I got rear-ended ...

[cassiesmom]

I got rear-ended this morning on my way to work. I was late and the tollway was backed up, which made me even later. So I got off at the first exit after I got on, figuring I'd do better on the road than on the tollway. We have a staff meeting on Wednesday mornings and the meeting room is about a 10-minute walk from our office, so I'm in a bit of a hurry. First traffic light after the exit, the light changes from green to amber and a couple cars in front of me sneak through. That's in a suburb where it's easy to get a traffic ticket for a minor mis-step and I don't want that, so I stop. I'm waiting, hoping the light will change quickly and boom, I get rear-ended by a man driving an SUV. Now I'm going to be late to work for sure. The other driver asked if I was okay and then got back in his SUV. Now what do I do? So I turned through the intersection, pulled over and called the police. Jotted down the other driver's license plate number. There are three little round marks, each about the size of a nickel, on my back bumper. Saturn bumpers have plastic (I think) covers, which I learned when I got rear-ended two cars ago.

The police officer told me I could go to the police station if I wanted to make out a report. Which I didn't, because I wasn't sure what information that might turn up about me. So I kept going. It was a beautiful sunny morning; it could have been much worse at that intersection, coming off the tollway, where the two streets intersect at a subtle angle. But I can't stop thinking that if I'd left five minutes earlier or stayed on the tollway or turned on the amber, this wouldn't have happened. I'm a pretty careful driver because I had a collision with my first car. I'd like to give the other driver a piece of my mind... what the heck were you doing in your big ol honkin' SUV? I'm at a full stop, behind the line, in a bright red car. You obviously weren't looking where you should have been. You hit me hard enough that the stuff on the passenger seat (my jacket and lunch) fell to the floor. You're lucky I let you drive away. Every time I see those little circles on my bright red back bumper, I'm going to wonder.

Sorry friends, I just needed to rant for a minute. I told my manager but no one else.

[happylabs]

That really stinks. Sorry you had such a bad morning. So, the one that hit you just drove off?

[Freedom]

Glad you are OK, Elyse!

[Lady's Human]

Glad to see you're okay. Sheet metal and plastic can be repaired.

I would have your rear bumper checked to make sure the bumper mounts are still intact.

[ToBeEvergreen]

That bites, good thing there wasn't more damage! At a full stop too, which is kinda ridiculous. The what ifs could make your head spin, there are too many in life to think about, specially with something so unpredictable.

[pomtzu]

Elyse - you are okay, and that's what counts.

I was rear ended once while waiting to pull out onto the highway from a shopping center. The idiot claimed she didn't see me. HUH??? - it was high noon on a sunny day. Police came and took info - unfortunately hers was all counterfeit and they never found her once she was released to leave. No big deal, she only bent my license plate frame and put a small crack in the fiberglass bumper.

I can't believe that this guy that hit you just drove off. He'd get his butt arrested here in Delaware for doing that, and he should have given you his insurance info at least. Maybe he didn't have any, and that's why he took off.

[smokey the elder]

Um, in New York that's called leaving the scene of an accident! I'm glad you're OK though.

[cassiesmom]

Glad to see you're okay. Sheet metal and plastic can be repaired.

I would have your rear bumper checked to make sure the bumper mounts are still intact.

Update. When I got back to my car in the parking lot after work, I noticed that the left-hand plastic cover over the rear lights is sort of sticking out. The bigger problem was that I couldn't get the trunk open. I did file a police report this morning and the police officer got the trunk open for me so I could get my flute and music out for my rehearsal tonight. But it's definitely not closing securely. LH, the officer told me the same thing you did, get the rear bumper checked and also said to make sure the rear lights all work (top, left and right). I have to get an estimate and submit a report to the Illinois department of transportation.

While I was at the police station they tried a few times to reach the owner of the other vehicle- or the one they're assuming was the other vehicle unless I wrote the plate number down wrong. It would have been a stronger identification if I had noted the brand of the other vehicle as well as the number. No answer so they have asked the police department in that town to contact the owner and have them get in touch with the investigating officer.

What else did I learn? It is scary how much information about me is hidden behind the license plate number. (previous tickets, traffic stops, accidents etc going back almost 10 years, and I'm sure they could get more if they just dig) And if ever I get rear-ended again I am not going to be as nice. And that I should be even more careful when stopping at traffic lights so as not to be the rear-ender instead of the rear-endee.

There is a big push around here right now about not using a cell phone in a school zone, because it is back to school time. And about distracted driving in general. It's a good reminder.

Thank you for letting me share again,
elyse

[happylabs]

I was rear-ended one time at a stop sign. There was one car in front of me and one car behind me. When the first car pulled out, I inched up and stopped at the stop sign like you are supposed to. All of a sudden I feel crunch. Grrrrrrrrrrrr

I was so mad I couldn't even get out of my car, I just sat there fuming for a minute. She got out of her car and came up to the window. I am sure I may have used a few unkind words (I learned from my dad). Know what she said? I thought you were just going to keep going. I said...it's not a stop light turning green, it's a stop sign!!!!! She probably thought I was a real B*tc* but I was on my way to work and late as it was. I didn't have much damage on my rear bumper but when I looked back, her hood was in a v-shape. I was driving a Subaru Forester at the time, I think, or a Subaru Legacy. Her insurance paid for the new bumper. Anyway. Sorry to hijack your thread.

[Anikaca77]

I'm glad you are ok and that's the most important thing to remember about all this.

