Rear-ended today by some (You know what) on her cellphone

[Kalispel]

Well, I knew it would happen sooner or later, due to all the idiots I see on the road every day. A day doesn't go by when I don't see at least one or two rear-end collision accidents during my work commute. Unfortunately, no amount of good/defensive driving can save you from every moron coming up from behind.

The hit felt pretty hard, but the damage to my rear-bumper and lower reverse-light housing was minimal, surprisingly enough. After all the complaints I have heard about the Yaris bumpers not being designed/attached well, I'm surprised that my bumper still looks perfectly attached and solid. I'm going to have the dealership check her out for hidden damage when I take her in for her next scheduled oil/rotate service on Dec 12th (next week). Probably just a scuffed bumper that will need repainting or replacement, along with the crappy-design reverse-light housing attached to the rear bumper. The idiot (insert C word here) has crooked Progressive Insurance unfortunately, so I get to deal with them again. When my Accord was rear-ended even harder in 2012 by another careless (insert C word here) while I was sitting at a red light, their adjuster/inspector 'overlooked' some obvious damage and tried to screw me on what they were liable to repair.

Yes, I'm still pretty pissed by it all. I have zero tolerance for selfish, entitled stupid people that put others at risk with their behaviors/habits. Perhaps I should just buy a reliable car that I'm not fond of at all, so I won't have to worry about hand-washing/detailing it regularly, or care when stupid people mess it up.

[justanotherdrunk]

:cry:


https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/MISC-stuff/i-jV9H93d/0/a356afcf/O/ezgif.com-crop.gif

[Dodge Aries K]

Dammit... sorry to hear about this.

[bentjazz]

That SUCKS. Really sorry to hear this happened to you....again, Kalispel. Nobody wants this sort of Christmas gift. Hang in there and good luck. Let us know how this plays out....

[mrpj]

In spite of it being illegal to use a mobile phone, while driving, here in the U.K., the paltry penalty in the unlikely event of being caught doing so by the police, is insufficient.
There are still selfish, ignorant morons to be seen doing it every day.
A lot of cars have built in Bluetooth now, including my Yaris. Portable and cheap hands free devices are readily available too.
It's not unusual, when stopped at traffic lights etc. to see someone (sorry but they are usually young females!) staring down at the mobile phone in their lap and preoccupied with texting or Twitbookfacing. Theyare so engrossed that they miss the lights change and those in front moving off.
Sorry to hear about this particular neanderthal.

[tmontague]

Shit, rough luck. Hope it all works out, never a good thing to have to experience

[deng]

Lame, besides being pissed off, it sounds like you're okay lol. Best of luck, I hope theres no hidden damage. Hopefully the bumper cover/reinforcement bar took the impact and not the body.

[ern-diz]

As deng said, glad it doesn't sound like anyone was hurt. After that box is ticked, I'm all for c-word dropping. We try to maintain our rides and keep them looking clean, only for idiots without enough mental horsepower to pay attention enough to not door-ding, rear end, etc. Yes, they're just material items, but the behavior and lack of consideration is beyond annoying.

[tmontague]

As deng said, glad it doesn't sound like anyone was hurt. After that box is ticked, I'm all for c-word dropping. We try to maintain our rides and keep them looking clean, only for idiots without enough mental horsepower to pay attention enough to not door-ding, rear end, etc. Yes, they're just material items, but the behavior and lack of consideration is beyond annoying.

A material item to one is an experience to another. To many of us car ethusiasts a car is an experience and not a material item. The amount of people who have a complete lack of consideration for others' property of astonishing. Hope the car can be returned back to normal

[IllusionX]

I just read on the news here in Quebec is going to suspend permits on the spot for the first offense.

Also, I'm so glad we don't have to deal with other people's insurance here.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[ern-diz]

A material item to one is an experience to another. To many of us car ethusiasts a car is an experience and not a material item. The amount of people who have a complete lack of consideration for others' property of astonishing. Hope the car can be returned back to normal

I agree.

[ern-diz]

I just read on the news here in Quebec is going to suspend permits on the spot for the first offense.

Also, I'm so glad we don't have to deal with other people's insurance here.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Here in the states, we can choose not to deal with the person's insurance, too. We can opt to have our own insurance deal with them, but it typically requires paying your insurance deductible and then having them get it back for you from the other party's insurance when the case is settled. Most people just end up making a claim with the person's insurance and dealing with them directly, rather than involving their own insurance.

