Hit by a Red Light Runner

[RWebb]

I'm an attorney (at least in even numbered years) so that is not the problem.

Potential Problems:

- hassle of finding & buying new car
- they don't give me an adequate payment for the value of the vehicle their insured destroyed (but IIRC, this is set by state law)

[Hugh R]

Too bad this is an odd numbered year.

[DARISC]

Glad you're ok, Randy.

One rainy night I T-boned a station wagon that ran a red light. My little econo-box was totaled. Two squad cars arrived, an officer asked if I was injured, I said no, then as the officer questioned me further, two tow trucks arrived and started hooking up the cars. I interrupted the cop, saying, Hey, they're going to tow the cars and no one's made any measurements and diagram!

Get this - the cop tells me, We don't do that if it's raining and there are no injuries. I was furious and said, Well I'm injured! The cops says, You just said you weren't. Yeah, well now my back hurts and I'm having my wife take me to the hospital as soon as she gets here. I want a report with all the diagrams and measurements. This wasn't my fault! The cop gave me a dirty look, called off the tow trucks and a team of two officers then took the measurements and made the diagrams.

So, even though I felt fine, I went to the hospital and got, very thoroughly, checked out by the emergency room doc, who told me that it was a good thing that I had come in because I may have suffered internal injuries from the seat belt. I was cleared, went home and went to bed, felt just fine.

When I awoke, I tried to turn to sit up and get out of bed and fell back flat in pain. The left side of my torso, from hip to neck felt like I'd been slammed by a 300 lb tackle.

I had my wife drive me back to the hospital where they reviewed all the x-rays and tests from the previous night and I was told it was soreness from that half of my body violently moving forward against the shoulder belt on impact with the wagon. My right side was not sore, as it had been restrained by the belt which crosses over that shoulder.

I healed with no therapy required and my insurance co. handled my claim - the wagon driver was found at fault - but never ticketed. Had I not "lied" to the cop about being injured, who knows what kind of fight with the insurance companies that probably would have led to.

[RWebb]

interesting - the correct answer is always "I'm not sure... don't think so."

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by RWebb

interesting - the correct answer is always "I'm not sure... don't think so."

I did learn that! Oh, and it was my right side not my left.

[lane912]

Originally Posted by RWebb

yup - guess the cops feel like they aren't going to "waste time" on non-injury accidents anymore; the CSO was fairly prompt but I doubt he can even issue a ticket

I got the impression from my ins. co., the DMV, and the city cops that "we don't really care about this."

but they are happy to "fine" you for not getting the report filed in a timely manner

[Paul K]

Glad you're okay.

Yet people go nuts when they put up red light cameras.

Personally, I'd like to see cameras on every red light.

[lane912]

i am interested in the cell phone records proving that she was on the phone and breaking the law.
i see way too many "drivers" that seem to be oblivious of the law.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by lane912

but they are happy to "fine" you for not getting the report filed in a timely manner

speaking of which... her Ins. Co. said that part of the hold up was that the cops only send in accident reports after 4 to 6 weeks (they wait and do them all at once) - glad they are saving tons of my tax monies on that

[porsche4life]

One good thing about the almost constant pains I have.... If I have a wreck, something is sure to hurt! Our local PD will still come and file a report. Hell they came a filed a report/drew diagrams when some jerkoff backed into my PARKED car. Good thing about a small town with bored cops.

[David]

Glad to hear you're OK!

Houston put their red light camera's to a vote last election and the city voted to remove them. I voted to remove them too, not because I'm against red light cameras, but because I'm against the ever increasing intrusion into our lives.

Since I voted, I've started to reconsider.

[jkarolyi]

Originally Posted by Paul K

Glad you're okay.

Yet people go nuts when they put up red light cameras.

Personally, I'd like to see cameras on every red light.

Red light cameras don't do sht. They are just there to collect revenue from yellow light stretchers.

My previous 993 was T-boned and totaled by a red light runner (on a cel phone too) in a red light camera intersection. Call up redflex to see the video to demonstrate the other guy's guilt to the insurance company. I get a sorry explanation that the camera videos are not legally admissible in court (you can't even subpoena it!) and that the only way you are allowed to see the video is if you are sent a ticket! #)$(@*$

Our city got so many complaints about the cameras that they're taking them down. Traffic accidents actually went up from people locking their brakes up to avoid the shortened yellow lights (3 sec. to 2.5 sec, shortened when cameras installed) and causing increased rear end collisions.

Good riddance!

[Joe Bob]

If you get the ride back, the 914 guys like the engines and trans for conversions.

They don't bring huge dollars but it's a choice if you can pry it out of the insurance company's hands for cheap....

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I heard it was Sarah Palin's fault, not the lady that hit you.

In all seriousness, glad you're okay - side impacts can do a lot of damage/injury!

[RWebb]

thx Jeff

re the motor, I posted a note on The Samba (for Vanagon people to do conversions with). Don't think there are enuff 914 people around here, but anyone nearby is welcome to contact me in about 2 weeks. I'll be doing in whatever fashion is the least hassle for me...

a tip for you ORYGUN drivers - the state is using your tax money to help you - they have a brochure of info on how to deal with your & other ins. co.s and they will hassle the insurer on your behalf if they screw you. They cannot force the ins. co. to do anything directly, but will try to persuade them to be fair, publish that they have a good or bad complaint rate; and file a report. A report can be use to impress ajudge if you have to file a case in court.

FYI, the admin rule on this is OAR 836-080-0240.

This sort of thing will not be attractive to an atty as their rake-off is too small, but the ins. co. will be very unhappy that you sue them in small claims ct. You might also get a notice letter from an atty. that will help for $50 to $100. So be aware.

I should say that other than the delay, I don't (yet) have a problem with this ins. co.

Also, this is a lesson that the pure economic basis for deciding whether to carry collision or comprehensive on a beater is not all that one should consider. There is a time & hassle effect that one should figure in also.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by jkarolyi

Red light cameras don't do sht. They are just there to collect revenue from yellow light stretchers.

My previous 993 was T-boned and totaled by a red light runner (on a cel phone too) in a red light camera intersection. Call up redflex to see the video to demonstrate the other guy's guilt to the insurance company. I get a sorry explanation that the camera videos are not legally admissible in court (you can't even subpoena it!) and that the only way you are allowed to see the video is if you are sent a ticket! #)$(@*$

Our city got so many complaints about the cameras that they're taking them down. Traffic accidents actually went up from people locking their brakes up to avoid the shortened yellow lights (3 sec. to 2.5 sec, shortened when cameras installed) and causing increased rear end collisions.

Good riddance!

Yellow light times are often shortened when the cameras go up. I have to say that since this idiot COULD have hit me while walking or on a bike, and it happens a lot here, I am about to change my policy preference on this...

One thing your atty could have done is to supoena the video/pics from the red light runner. S/he could then try to get it admitted even if it fails (works well for a jury), and/or just put them on the witness stand and then wave it in front of their face and ask them "Did you see this video?" "What does it show?" etc.

[Racerbvd]

Post it on 914world.com, lots of 914 guys there..

[John Rogers]

Get a good lawyer! Your vision is blurry, you have terrible headaches, your hands twitch and you can't pee more than once a day now!

[DARISC]

Just be thankful we don't have a lot of completely uncontrolled intersections:

[RWebb]

tons of those in Laramie, Wyo. - also no snow removal "God put it there & when he's good and ready, he'll take it away"