesty. my insurance didnt go up much either. bc the suv's are rated high bc of that roll over hype. im lovin' my 8. no more mommy car 4 me! zoom-zoom

very glad your ok, great story to be able to live to tell.

 

I'm glad your OK, We're starting to hear more and more stories like this. In my heart I truely feel this is one of the safest cars around for 30k.

 

The dichotomy between SUV's and sportscars is a direct result of a given driver's reaction to a situation. In short, I have avoided more accidents by using the handling and acceleration of a vehicle more than I have by slamming on the brakes and reacting with panic. Most people tend to do the latter and remain in the path of danger.

Charles

 

Slamming on the brakes works better in an RX-8 too, compared to an SUV. It amazes me how people can think that a big honking SUV or pickup is "safer" than, well, anything.

 

The 17 year old (me) showed his parents this story as soon as it was posted... Im glad to hear that you were safe and unharmed...

 

Something similar happened to me the first weekend after a picked up my RX-8. I couldn't have had more than 200 miles on it. I was driving in the right hand lane of a multi-lane divided highway (the kind with stop lights and fast-food joints on each side, not an interstate). A white SUV (I think it might have been a Bronco...something like that) turns, right in front of me, from the middle lane into a fast food place. I slammed on the brakes and the car stopped, instantly. I think if I were in my old car (a Protege), or certainly any larger car, I would have smashed into them. (As it was, the car behind me almost ran into me!)

I was very glad to have the RX-8 then. I still am.

 

and Amen to that. i have yet to come close to an accident on my 8. (been in 1 b4 in my civic, and boi was that some accident, lost the back half of my car).

hope that the 8 will also gimme an extra life some time in the future :D

 

You would have flipped the SUV trying to avoid the other car.....

 

What's amazing with the whole SUV market, is that people really do feel safer in those beasts. If you actually look at crash data, SUV are NO safer that reasonably sized cars. Of course, they can't turn or brake!

If you look at your average truck based SUV with it's live rear axle and ladder frame. That's how American cars were built in the 50's.

Anyways, sorry for ranting!

JensRX8, I'm glad your baby (and more importantly you) are alright. Keep one eye on the road and the other on the countless idiots around you.