Minor collision with my Yaris

[justjesus]

By the way, that was good that you did that pic. Be sure to supply it to the claims adjuster for your company.

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by justjesus

in california, that's fairly typical rates for a bumper replacement (through insurance)

as far as "who's at fault?" goes, that's a question of liability.

The main thing you got going for you is that you were in the "main thoroughfare" part of the parking lot. He was coming from the side. This gives you the right-of-way.
One detail I didn't see, and it's maybe because Im tired and it's late, is the point of impact to the other car. Which part of his car did you hit? Any claims adjuster/examiner worth a damn will want to know this.

If the damage was closer to the front of his/her car, it is more favorable to you. If it's more toward the back, it is more favorable to the other driver. Why?
Because if he pulled out enough to where you hit him/her toward the rear, then s/he was establishing "control" of the intersection.

It's not as easy as this, however, but that's almost what it boils down to.

I hit the other vehicle just behind the drivers door, on the side of the minivan. As far as I see it, he proceeded from behind the building when it was unsafe to do so and was the cause of the accident. I see it as simple as that.

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by justjesus

By the way, that was good that you did that pic. Be sure to supply it to the claims adjuster for your company.

It was actually from Google Earth .. but it does show the location of the accident. I will be talking to the insurance adjustor later today .. and I will be sure that they get that picture as I think that it makes it clear where each vehicle was.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by justjesus

in california, that's fairly typical rates for a bumper replacement (through insurance)

as far as "who's at fault?" goes, that's a question of liability.

The main thing you got going for you is that you were in the "main thoroughfare" part of the parking lot. He was coming from the side. This gives you the right-of-way.
One detail I didn't see, and it's maybe because Im tired and it's late, is the point of impact to the other car. Which part of his car did you hit? Any claims adjuster/examiner worth a damn will want to know this.

If the damage was closer to the front of his/her car, it is more favorable to you. If it's more toward the back, it is more favorable to the other driver. Why?
Because if he pulled out enough to where you hit him/her toward the rear, then s/he was establishing "control" of the intersection.

It's not as easy as this, however, but that's almost what it boils down to.

^^^^^ This. The laws of the road don't officially apply (at least from what I understand) on private property in California, but insurance companies usually loosely follow those rules as a courtesy. I started a post (to edmscan) last night (wasn't able to finish it) and the conclusion i was going to write is exactly what justjesus wrote...that you were on the 'main thoroughfare' of the parking lot and the other driver would need to yield. I would think that the other driver's requirement to yield would be even more pronounced given that he/she was blindly (to you edmscan) coming out from behind the building. I once patronized a 'coffee hut' (originally a photo drop off hut) drive through in a very low traffic one entrance/exit parking lot. I stopped momentarily in the 'main part' of the parking lot to orient my purchases, etc. for a long drive (there were no open spaces in the lot and no other 'car customers' were behind me. A row of cars (the edge of the lot) were just to my right. A sixteen year old girl (had had her license for 1 week) was sitting alone in her parents huge SUV. The rear end of the SUV was only a couple of feet from my passenger door. I didn't know there was anyone in the SUV. She started the SUV and immediately put it in reverse, before I could even honk. Her dad lied to the insurance company (he didn't want even higher rates for a 16 year old). To his insurance company's credit, they smelled a rat, interviewed the 16 year old, determined the dad was lying, and sent me/my insurance company a check. My Aunt knows the family socially, but the family still doesn't know that she is the aunt of the injured party (this was pre Yaris)...so we know all that happened from just about every angle.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

It was actually from Google Earth .. but it does show the location of the accident. I will be talking to the insurance adjustor later today .. and I will be sure that they get that picture as I think that it makes it clear where each vehicle was.

[Hershey]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Good to know about what rubbing alcohol can do . I have a scuff (about the size of 4 small postage stamps) near the left front wheel well on my Yaris, and another smaller scuff about 2 or so feet away on the rear view mirror casing (the one on the wheel well has been there for 2+ years ). I'll try rubbing alcohol on both scuffs.

Let me now how that works for you . Clean the area with water before the rubbing alcohol . Then rinse with water again after using the alcohol . Use a rag that won't scratch the clearcoat . Use rubbing alcohol to remove tar as well .

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Hershey

Let me now how that works for you . Clean the area with water before the rubbing alcohol . Then rinse with water again after using the alcohol . Use a rag that won't scratch the clearcoat . Use rubbing alcohol to remove tar as well .

Would a fairly plush bath towel that has been laundered a few times be okay? Or should I go to a store and buy something else? If so, is there any special type of towel that would work best?

[Hershey]

I suppose . Don't apply much pressure .

[edmscan]

Well ... today I talked to my insurance company, and they wanted me to send them a diagram of how the accident happened. I did so .. and I never knew I was such an artist.

