Picked up a new pin.. .and got rear ended!

I went down to Pismo beach yesterday to pick up an F-14 Tomcat. This was a 4 and a half hour drive each way. Picked it up from fellow pinsider Pismoarcade, who is a really great guy and I could not have asked for a easier sale. On the return trip about 45 min from home I hit the dreaded bay area stop and go traffic. I was going about 30 mph on the freeway when BOOM I was rear ended! My heart just about stopped! I was ok but was the new pin? I could not see how it could be. I could tell right away that I had at least one big piece of luck, the playfield glass had not shattered. At least I would not be picking a million pieces of glass out of my machine for the next few months. I got out and opened the back to asses the damage, the other driver was a 16 year old girl (also not hurt) by herself and she came over and wanted to exchange info. I told her to hold on and got out my camera and called highway patrol. I wanted evidence that the pin was in the car when I got hit so I figure photos and a proper police report was the best plan. After I got off the phone she wanted to exchange info still and I told her that I had called the police and why. She then has the NERVE to ask me "How long will this take?" in a whiny teenage voice. Now I know what it means to see red. I am a very nice guy but I told her in a very angry sarcastic voice "I'm sorry, I dont know! I am going to get in my car and wait for the cops where it is safe I suggest you do the same."

Long story short (too late) lets fast forward to when I get home and start to unload. I don't see and cabinet damage so I take this as my second sign of good luck. My friend helps me move it downstair and when I raise the back box I don't hear the sound of chips and transistors and fuses clattering down into the cab. So far so good. I plug it in and flip it on expecting for either nothing to happen, or for solenoids to start locking and smoke to start pouring out. Incredibly it boots! Even better I play a quick game and it seems perfectly fine! Miracles do happen!

I would like to thank Williams for making such sturdy games, Pismobeach for the new F-14 and whatever may be out there that kept me and the new pin safe.

First pic is me by the highway with my heart broken wondering if my machine was ruined. Second pic is it all set up in the new gameroom.

crash.JPG pins_dark_(2).JPG

#2 11 years ago

KJS

Mudflaps

Pinside+ Frequent

Springfield, VA

11y 181K 8,678 5

Wow! Nice score on a great game. Look out for the post-crash whiplash

#3 11 years ago

ROB

RCA1

Pinside+ Addict

St Joseph, MI

11y 128K 8,681 28 11

Awesome that you and the pin are fine!
Nice that the other driver is O.K. also.
How's your ride?

#4 11 years ago

JDA

Tweedlefuzz

Inactive member

Royal Oak, MI

12y 27,650 673 3

F14 is built like a tank... Bet you could of rolled it and it would still play. Cool story!

#5 11 years ago

LTG

Pinside member

Hopkins, MN

12y 191K 56,989 24 7

Glad you weren't hurt !

LTG

#6 11 years ago

000

DCfoodfreak

Pinside+ Pro!

12y 115K 9,912 8 15

Glad you are fine and a cool game.

#7 11 years ago

FYA

Pin_Crazed

Inactive member

Unknown City, MN

12y 56,650 2,080 10 71

Yes, it is good no one was hurt, that situation could have easily been upside down, where the pin would have been the least of the concerns. Glad it all worked out!!

#8 11 years ago

SEF

practicalsteve

Quoted from Mudflaps:
Wow! Nice score on a great game. Look out for the post-crash whiplash

feeling fine so far, hoping to stay that way.

Quoted from RCA1:How's your ride?

Not as bad as hers! I think she had a lexus suv and the front was really bad. I will need a new bumper, door will need body work, tail light cracked. Pretty lucky, and she is insured.

Quoted from Tweedlefuzz:
F14 is built like a tank... Bet you could of rolled it and it would still play. Cool story!

I know! Wonder how a newer stern would have done...

Quoted from LTG:
Glad you weren't hurt !

Quoted from DCfoodfreak:
Glad you are fine and a cool game.

