You're not kidding Steve (Capri306)! That would have really sucked if I had a cigarette hanging out the window. LOL
1989GT, Believe it or not, skydiving is probably twice as safe (statistically) as just driving my Mustang around town. Despite the two bizzare skydiving deaths reported over the holiday weekend, your chances of dying skydiving are 8500:1. Your chances of getting killed just driving your car to the work are 3500:1. Go figure. There are like 4 million skydives in the U.S. each year, and out of those there are, on average, 30 deaths per year. Modern skydiving equipment has brought the sport a long ways and drastically increased safety. However, there is some level of risk... but, with proper equipment, adherence to safety protocols, and common sense it's an acceptable level of risk... just like with drag racing or many other activities.
Jester, I'm not as upset about it as you might expect. I'm happier that it didn't go up in flames, or slide a few feet farther and flip into the ditch, etc... The result was rather minor to other possibilities.
In any event, I'm ordering a new facia, bumper support, and fog light bracketry. The impact support looks fine... although it made an obvious mark where it moved in and out absorbing the impact of the pole.
Here's a pic:
Here's more:
http://www.danmcclain.com/photos/MyC...rontEndDamage/
(you can't see it, but the one fog light bracket bolt ripped right through the bumper)