I've been on the end of hitting people and not on purpose.

The first time was in Feb. and the weather was semi-crappy in the morning but towards later in the day it was fine....and I was taking my mom back home from shopping and all of a sudden a blizzard with snow every where can through and I was able to drive well and keep the car from sliding etc. until I came around the road on this highway and a cop had everyone taking this one exit...(b/c a 6 car pile up ahead) so I tried to slow down as best as I could and my car started to slide...I was so scared and I couldn't stop...I tried but I could, I hit the backend of this SUV and spun around I think once but maybe more and finally my car came to a stop and I had to move my car quickly out of the way b/c of on coming traffic.

After I got the car to stop...the snowing was flying and my mom got out of the car and went up to the car I hit and I was freaking out in the car...crying and just couldn't believe that this just happened. I finally got a grip on myself and got out to look at the front of my car...not a pretty site at all...his SUV...looked just fine...it had one of those ball things that you can tow things with and that's what hit the front of my car...I knew the guy..actually I take maps from my work to have them copied at his place...and I felt so terrible and he told me he was ok and I just kept asking him if he was ok and the cop then yelled at us to get off the highway...so he said we would talk on Monday (it was a Saturday) and I went to my mom's place and we filed a report. I didn't want to drive again for a long time, although I had to.

Let's just say I deal with that most times I'm at the copies place and his dog was in the car too but she was fine and not hurt or I don't think I would have forgiven myself.

My second accident was because of ducks.

Yep, ducks.

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon and I was borrowing a company vehicle because I had a yard sale and needed a van to transport my items from my house to my mom's place.

We were done with the yard sale and I had some things to drop off at my house and this was about 3:30 p.m. or so and I was driving just fine keeping up with traffic and all of sudden the guy in front of me slams on his breaks and I tried to hit the vans breaks as hard as I could but it didn't stop in enough time and BAM...all I thought was OH SHIT NOT AGAIN.

I think I might have hit the horn in the process of hitting this guy and my body moved quite a bit this time.

I got out and asked the guy if he was ok and he said he was and we pulled over to exchange #'s insurance, etc.

Well the damn ducks were still trying to cross the road. We tried to stop them and get them going in another direction but they didn't want to. The guy called the cops and said he was going to call them about the ducks but he lied of course and did it b/c of the accident.

So a lady cop came....asked me how fast I was going and I said 35 speed limit 35...and I told her he slammed his breaks on b/c of the ducks and I hit him.

She filed a report and I had to go back to work to drop off the vehicle and let's just say working in a small office and having this news go around isn't much fun. I ended up running into the guy at Petco about 2 weeks later b/c I was siting in for a friend who was showing her cats at Petco and he said oh you save cats and I save ducks...I really didn't need to see him again. I ended up having to pay the deductible for the van to get fixed since his car needed repaired but luckly that one didn't go on my insurance.

Anyway, I'm glad you are ok sorry about your car though.
Melissa

[cassiesmom]

Update. The driver of the other vehicle did not have the owner's permission to use it. The owner is not reporting the accident to her insurance but plans to pay out of pocket. Apparently she doesn't want to get the driver in trouble. Just so my claims get paid.

My car is at the body shop. I left my iPass (tollway pass) in the car when I dropped it off, so I went over there yesterday to pick it up. It was so strange to see my car with the back bumper on the shop floor! I didn't know this, but Saturns (and maybe other cars too) have the metal bumper attached to the car. Foam padding goes over the bumper, and over that fits the cover-- which in my case is plastic. There was another car that had been hit on the front right - the tire and wheel were at about a 45-degree angle to the side of the car! Yikes!

I learned something that I want to share with you all. I hope you will never need it, but just in case. I'm driving a rental car while mine is at the body shop. I don't have rental car coverage (though that will change with the next renewal ) so I am paying for the rental separately. Enterprise was charging me $34.99 per day. I had called the insurance about something else and the claim rep asked if I was being charged the insurance rate by Enterprise. I said, "What insurance rate?" Guess what, she got right on the phone to Enterprise and my rate went down to $21 per day. That's a big help to me, almost $100 for the week. so-- take-away point, remember to ask for an insurance rate.

I'm driving a 2010 Dodge Caliber that reminds me of my first car. That one was a 1979 Dodge Omni with a 4-speed manual transmission and an AM radio. This one has an automatic transmission, power windows and door locks, an air conditioner, lots of different nooks and crannies for storage, lights over the front and back seats, cruise control, and a CD player. I like the different storage areas-- there's one on the dash board that I'm guessing is for a GPS device. And the two light fixtures really light up the interior well. The back seat is also made to hold a child's car seat securely. It's a nice little car. I miss my own car, though.

[kitten645]

I'm glad you are alright!
How old is your Saturn? Mine is a 2005 Ion. I just love it! The only disconcerting thing I've found...I bought a magnet for the bumper (Spay/Neuter etc ) I couldn't get that thing to stick ANYWHERE on the car! LOL! Not a piece of metal to be found!
I still love it anyway!
Claudia

[mrspunkysmom]

Glad you are getting your car repaired and that the owner is paying for the damage. I didn't know about insurance rates. And you still have to be careful at rental places. Some promise good rates, but it still ends up being more expensive than planned.

[Karen]

I am glad your car is getting fixed up. It's good you like your rental car, whenever I have driven a rental I make mental notes about what I do and do not like, just for the next time I'm in the market.