Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2016 07:16:38 -0700
Reply-To: Greg@GREGORYCHILDS.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Greg Childs <Greg@GREGORYCHILDS.COM>
Subject: Re: venting about irresponsible drivers
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<html><body><span style="font-family:Verdana; color:#000000; font-size:10pt;"><div>The last time I was rear ended I immediately turned on the video camera on my smart phone and exited my vehicle. The phone captured my description of the situation and other drivers' admission and apology. I continued to video record the damage, license plates, documents, and the driver.<br><br></div>
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-------- Original Message --------<br>
Subject: Re: venting about irresponsible drivers<br>
From: Roy Nicholl <<a href="mailto:RNicholl@NBNET.NB.CA">RNicholl@NBNET.NB.CA</a>><br>
Date: Mon, August 29, 2016 5:29 pm<br>
To: <a href="mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM">vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM</a><br>
<br>
David:<br>
<br>
Any chance there are surveillance cameras in the area?<br>
<br>
> On 29-Aug-2016, at 18:53, David McNeely <<a href="mailto:davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM">davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM</a>> wrote:<br>
><br>
> I need to vent. A week ago (last Tuesday afternoon, actually), I took my<br>
> 1991Volkswagen Vanagon GL Campmobile out to pick up some furniture. I<br>
> stopped at a stop sign that controls entry from a ramp into a Y where two<br>
> other roads enter. Both of those other roads have curves in their approach<br>
> to the intersection that make the sight distance short.<br>
><br>
> So, I stopped at the sign, then, creeped forward a bit to get a better view<br>
> of oncoming traffic, and stopped again. Just after I stopped the second<br>
> time, a vehicle hit the camper's rear bumper, thwack!. The damage was<br>
> minor, a broken bumper on the passenger side rear, a small ding in the<br>
> D-pillar, two mangled bumper mounts.<br>
><br>
> The other driver and her husband both got out of their small SUV, as my<br>
> wife and I did from the van. We all surveyed the damage. Their RAV4 had<br>
> more, the grill, a headlight, a fender, the bumper all being sort of<br>
> mangled. Their vehicle was about ten feet behind ours, which had been<br>
> pushed forward by the impact.<br>
><br>
> The other driver was exceedingly apologetic, saying over and over that she<br>
> was extremely sorry that she had hit us, and that she was certain her<br>
> insurance would take care of the damage. Her husband observed that the<br>
> damage to our vehicle was minor AND THAT IT WAS QUITE OLD. I pointed out<br>
> that being a classic and their being a hot market for these vans, I would<br>
> have to fix it. He also said that their insurance would take care of it,<br>
> and he pulled out registration papers and insurance card. We exchanged<br>
> information, and both drove away.<br>
><br>
> The next morning I called her insurance agent, and was referred to the<br>
> claims department (of State Farm). At first I got the spiel from the<br>
> adjuster about using the State Farm appraisal system. I listened politely<br>
> and observed that I would get estimates from independent body shops. He<br>
> demurred on that, but then said I would hear back from him later the same<br>
> day.<br>
><br>
> An hour later, a different person called me from State Farm to inform me<br>
> that liability was denied, as the other driver stated that I had backed<br>
> into her when she was stopped behind me. No witnesses except ourselves. I<br>
> do not carry collision insurance, even on this rather pricey vehicle, as I<br>
> prefer to drive self insured, expecting to pay my costs if I am at fault,<br>
> and to rely on my liability insurance to fix the other driver.<br>
><br>
> But that leaves me with no representation to collect from the other<br>
> driver. I have considered small claims court. It will cost me about $2K<br>
> to fix the camper. In court, it would just be my explanation against the<br>
> other person's, with the only witnesses being the two drivers and their<br>
> passengers, both spouses.<br>
><br>
> Any advice? One thing I learned, despite police admonitions to just<br>
> exchange information and be on your way, if I ever have another accident, I<br>
> definitely will call in a patrol officer.<br>
><br>
> mcneely<br>
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