Do you have frame damage?

 

Most states have a law that doesn't require headlights to be on until 1/2 hour AFTER sunset. Do yourself a favor and find out the time of sunset on Jan 23, and the time listed for the accident on the report. Be sure that it's at least 1/2 hour AFTER sunset. Otherwise, you may end up being technically at fault, and you'll have to come up with another strategy. Good luck.

 

...on the "after sunset" concern. Thanks for pointing it out!! The actual time of the accident was 42 minutes after the "official" sunset" time, and the police report has the time as even much later, when the officer arrived. Plus I have the witness.

 

Good question. Not sure yet. I am hoping not, but that is only a hope at this time. The impact was not huge. She was doing probably 25-30 when she hit me, soooo... Time will tell.

The report I got from the "body shop guy" was a "preliminary," so I know I can only really be "cautiously optimistic." They have not yet got the car apart; so of course, there could be some ugly surprises.

Please keep your fingers crossed for luck!

Thanks to all for the continuing support and well-wishes.

 

According to the shop, only very minimal -- to the left front only. And they CLAIM they can fix "good as new". He was very up front about that.

The shop told me this morning that the total est (not including the tow) is $4027. Not bad, I think, for a side impact on a small car.

As far as the drive line: only the left axle was gouged against another part, but apparently not actually bent or otherwise damaged. However, Auto Club requires all damaged drive train parts be replaced. The left front strut will also be replaced, some other suspension parts that were dinged up and crunched in addition to the wheel, the little panel just behind the wheel well will be replaced, and the door and hood repaired on their respective edges.

That is all!!

I'm getting Falken's "Hanabi" Wheels, in silver, all around to replace the discontinued SSR GT7's (I have to pay for the other three, though). I was thinking about Enkei RS-7 or RS-M (the lighter, more expensive 7-spoke version. But I think the Hanabi's look cool, and they are also less $$ and still only weigh 17 lbs.

GR8 COUP is supposed to be ready for its alignment not later than 2/14, so I will be at AMVIV!! Yeah!!

Thanks again to all of you who were good enough to send kind words! They were all greatly appreciated.

 

So sorry to hear about your accident. Was the other driver drinking?

Post a pic if you have a chance and keep us posted on the repairs.

Regards,

 

... were in apparent effect, although the other driver said she has Parkinson's and takes drugs for it. Parkinson's is a nervous disorder that causes mild to severe shaking. I don't know the drugs' side effects, and the woman seemed perfectly lucid and aware, although her right hand was shaking so badly that she could not write. However, she attributed said shaking to the disease combined with her seriously agitated state.

She said several times that her car lights had "always" been "automatic" -- meaning she believed that the car's "auto" sensor system had been on and functioning at the time of the accident. But both the witness and I can and did testify that the lights were definitely OFF at the time of the accident.

If there are lessons learned, they might be:
> don't take automatic headlight sensor system settings for granted. Perhaps systems should turn lights on if a car is in a forward gear afer dark, whether the switch is turned to "On" or Auto" or not! If you must allow drivers an option of driving without lights at night, then seems to me that it would be safer to require drivers to positively turn a switch to "manual," or some such setting
> be especially wary at intersections after dark!!