[bronsin]

Sorry to hear about your accident. I just had my own close Call the other day when I came to a stop when the car was half in my lane going other direction. The elderly driver behind me very nearly rear-ended me. That would’ve sucked.

[dogsridewith]

Kalispel:
What were the circumstances of your two rear enders?
Stop light? Stop sign? slow or stopped traffic in a "traffic jam?" or ?

[IllusionX]

Here in the states, we can choose not to deal with the person's insurance, too. We can opt to have our own insurance deal with them, but it typically requires paying your insurance deductible and then having them get it back for you from the other party's insurance when the case is settled. Most people just end up making a claim with the person's insurance and dealing with them directly, rather than involving their own insurance.Ya. No. We claim our own insurance at fault or not.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[kevinj93]

Glad you weren't hurt. Yes, we love our Yarii, but have to face the fact that there are other people on the road who are not really aware of what is happening around them. Hopefully not too big a hit to the wallet.

My previous 2 cars were rear ended several times, and suffered much less damage than the vehicles that hit them. Front crumple zones tend to take up most of the damage, while a recent news reoprt here says this is the most common type of collision now in Australia.

[Kalispel]

Kalispel:
What were the circumstances of your two rear enders?
Stop light? Stop sign? slow or stopped traffic in a "traffic jam?" or ?

Back in 2011-2012, I was sitting at red light waiting in my previous car (Honda Accord), when the lady sitting behind me in her big SUV suddenly slammed on the gas and smashed into me, pushing me out into the intersection even with my brakes pressed. She was wearing flip-flops while driving (stupid stupid) and one of them somehow came off her foot and jammed in the pedal or something like that. Luckily no one was coming the other ways, or I could have been t-boned as well by cross traffic. It crushed my rear bumper, cracked my taillights, crushed the trunk lid and surrounding metal, etc. It's like in those movies where someone comes up behind you in their vehicle and forces your car off a cliff through sheer force while you desperately try to brake, lol.

The accident yesterday was far more mediocre. Traffic slowed ahead on the highway, so I slowed down also. It finally came to a dead stop, so I slowly came to a dead stop. The lady behind me wasn't paying attention because she was too busy chatting on the phone, and didn't realize that everyone ahead stopped. She obviously realized a some point because her tires screeched & her rear end came up when she slammed on her brakes. The hit felt hard and pushed me forward a bit, but I was already braking while stopped, so I didn't hit the car in front of me (but came really close to them). Cosmetic damage looked minimal (mostly just the reverse light housing valance) and my bumper is still attached tight as a drum, but I still wonder if she caused some sort of damage that isn't obvious to the eye. I'm stopping by a good body shop after my regular oil/rotate service appointment at the dealership Tuesday next week, and see what they can tell me. Sucks having to waste paid vacation days from work to get all this sorted out and fixed.

Oh and as a side note, the chick had let her insurance lapse/expire 2 weeks ago, so Progressive's insurance claim agent said that is going to cause some delays/issues as they sort it out. Now I know why she just wanted to exchange info & not involve the police or insurance companies. Hell NO. I hope they ticketed her ass for both causing the accident & having expired insurance. I wonder if I will have to file a claim under my uninsured motorist coverage with GEICO?

Also, thanks for all the positive comments everyone. I was still really pissed off when I posted my initial message about the accident. I'm hoping that everything gets fixed okay (I'm pretty OCD about certain stuff), as the repair job on my Accord sucked, and I HATED my car after that (but on the bright side, it eventually led me to my Yaris & away from Cult-Honda). The trunk never opened/closed smoothly again, the aftermarket bumper they stuck me with wasn't a precise seam fit with the body, they left the cracked tail lights on the car & tried to say that wasn't part of the accident (wtf? - they fixed that after I blew a gasket with them), etc. I learned some valuable lessons with that experience (it was my first accident experience & dealing with auto insurance politics + body shops in general), and that sort of thing will never ever happen again with insurance repairs and such. I now know when to drop my normal nice guy demeanor and be a hard ass. Some people will try to take advantage of you if try to be a nice guy all the time.

[dogsridewith]

Stopped for creeping traffic where there is no intersection, or a car ahead waiting to turn into a driveway across oncoming traffic ,bring the problems of a stopped vehicle where the distracted driver isn't used to seeing one, and sometimes a stopped/creeping vehicle showing no brake lights (if roadway is level there).
It might be useful if the hazards went on automatically if any vehicle is in gear and stopped, or moving below some low speed. (And absolutely better if the turn signals, when flashing, turned off the other-side lamps when the hazards are on.)

