It was dusk. I was turning left. I had just started when I see this guy coming and he's not slowing down. It looks like he's got a stop sign but he's not stopping to turn left (We're both turning north ...it's T intersection, we're the top and both turning down the leg.) After he zips around the corner I start going and I also honk to let him know he ran a stop sign. So...he stops and I run into him. Only it wasn't a stop sign. It was a yield sign. It was dusk and I didn't see the "yield", only a big white line with letters. I got out of the car and asked "Why did you stop in the middle of the road?" He says "Because you honked. Why did you honk at me?" I said "Because you ran a stop sign." He says "It was a yield sign. I'm supposed to yield to a stop?" He was driving a Toyota 4x4 truck built for off roading. He only lost a tail-light. My poor prius was completely crunched. I limped to the dealer and the service guy says it looks like about $7,000 worth of damage. I only have a $500 deductible but no rental. So I've rented a Camry for a day and I'll borrow my old car back from my sister until my car is fixed. 2 days until I'm assigned an adjuster. 3-5 days until the inspector sees it. I'm using the Toyota dealership's auto people NOT the insurance company's people. And I just got my dual-speed polisher from Meguiar's yesterday. I was going to detail my car this weekend. I'm hoping I can get the insurance to agree to put it back *exactly* the way it was....because I had a clear bra on the hood, bumper, fender and headlights and I want them back. I'm going to see if the body shop will let me bring a heat gun to try and save my front HOV decal so I don't have to send away for a duplicate set.
So sorry. You answered my posts in august when i was rear ended and totaled (lost posts). I don't have much to offer as you are doing it right. I doubt success with the bra unless you told insurance it was there B4. They didn't pay for my add ons. Let me know if I can offer my experience with the process.
*sniff* thank you. I probably did tell the insurance company about the bra when they called to have me answer a plethora of questions about the car...but I doubt there was a box or bubble on the guy's computer to check that I had a clear bra so that would be anecdotal. Now I have to decide if I want to pay for the installation of another one, minus the one fender, mirros and headlight. I really, really liked the protection it had. I do have a hoodshield from canada. I'm not sure if I want to put that on instead. I know I don't want a regular vinyl bra. And I know I want something to protect from rocks and dings. When I talk to the body shop, I'll see what they can do for me. Thanks for the commiserations. I miss my car! *sniff* *whimper*
Oh, that's terrible. You're always so positive in your responses to other people; things like this should not happen to good people. Here's hoping that this all works out well for you and your car. Keep us posted.
Ouch, that looks like it hurt! Sounds like you're proceeding thru everything correctly, here's hoping that your insurance gets squared away, your car gets fixed in a timely manner, and you're back behind the wheel of it soon.
You might consider going by and taking some pictures of the car while it is crunched, maybe even one showing the bra if you can. Remember your insurance company's job is to make you whole, that means putting things back the way they were, or at least as close as they can to the way they were. You may need to be a little assertive with them. Good luck.
I would guess that it's because the guy stopped in the road. When someone honks at me, I glare at them or - worse-case - flip them off, but I don't lock up my brakes. From the look of the impact, Godiva was moving at a good speed at impact. This would cause me to guess that the stop was not preceded by a period of slowing: just stopping. But also because when you're in an accident, the other person is always stupid. That's just the way it goes. After all, I'm sure he got to where he was going and told people that he was rear-ended by a stupid Prius driver.
oh, the carnage! so sorry Godiva... since mine's black it hurt to look at the picture! if you have a receipt for your clear bra and other stuff i would think they would cover it. it should be covered under permanent installations in the car if you have that in your policy. best of luck getting your car fixed and back in your driveway soon.
That's what I was thinking. I don't think I've ever stopped when someone honked. Although I'd be careful about judging speed by the pic., after all, a Prius hood, and various nearby parts thereof, are most certainly not made of steel... h34r:
Yeah, flipping people off is really intelligent. I say the fault is 20% Godiva's and 80% random chance. Godiva should have waited at the stop sign but instead he went forward since he thought the truck driver would stop, mistaking the yield sign for a stop sign. That's his fault, but it is understandable. But honking at the guy after the fact, just out of anger, is stupid and that's the main reason I blame Godiva. The truck driver got worried when he was honked at and figured he must have been doing something wrong, or there was something in the way he didn't see, so he quickly stopped. That's fine.
Godiva, You were being a jerk. Admit it. Had you not been a jerk then your car would not be crunched. It will never repair to be the same. They don't put them back together the same. YOU made the decision to be a jerk. Had you been a nice person then you would be detailing your car rather than detailing your heap of trash. YOU caused it. YOU did it. Sad thing would be to not learn a lesson from this. Jerks deserve the results of what they CAUSE. YOU CAUSED IT.
Don't even get me started on the concept of flipping people off. All I have to say is there are people out there that need to know what they're doing is wrong. I've had more people try to "take me out" than you can probably imagine. Anyway, I don't think the scenario you presented is quite accurate. After reading her post a few times, and letting it soak in, I think it was one of those stupid things where they probably weren't going too fast, he turned, then shortly thereafter she accelerated into the turn (which you have to do when starting from a stop), at some point honked, at some relatively close distance (I picture it being while in the middle of the turn) after him such that all he needed to do was touch his brakes and she ran into him (she probably needed 13 year old kid reflexes to stop in time in that environment). As with many accidents, it's sort of everyone's fault, his for touching the brakes/stopping when someone honks for what appears to be no apparent reason, hers for probably being a bit too close. I'll also bet it happend at around 15mph, or less. Am I right? Am I right?
Actually, Signboy, you are being the jerk. On second thought, you just may be a troll and a jerk all rolled into one.