Quoted from Pin_Crazed:
Yes, it is good no one was hurt, that situation could have easily been upside down, where the pin would have been the least of the concerns. Glad it all worked out!!

Thank you all, I know how lucky I am, I would have rather had the pin totaled than anyone injured, and thank god my seventh month old was not in the car.

#9 11 years ago

ZPY

zippydapinhead

Inactive member

Albany, OR

12y 78,450 3,484 12 32

Lucky that white light dome didn't crack - hard to find those, unless you want a yellow one.
Glad all is good.

#10 11 years ago

JJZ

toyotaboy

RandOM Pinball

Allyn, WA

12y 184K 11,937 3 14

All Williams games are built like tanks. My space shuttle slid down half a flight of stairs, back box hinged open, it was perfectly fine

#11 11 years ago

NAM

kwiKimart

Inactive member

San Diego, CA

12y 90,650 10,693 3 71

Congrats on the F14!!! Nice gameroom by the way.

#12 11 years ago

SEF

practicalsteve

Quoted from zippydapinhead:
Lucky that white light dome didn't crack - hard to find those, unless you want a yellow one.
Glad all is good.

oooh good to know!

Quoted from toyotaboy:
All Williams games are built like tanks. My Space Shuttle slid down half a flight of stairs, back box hinged open, it was perfectly fine

woah! they really are.

Quoted from kwiKimart:
Congrats on the F14!!! Nice gameroom by the way.

Thank Kwiki!

#13 11 years ago

DEN

KrustyBurger

Pinside member

12y 81,900 1,014 30

Sorry to hear about the accident, but I was happy to read that everyone was fine & the game came out unscathed.

#14 11 years ago

CRZ

mnpinball

19y 124K 4,239 10

Booberry, Woody Woodpecker, and Coop !

#15 11 years ago

EDB

EvanBingham

Inactive member

11y 36,150 535 23

do you think one of those would fit in a ford explorer?

#16 11 years ago

ARN

Acampero

Pinside member

Thousand Oaks, CA

11y 47,900 1,027 6 8

Thank the gods that everyone is ok and no jets were harmed in the making of this post.

#17 11 years ago

EDG

Richthofen

Pinside member

11y 75,800 2,697

What is a 16 year old doing driving a Lexus?

#18 11 years ago

DMB

PismoArcade

Pinside+ Frequent

St. George, UT

12y 143K 4,103 3 134

Most importantly I'm happy that you weren't hurt.... Glad the F-14 made it too!

Thanks for the kind words! I would definitely put PracticalSteve at the top of my list of people I have dealt with on pinball transactions. Couldn't have been a nicer guy!

#19 11 years ago

SEF

practicalsteve

Quoted from KrustyBurger:
Sorry to hear about the accident, but I was happy to read that everyone was fine & the game came out unscathed.

Thanks Krusty!

Quoted from mnpinball:
Booberry, Woody Woodpecker, and Coop !

I see you have good taste as well

Quoted from Acampero:
Thank the gods that everyone is ok and no jets were harmed in the making of this post.

Good one!

Quoted from EvanBingham:
do you think one of those would fit in a ford explorer?

Cant say for sure, but I have a ford escape which I believe is smaller than an explorer.

Quoted from Richthofen:
What is a 16 year old doing driving a Lexus?

Either privileged or mommy and daddy are very sad about their car.

#20 11 years ago

SEF

practicalsteve

Quoted from PismoArcade:
Most importantly I'm happy that you weren't hurt.... Glad the F-14 made it too!

Thanks for the kind words! I would definitely put PracticalSteve at the top of my list of people I have dealt with on pinball transactions. Couldn't have been a nicer guy!

Thanks Pismo, like you were saying how all of your pins has a story about how it came to be at your house, this one definetly has a good one now!

#21 11 years ago

SEF

practicalsteve

Also just noticed a starbucks coffee cup on the bookshelf in the pic above and I can't remember the last time I had one down there... I bet that thing is growing some fur.