A couple days ago a semi took out a toll station...California somewhere?

Now GM is rolling out the GPS shopping app--read menus and order meals from restaurants on the route ahead, shop and receive sale notices from stores ahead, etc. etc.

[atomic_hoji]

:thumbdown:
Sorry to hear man. Glad you're ok and (knock on wood) there's minimal damage. Best of luck getting her tidied up; hopefully nothing hidden that'll be a long term issue.

-- Adam

[Kalispel]

While I know that I don't need it personally, I know that a LOT of drivers on the road could really use the automatic sensing/braking feature being put into newer cars today.

[kimona]

Sorry to here about the accident, mate. Thankfully, it wasn't serious.

Everywhere you look drivers are texting. It seems driving is something you do when you're focused on other "far more important" things. UGH!

[NYC-SE]

Sorry to hear about this, but going by your description of the damage I wouldn't be too worried. I too was rear ended in my Yaris about 2 years ago. Slow moving traffic and someone not paying attention. Sounds familiar. Anyway in my case the driver's side of the rear bumper came detached, some of the tabs where it attaches into the clips were bent, and there was some minor scratches. But there was no structural damage, and I was able to reattach the bumper with a little finagling. I'm hoping in your case, being that the impact didn't even detach the bumper it most likely didn't cause any structural damage either.

Sucks, I know. I've been in 3 accidents in my life time. All 3 were rear enders. People just don't pay attention.

[Captain Yaris]

Sorry about the car man, I know how you feel. I was rearended in my classic Mustang some years back and it really does feel like someone violated you. We car guys are so careful and yet other people are reckless and careless. I’ve always said that the government should revoke 60% of drivers livenses on the spot and make you retest the driving test everytime you renew your license. It has no longer become a privilege but a right. It’ll work out though, glad it wasn’t a total loss.

[dogsridewith]

I had commercial driving training, which sensibly teaches to use hazards on all backing maneuvers. And we all learned to use them when stopped along highways or running slow in fog or uphills...didn't we? I use them in slow moving traffic situations such as lines behind school-buses slow, slowing or stopped...at least until there are enough vehicles behind me to absorb the crashing distracted driver.

I'm thinking of starting a thing--hazards at stop lights.

(hazards hazard lights 4-ways flashers commercial driver)

[NYC-SE]

Yesterday the driver behind me was taking selfies while driving. I could see her in my rear view mirror.

[dogsridewith]

Are you sure it wasn't a little hand-held mirror for a bit of make-up touch-up?

[NYC-SE]

Nope. Selfies.

[Kalispel]

So, I drop off my little Yari this Friday morning (12/15), and get my rental to drive until it is repaired. I'm tired of dealing with Progressive, since they are giving me the runaround on repairs/timeframe due to their customer having the lapse in their coverage as of 11/30/2017 (& she rear-ended me on 12/7/2017). I'm just going to let my insurance cover it (after paying my deductible) and then let GEICO go after Progressive or whoever to recover what I have to pay out of pocket ($500) to get my Yari repaired. I won't tolerate any repair less than 'brand new condition' and OEM parts, and will be as OCD as needed to get the job done right. Hopefully, the 2015-2017 Yaris is such an unpopular car in the US that nothing but OEM parts are available. :laugh:

[justanotherdrunk]

Hopefully, the 2015-2017 Yaris is such an unpopular car in the US that nothing but OEM parts are available. :laugh:

that sounds reasonable since ive seen maybe 3 (including mine) of our cars on the road in almost 2 years of ownership

:laugh:

[kimona]

Hope it comes out of the body shop looking great.

BTW, if this accident shows up on the Carfax, then resale/trade-in value will be affected. Push your insurance co. to sue for depreciation. Keep all records and take lots of before and after photos.

[ern-diz]

...and take lots of before and after photos.

Speaking of which, is sharing photos of the damage here just too much to bear? lol

[Kalispel]

No depressing pictures to share of the damage - though it wasn't really that bad cosmetically. The white bumper has a little dent/impression and some scratches towards the middle-top,and the black plastic bumper valance & reverse light housing is a bit squished & scratched. The hatch+body seems 100% unaffected. Nowhere near as bad as when my previous Accord was hit from the rear, and had a damaged bumper, body, taillight & trunk lid.

