Rear ended again!

mikester · 04-20-2011, 04:49 PM

On the way to the office this morning on the Slow-O-5 heading north when traffic abruptly stops and I see him coming.

He's trying to stop, swerves...BAM! Busts into my rear end pushing me into the car in front of me. The he takes off; crumpled up front end and all! The person I hit goes on the chase after him so I follow. He doesn't quite make the exit the culprit goes for but I do. So I get the license and then pull over. When I pull over another car pulls up behind me, a witness who followed as well. He gives me his card. I call the CHP and they send a car. He had spoken to the driver in front of me already and our stories matched.

The car that hit me had 4 or 5 guys in it, small corolla - way faded. Ridiculous to run...CHP was heading to their house. Not sure how that turned out but just stupid to run.

Man I'm stiff now...neck hurts...that's 3 times I've been rear ended in this car (4 total).

Prius' are pretty strong - looks like it just needs a bumper in the back. No damage to speak of in the front.

Gogar · 04-20-2011, 04:59 PM

When I look into the future a few weeks I see a PARFY end to this story.

Glad you're not hurt too bad.

flatbutt · 04-20-2011, 05:07 PM

maybe augment the rear lights? It worked for me on my bike.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Sounds like you were hit by an illegal alien-mobile.

Zeke · 04-20-2011, 05:17 PM

Let me guess: 5 male "usuals" on their way to the Home Defect parking lot. No insurance.

You can run, and you can hide, because you're 50% of L.A.'s population.

onewhippedpuppy · 04-20-2011, 06:22 PM

Should have used a PIT maneuver to stop him.

mattdavis11 · 04-20-2011, 06:37 PM

Sorry that you are feeling it, but it's good to know the Prius holds up in impacts. My company ride is a Prius, and it might be the only thing it could do well.

patssle · 04-20-2011, 06:43 PM

So who's insurance pays for the guy you hit in front of you? Yours or the guy who caused it all?

Of course, assuming those 5 guys who don't have insurance do have insurance.

Laneco · 04-20-2011, 06:49 PM

One of the bad things about selling cheap cars is the people who buy them often don't put the car in their name. So at 3:00a.m. in the morning, when the idiot takes a drive out in farmer John's field and buries the car up to the bottom of the door, then takes a leg bail, it's YOUR house where the police come knocking...

Just FYI, if you sell a little junker car, take the plates off it. Take them off every time, turn them into the DMV or go with the person to the DMV and watch them change it into their name. If there are no plates on the car, they new owner is pretty much obligated to get it registered to themselves. Let's just call the no plates a "motivator" for them to get it registered immediately and legally relieve you of responsibility.

In our state, there's a form you can fill out that shows you sold the car. But if no one else has registered it, the police come to your door.

As far as yours goes, glad you weren't hurt, hope the rest works out well.

angela

Brando · Brando's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laneco

[...] In our state, there's a form you can fill out that shows you sold the car. But if no one else has registered it, the police come to your door. [...]

Angela,
We do the same thing here. On the title you receive for your car, there is a small form attached to the bottom called the "Release of Liability" form. It is supposed to prevent scenarios like you described from happening. Sadly, our state (CA) chooses to disregard those and still bill registration, unpaid tickets and anything else that could result in a debt to the previous owner.

And then on top of that, you have to prove that you filed it.

Wonderful, right?

FYI, it can also be done online here. And yes, they still do the above even if you file the release of liability! The toll roads tried to collect a few hundred dollars from me for almost 3 years...

mikester · 04-20-2011, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patssle

So who's insurance pays for the guy you hit in front of you? Yours or the guy who caused it all?

Of course, assuming those 5 guys who don't have insurance do have insurance.

My 'uninsured motorist' coverage, which is mandatory I believe in CA will cover me. Since I am not at fault for hitting the car in front of me his uninsured motorist coverage would cover him.

I have not actually spoken to my insurance company about the claim yet though - opened the claim online this evening after I got home from work. I'll call them about it tomorrow and get the scoop though.

In the past that is what they have done though; used my uninsured motorist when I wasn't at fault to get my repairs done (at no cost to me) and then go after the at fault party for the reimbursement. In this case however the guy likely doesn't have insurance.

stomachmonkey · 04-20-2011, 07:34 PM

Don't be surprised if they say you are at fault for hiting the car in front of you.

They'll claim you should
have left more room.

IIRC if you can't see the cars rear tires you are too close.

mikester · 04-20-2011, 09:50 PM

The thing that I am more concerned with is how many times my car has been hit and then repaired.

It's been rear ended 4 times now. Once the damage to the front was pretty extensive.

Yeah - how's that car fax going to look...I've never been able to get any 'diminished value' out of anyone but I don't think I could ever sell it if anyone ever pulled a carfax on it.

Radioactive · 04-20-2011, 10:27 PM

I know Fontana,Ca isn't the best neighbourhood but 40% of the cars checked, had to be impounded.

40%! with no license, reg or ins.

Fontana police officers arrested 11 people on Saturday as part of a DUI/driver's license checkpoint at Sierra Avenue and Walnut Street.

Four people were arrested for driving under the influence, five for outstanding warrants and two for undisclosed reasons, according to a police news release.

More than 2,600 vehicles passed through the checkpoint and 240 were stopped.

About 100 vehicles were towed for various reasons and about 115 citations were issued

cbush · 04-21-2011, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikester

The thing that I am more concerned with is how many times my car has been hit and then repaired.

It's been rear ended 4 times now. Once the damage to the front was pretty extensive.

Yeah - how's that car fax going to look...I've never been able to get any 'diminished value' out of anyone but I don't think I could ever sell it if anyone ever pulled a carfax on it.

This is the reason to have a commuter car if you live in an area with a lot of traffic--a small efficient sedan that you commute in, drive the wheels off, and then dump at the end of its life. We have a VW Jetta for that. It would kill me if the 993 got hit! When the Jetta gets hit (twice now) we just haul it off to the body shop, and don't sweat it!

Glad you are OK.

GothingNC · 04-21-2011, 04:02 AM

Glad you are ok and the CHP caught the guys.

My neighbor who was rear ended last Friday by a guy high on pain killers is having issues with the his insurance company.

She was stopped at a red light and he is claimiing that she was parked which caused the accident

tabs · 04-21-2011, 08:29 AM

MAN and I thought this Thread was going to be about your recent adventures in San Francisco...

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

In the future if you drop the soap, leave it.

john70t · 04-21-2011, 05:42 PM

Mad Max time.

I have four used shock absobers.
-To these I considered attaching a large square bumper made of signpost.
-The bumper would naturally have to have extended metal posts("spikes" if you will) to hold the red flags for complying within the boundries of law.
-Then tailgaters wouldn't be a daily stress.

mikester · 04-21-2011, 05:52 PM

started with the insurance company today...not bad but I'm always leery...

If they can't determine that the hit and run driver has insurance my deductible will be refunded and my 'uninsured motorist' coverage will take care of the accident. If they CAN get his insurance information then I will get my deductible from his insurance company.

I suspect he doesn't have insurance.