#22 11 years ago

DAD

PW79

Inactive member

Wentzville, MO

12y 102K 7,501 6 6

Did it yell "you can't win" to the person who rear ended you?

#23 11 years ago

►♠◄

Pin-it

Inactive member

Sunbury, PA

11y 64,900 7,217

Next time use an extra long ball hitch & punch out the poor saps radiator. That will teach them from texting & driving.

#24 11 years ago

ABC

Crash

Pinside member

13y 141K 14,139

Police Force almost got away from us when hauling it to a location on a pickup. Sturdy indeed!

#25 11 years ago

WIL

pinwillie

Pinside+ Frequent

Santa Rosa, CA

12y 74,050 1,215 4

glad to hear your ok and the pin isn't damaged!!! I can picture you in the car after the impact thinking only that the pin is not damaged... hell with the car!!!

#26 11 years ago

DEY

absocountry2

Pinside member

Wasilla, AK

13y 82,050 7,424 29 72

What a trip! Glad all is OK.

#27 11 years ago

SOS

sosage

Inactive member

Bay Area, CA

12y 32,650 848 4

Nice! There's no other game that plays like F-14.

#28 11 years ago

SEF

practicalsteve

Quoted from PW79:
Did it yell "you can't win" to the person who rear ended you?

too funny!

Quoted from Pin-it:Next time use an extra long ball hitch & punch out the poor saps radiator. That will teach them from texting & driving.

Im gonna go all mad max on it and put like spears and stuff coming out the back, or maybe instal an oil click ejector like Spy Hunter.

Quoted from Crash:
Police Force almost got away from us when hauling it to a location on a pickup. Sturdy indeed!

Getting that feeling that they are indeed sturdy from what others are saying on this thread, had no idea.

Quoted from pinwillie:
glad to hear your ok and the pin isn't damaged!!! I can picture you in the car after the impact thinking only that the pin is not damaged... hell with the car!!!

HA! You could not be more right Willie, I don't think I even looked at the car, just opened it to check on the.

Quoted from absocountry2:
What a trip! Glad all is OK.

Thanks man!

Quoted from sosage:
Nice! There's no other game that plays like F-14.

I have a feeling I will be holding on to this one for a good long time.

#29 11 years ago

???

Shoot_Again

Pinside member

Vancouver, WA

12y 83,400 8,453 2

Congrats on the new game.

Hope you are alright still as it takes a couple days to seize up sometimes.

Also hope your rig damage was minimal.

#30 11 years ago

JKH

cal50

Pinside member

11y 64,650 2,383 8 36

A little "love tap" to loosen up the beacon motors........good thing you and game are fine.

Looks like a Ford Escape.
Any marks on the back of the seats from the game sliding forward on impact?

I use a Ford Focus Wagon (2003) as my work car and pin hauler. I can get a WPC game and a large dolly inside it. I have always used tie downs to secure the game from sliding back into my rear window so mine is already pulled forward against the seats.

#31 11 years ago

/M\

starfighter

Inactive member

12y 112K 3,308

OP
Quoted from practicalsteve:
She then has the NERVE to ask me "How long will this take?" in a whiny teenage voice. Now I know what it means to see red. I am a very nice guy but I told her in a very angry sarcastic voice "I'm sorry, I dont know! I am going to get in my car and wait for the cops where it is safe I suggest you do the same."

I would have said "I don't know, but I think most whiplash cases go to court within 12 months or so" followed by "ouch, I feel dizzy". Bet that would have changed her mood.

#32 11 years ago

HDC

HELLODEADCITY

Inactive member

15y 72,650 5,822 8

good to hear you both made it back alive and could tell the tale
should call it - the trip to hell n back

#33 11 years ago

SEF

practicalsteve

Quoted from Shoot_Again:
Hope you are alright still as it takes a couple days to seize up sometimes.

Yeah, hoping that I still feel good a few days from now.

Quoted from cal50:
A little "love tap" to loosen up the beacon motors........good thing you and game are fine.