I do plan to check into getting some sort of depreciation refund from Progressive, as I'm sure that any trade-in or sale with even a minor accident on the CARFAX will bump the value down by around 10% at least.

I dropped my Yari off this morning for repairs, after an extended conversation with the GEICO adjuster & repair shop about my previous experience with insurance repairs with my Accord in 2011 under Progressive insurance from the at-fault driver. The paid rental that they gave me is a 2017 Buick Envision mid-size SUV. Not my sort of vehicle (HATE the infotainment system & push-button start), but it isn't too bad. As much as I love driving manual under the right conditions, it did feel more relaxing to drive their clunky-feeling 6-speed automatic (?) under the heavier traffic conditions of this morning. Also, I'm not a fan of the huge center console/storage area. I felt more squished into that significantly larger vehicle than I do in my wee-little open-space Yaris - and I am a lean 6ft2in, 185lb guy. Climate control system is much nicer in the Envision, however, versus our sad little US-spec Yaris. Ride quality over the crappy roads here is nicer in the Buick Envision (not surprisingly), but turns/cornering is very sluggish, and so is the braking, versus my nimble little TRD-enhanced SE.

Wow, I just noticed that the Buick Envision starts at $34K! Pretty sad, considering that I prefer my Yaris over that vehicle. :laugh:

[ern-diz]

Yep; vehicles are not cheap these days. What's the US average? $40K?

[Kalispel]

Looks like I pick up my car Wednesday after work. It would have been ready tomorrow, but the shipping carrier managed to damage the black plastic bumper valance replacement & it had to be reordered. I saw the parts/packaging today while at the shop, and all are indeed original Toyota OEM replacement parts (new rear bumper cover, new black plastic lower bumper valance insert & new reverse light housing).

The bad news is that I am probably out of luck on my $500 deductible, since Progressive has decided to deny the claim due to at-fault driver's insurance lapse (I assume she never renewed after accident either). GEICO will put the repair bill + rental car cost in collections against her directly, but I won't hold my breath on that, since direct collections are difficult to collect if someone isn't willing to pay their bills, doesn't have the funds, or doesn't care about their credit score. Since the total repair bill is under $1000, I doubt GEICO will be very aggressive on collecting the debt. I will just consider it an unexpected bonus if I ever see those funds again.

[ern-diz]

That's a bit of a bummer. On the plus side, it's great that you're getting all OEM parts.

[justanotherdrunk]

thats a hella fast repair job

painting too ?

damn !

[kimona]

So, an uninsured driver rear ended you and you'll have to shell out $500 to get your car repaired... and have an accident on your Carfax? That sucks!

[Kalispel]

So, an uninsured driver rear ended you and you'll have to shell out $500 to get your car repaired... and have an accident on your Carfax? That sucks!

Yep, that pretty much sums it up. :cry:

[ern-diz]

Kalispel also has a wide open wound that he really needs a little salt rubbed into :biggrin:

[Kalispel]

I'm feeling the love. :wub:

[ern-diz]

I'm feeling the love. :wub:

:thumbsup:

[Kalispel]

I picked up my repaired Yari today after work. It passed my OCD inspection and looks mint again. In-fact, the rear bumper fitment is even better now in terms of tightness and seam perfection where it meets body. I also went ahead and had the front hood reconditioned/repainted while I had a free rental vehicle in my possession & they had delays in replacing a damaged shipped part for the bumper cover replacement. The hood had about a half-dozen small rock chips towards the front, and a decent quarter-sized dent/gash in the middle, where a large-marble sized rock bounced off my hood at a side angle while driving on the 101 highway circling Phoenix a few months ago :mad:. Phoenix, AZ is notorious for rock/pebble damage to vehicles, unfortunately. Luckily, the Yaris hood is tiny and it was only about +$300 to do that fix. I can now say that she is in like-new condition again, all the way around - at least for the time being, lol. :thumbsup:

[justanotherdrunk]

nice

glad to see youre happy

[kimona]

Nice. Happy ending.

[atomic_hoji]

:thumbsup:
Glad to see it worked out for ya and she's all spangly new again.
-- Adam

[ern-diz]

nice

glad to see youre happy

Nice. Happy ending.

:thumbsup:
Glad to see it worked out for ya and she's all spangly new again.
-- Adam

+1 :thumbsup: