...tonight on the way home from work with only 2 blocks left to my door. An older waman in an '03 Toyota Matrix with no lights on got me as I crossed the intersection that I thought was empty. DID NOT SEE HER AT ALL. Just BAM!!

Her front bumper pretty much hit my left front wheel and fender, probably at about 30-40mph I'm guessing. Airbags did NOT deploy, and I'm glad.

Seems we are both okay and there were no passengers in either vehicle and there was no other collateral damage, thankfully.

I have a witness who saw that she had no lights on. I could not see her, even as her car was plowing into mine! It was JUST after dusk. Hopefully, that will get my deductible waived ($500).

Won't know until tomorrow at the earliest how much damage. Planning to get it towed to Long Beach MINI, since there is likely mechanical damage in addition to sheet metal. The front wheels are pointing in unnatural directions.

At least no one hurt. I'm so unhappy, though. I just hope it's not totaled. The door seems to be okay, though the little panel right in front of the door is messed up badly, so it was difficult to open. We'll see.

Well, I guess I may not be taking the car to AMVIV this year. May have to take some other heap. That's many weeks away though, so maybe I can still get her back before the event.

I don't know what I'll do if it's totaled. Please keep your fingers crossed for me.

Thanks.

 

Ahh, that sucks, sorry to hear it! I think I would cry!

Your right though, at least no one is hurt.

Good luck!

 

Man, what a bummer. I am sorry to hear about the damage! It really irks me when I see drivers who don't have thier lights on when it really is too dark to be driving around without them. I really do hope all goes well!

-Chase

 

Hope your baby is alright. I'd hate to see my car hurt like that.

 

Thanks, folks. Your empathy and sympathy are truly appreciated.

It's times like this when having the community means something special.

I keep replaying it, wondering, "What if I had just taken a moment longer to look more carefully..." But then I DID look again before I started into the intersection, and I just did not see it coming . There was a car on the other side with its lights in my eyeballs for a few seconds, so I don't know if I even COULD have seen the car if I had taken THREE extra moments to look.

It's been kind of a rough day all around. I oughta take a look at my horoscope just for grins.

 

Here is the first one...
"If you decide from the moment you wake that you’ll be considerate, thoughtful, and sensitive then you’ll manage to drastically reduce the negative sun/moon aspect, which will have you torn between behaving as you want, and behaving as you should! A piece of soothing moonstone will help!" Doh!! I should have had my "moonstone" with me!! No wonder!

Here is another, "Your focus today is on your love life. No matter how it is at the moment, by the end of the day, it should be much better. Your good energy makes you that much more attractive to the right person." Well, that was pure b***s**t!!

And yet a third: "You're powerful, but your influence goes to waste if you try to take on too much for too long. Figure out how you can have the biggest effect in the least amount of time. Then go and have some fun tonight." Hmmm. Well, I guess I had a big effect in VERY little time; but I wouldn't call getting a police report and filing an insurance claim a barrel of monkeys!

 

Just read your reply to my thread, thanks for the good juju lol. Sucks about your car, sounds pretty wicked in your sig, but at least you're okay.

And I'm sorry to say but by past experience it sounds like it's totaled... The whole unnatural wheel position and little quarter panel preventing the door to open seems waaaay too familiar. I would expect a lot of driveline damage, something similar happened to me, same side, besides bodywork they had to replace components from the left and right side (that somehow got pushed over) including a cracked transmision

Anyway, if it's totaled hope you get something good enough to replace it; if not hope they fix it back to the way it was. Good luck

 

This is exactly why I believe in DRLs (Daytime Running Lights). Good luck in getting the MINI repaired. I'm glad to hear no one got injured!!

 

Sorry about the bad accident.

You shouldn't have to worry about your deductible. As soon as the other insurance company accepts liability, they'll pay your Collision deductible. In fact, if they are quick to accept liability, they'll cover all your repairs without you paying a penny. If it takes them a while to complete their investigation and make their decision, and you have your own company/policy take care of the damages, then they will reimburse you at a later date.

Even though she didn't have her lights on and it was dusk, might take a while to investigate if there is a question of right-of-way at the intersection. If you had the right of way, then it's a closed case, headlights or not. If she had the right of way, there may be a dispute that needs to be settled. So... glad you have that witness !