The adjustor also said .. "accidents that happen in parking lots are NOT 50/50 liability".

So this further justifies my position ... that I am not at fault in this accident.
So I told them . . that I am going to wait until liability is determined, as I don't want to pay my deductable (500$) for an accident that wasn't my fault.

So .. if they want me to pay the deductable (and claim that I was partially at fault) then I will go from there. But I fully expect that I will be found not at fault in the accident.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Hershey

I suppose . Don't apply much pressure .

You are scaring me . I don't want Bayou Blue to come off on the towel. I think I will go to an auto parts store and use your very informative sentence, telling the rep that I need 'a rag that won't scratch the clearcoat'.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

Well ... today I talked to my insurance company, and they wanted me to send them a diagram of how the accident happened. I did so .. and I never knew I was such an artist.

The adjustor also said .. "accidents that happen in parking lots are NOT 50/50 liability".

So this further justifies my position ... that I am not at fault in this accident.
So I told them . . that I am going to wait until liability is determined, as I don't want to pay my deductable (500$) for an accident that wasn't my fault.

So .. if they want me to pay the deductable (and claim that I was partially at fault) then I will go from there. But I fully expect that I will be found not at fault in the accident.

[screenprintr]

My 2000 Camry bumper cover replaced, installed and painted was $360.

3 or 4 months later, my Camry died, and here I am on this forum with my newer Yaris 2010.

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by screenprintr

My 2000 Camry bumper cover replaced, installed and painted was $360.

I am finding that auto body here in Canada is a racket. Like just the bumper cover part for my Yaris was about $320, not including installation and painting. I would expect about 40% more in Canada (as most things are about 40% more in Canada than the US).

Oh well .. I am waiting to see who is liable now, to see who will be paying for what.

[Hershey]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Would a fairly plush bath towel that has been laundered a few times be okay? Or should I go to a store and buy something else? If so, is there any special type of towel that would work best?

No paint or clearcoat will come off . Use this paint / tar removal for years with no problem .

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Hershey

No paint or clearcoat will come off . Use this paint / tar removal for years with no problem .

Thanks. Today (finally!) I happened to see an automated drive through car wash that was not of the tire grab/pull/assembly line style. The last time I got my car washed I went through a wash like that and it cracked and scratched my wheel covers. The wash I went through today was also touchless. It didn't do a complete job. I had to wipe a bit to finish up (I had a clean towel for such purposes in the car in case I needed to utilize it). I noticed that there are quite a few more scratches and nicks than were noticeable after my last car wash.

I still have quite a few things in storage in California and am planning to head to California in January to take care of that. When I get back, I will pay close attention to the exterior of my car and follow what you suggested. I'll also go to the Toyota dealership and buy some Bayou Blue touch up paint to address some, for lack of a better word, 'pits' (likely from rocks falling off of flatbed trucks on the freeway). My rear bumper has some interesting 'character' marks . The electronic eye for my garage door is below the top of my rear bumper. Last year (If I remember correctly) I pulled into my garage, but didn't pull in far enough. I pushed the button to close the door and the garage door hit the top of my bumper (a single load door). A few weeks later I was rearranging some things in my garage and had to take the parking brake off on my Yaris and move it back a bit. I forgot to move it back, and the next time I left the house my garage door hit the same bumper in nearly the same place but with the door on the way up this time. I don't want to clear it up with a repair because then the entire bumper cover might likely be a slightly different color than the rest of the car. At this point in the 'lifecycle' of my Yaris, I think it is best to leave those 'character marks' as is. If I happen to see a really cool sticker I might buy one and a spare to put on that part of the bumper.

[edmscan]

Found out today that the autobody shop had the wrong model for my car on the estimate. They had my car as a 4 Dr Sedan, which I definitely don't have. I have an RS 2 Dr HB.

Well it is interesting in that the bumper cover for the sedan is more money than the RS model. So .. I got them to correct it, but I still haven't heard from the insurance company so I don't know if I will be fixing my car.

I refuse to pay 500$ (my deductable) out of my pocket for an accident that wasn't my fault. I don't think that I am being overly cheap, just being realistic as it just isn't worth it to me. Sure my Yaris is slightly banged up .. but I am not going to be the one to pay for it.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

Found out today that the autobody shop had the wrong model for my car on the estimate. They had my car as a 4 Dr Sedan, which I definitely don't have. I have an RS 2 Dr HB.

Well it is interesting in that the bumper cover for the sedan is more money than the RS model. So .. I got them to correct it, but I still haven't heard from the insurance company so I don't know if I will be fixing my car.

I refuse to pay 500$ (my deductable) out of my pocket for an accident that wasn't my fault. I don't think that I am being overly cheap, just being realistic as it just isn't worth it to me. Sure my Yaris is slightly banged up .. but I am not going to be the one to pay for it.

I'd say next step = wait to hear back from the insurance company.