After playing it tonight I actually think the beacons are the one thing I have found that may have been damaged in the hit! Need to investigate a little more.

Quoted from starfighter:
I would have said "I don't know, but I think most whiplash cases go to court within 12 months or so" followed by "ouch, I feel dizzy". Bet that would have changed her mood.

That would have been pretty classic.

Quoted from HELLODEADCITY:
good to hear you both made it back alive and could tell the tale

Thanks man!

#34 11 years ago

%#!

FlipperMagician

Pinside member

12y 64,800 1,099

Wow that's the third F-14 Tomcat I have missed locally, though it sounds like this one was never listed for sale.

Glad you are ok, could have been much worse. Congrats on the new pin!

#35 11 years ago

DMB

PismoArcade

Pinside+ Frequent

St. George, UT

12y 143K 4,103 3 134

Quoted from FlipperMagician:
Wow that's the third F-14 Tomcat I have missed locally, though it sounds like this one was never listed for sale.
Glad you are ok, could have been much worse. Congrats on the new pin!

Not to bum you out even more, but I'm the guy that sold Steve the F-14. I originally bought it last year.... from a home in Atascadero.

#36 11 years ago

SEF

practicalsteve

Quoted from FlipperMagician:
Wow that's the third F-14 Tomcat I have missed locally, though it sounds like this one was never listed for sale.

Yeah, he never had a for sale ad up, replied to my want to buy ad, gotta say was skeptical about placing one but it worked.

#37 11 years ago

►♠◄

Pin-it

Inactive member

Sunbury, PA

11y 64,900 7,217

Quoted from starfighter:
I would have said "I don't know, but I think most whiplash cases go to court within 12 months or so" followed by "ouch, I feel dizzy". Bet that would have changed her mood.

Rip rash rip rash everybody rip rash

#38 11 years ago

%#!

FlipperMagician

Pinside member

12y 64,800 1,099

Quoted from PismoArcade:
Not to bum you out even more, but I'm the guy that sold Steve the F-14. I originally bought it last year.... from a home in Atascadero.

No worries, I know how it goes. So that's most likely the same machine I missed last year in Atascadero.

The other was in Paso Robles and technically I didn't miss it because I had a chance to buy it. The guy wouldn't budge below $500 and it was BEAT UP, unlike yours which looks very nice. Big gouges out of the cabinet everywhere, almost every insert raised, and when I knocked on his door I heard a loud F*#!, because he was trying to get it working before I got there. Even besides the raised inserts the playfield was in terrible condition. Offered $250 and he thought I was trying to rip him off.

Oh well, I'll find one someday.

#39 11 years ago

DRM

dmacy

Pinside+ Frequent

12y 173K 11,064 1

Quoted from cal50:
I use a Ford Focus Wagon (2003) as my work car and pin hauler. I can get a WPC game and a large dolly inside it. I have always used tie downs to secure the game from sliding back into my rear window so mine is already pulled forward against the seats.

I tool in a 05 Focus 3 door as my beater and know that a pin won't fit. I'm thinking I need to look for a wagon. Thanks for confirming!

OP
Quoted from practicalsteve:
I would like to thank Williams for making such sturdy games, Pismobeach for the new F-14 and whatever may be out there that kept me and the new pin safe.

Wow, that's definately annoying and nerve-racking. Thankfully everything worked out ok.

BTW, what a jerk of a kid to make a comment like that, "how long's it going to take?". <rolling my eyes>

#40 11 years ago

JKH

cal50

Pinside member

11y 64,650 2,383 8 36

I tool in a 05 Focus 3 door as my beater and know that a pin won't fit. I'm thinking I need to look for a wagon. Thanks for confirming!

Wow, that's definately annoying and nerve-racking. Thankfully everything worked out ok.
BTW, what a jerk of a kid to make a comment like that, "how long's it going to take?". <rolling my eyes>

You can squeeze a RFM in a Focus wagon if you put it on its side......

rfm_in_focus.jpg

#41 11 years ago

SEF

practicalsteve