 

CR&PB&JB,
Thanks for all of your good advice and information about the auto insurance world. I have not had any need of it yet, but what you are telling others is being filed away in my brain for when it may be needed.
You are doing a great service for this community.

 

well, that's unfortunate. same thing happened to me last year. keep in mind that when it comes to the insurance company totaling the car, they often go by the initial estimate when making the decision. my car had an initial estimate of $6500 damage, though the total ended up being just under $14,000. the supplements just kept adding up. with that figure, my car would have been totaled, something I was hoping for. the body shop did a fantastic job, but I just couldn't keep it and ended up trading it in soon after I got it back. Here's what mine looked like:

 

Damn that sucks, hope it works out in your favor

 

I appreciate the kind words and I'm glad you're learning something about auto claims, thulchatt !

 

Cripes!! That bites, man. Good that no one was hurt, though, and great that you have a witness, too. If she's at fault, then her insurance should pay for everything. You filed a police report?

I hope your car can be repaired and be at AMVIV.

 

...to everyone for the good advice and info, and for the well-wishes.

I really appreciate the community's support. It is making a huge difference in my own outlook, and attitude.

Whatever happens, I am going to try really hard to keep the car. I have quite a few bits in her, and want to do more. In fact, I have been thinking that if the tranny is busted up, or other driveline parts, this would be the time to gt LSD, a 2005 Getrag (with improved ratios) sturdier clutch, etc. We'll see.

I will consider retaining salvage (if it comes to that). I was going to send it to Long Beach MINI, but Auto Club insurance guarantees satisfaction at "their" shops, so I'm going that route, especially since the one where they are towing the car (probably today) has pretty good quality reputation.

 

Sorry for your bad turn of events....just glad that everyone is uninjured. Best wishes for things to work out the best for you.

 

What intersection? LB local here.
Sorry to hear bout that.

 

Studebaker and Keynote. I was heading east, turning left to go north on Studebaker. She was travelling south on Studebaker.

The other headlights in my eyes, plus the lack of ANY lights on her car caused me to not see her dull silver Matrix AT ALL in the dark.

I thought the intersection was clear and no vehicles coming. Oops. Never saw it. Felt it first.

 

What's up with these Toyota Matrixes....do they have something against MINIs???

Foxy the Matrix killer

 

Very sorry about your accident. Remember, always see the brighter side of every situation. Like you said, may be a perfect time for complicated mods, tranny, clutch, etc... . Good luck with everything!

 

So sorry to hear about your accident, and I am glad to hear you are okay. I had a very minor fender bender myself this morning. It snowed here and I was at a stop sign, when an ambulance behind me couldn't stop. It barely hit me. I have a very small hole in my rear bumper and some paint transfer. Nothing as awful as yours. I will cross my fingers that it can be fixed and soon.

 

Wow, very similar to my accident which led to my MINI purchase. The exception being, I was in a '96 Nissan Sentra and got creamed by Land Rover. Walked away with just a contusion on the leg. Glad that you came out OK too. Damage was so bad, even I did not initially recognize my own car.

FWIW, I got ticketed for not yielding the right of way and speeding (both bogus, but that's another story), but still managed to get $3,000 for total loss.

Regards.

 

Mark, was it raining at the time of the accident? The reason I ask is that according to the new law that took effect in 2006, if it is raining, and your wipers are in use, you are required to turn on your vehicle's headlights. Sorry about the accident....

 

Bummer......

 

...is GOOD!! Car is repairable, according to body shop guy!!

The left front wheel took the greatest part of the collision, and it is wrecked. The rim has about a 5" long crack, two of the 7 spokes have DEEP gouges, and the whole thing is tweeked many degrees out of whack!!

It's an SSR GT-7, which is a discontinued model . So, I either have to find one somewhere (good luck!!) or go to new wheels all around.

If anyone knows of SSR 17x7.5, 4x100, lt. grey with polished lip, lying around, please let me know. I already put a "WTB" in the Marketplace and looked on e-bay (no luck there). I am not holding my breath!

I'm thinkin' this is a new era for the "GR8 COUP," which REQUIRES NEW WHEELS: from endings come new beginnings. Like the Phoenix, she shall rise from the ashes and ...

Okay, I guess I'm getting a little carried away... Sorry.

Anyway, looks like she'll fly again with some $$ and some patience and elbow grease!

YAHOO!!!

Thanks again for all the support!!