Lesson Learned

Last week I spoke about driving and how no one seems to adhere to the driving rules any longer. Well needless to say this week I was the recipient of an individual who does not adhere to the driving rules; but, more importantly I learned something about the human psyche and what to do in the future. Listen to this story and know what to do should this happen to you.

It was Thursday morning and I was off to the gym to workout with my trainer, Jennifer. I was running early about 10 minutes and I tend to like to park in the same area. I pulled into the parking lot and noticed that someone was walking to their car so I figured I would take his spot. Three minutes later and the man has not backed out of his space.

At this time I notice that someone else is walking to his car which is another three spaces down and to my right – I pull up a little bit and am just sitting in my car waiting for him to back out of his spot. As I calmly wait all of a sudden I feel and hear “CRUNCH” – as I look over my shoulder the original gentleman (and I am using that term loosely) has managed to back out of his parking spot and into my car.

I place my car in park – get out and ask him if he did not see me there? He admits that he did not look back before starting to back out of his spot. My thought is “okay, he admitted he is wrong so let me collect his information”. He also points out that since his car is old he really doesn’t mind that his car received a tiny scratch and the letter “B” fell off of SAAB. Meanwhile my car is a 2009 lease so I do care that I have to have the entire left backside replaced and the rear fender. He kindly provides me with his name, insurance information and his home and cell phone number. I manage to park my car and go in for my training session.

I am a few minutes late for my appointment with Jennifer and upon seeing me she realizes that something is wrong – I told her what happened and she recommends that I file a report with the Club. We get through my training session and I go ahead and file a report with the Club and they even take a picture of the car. I then call my insurance agent and give them all the information and they said they would start working on it right away.

By the time I got home I had a call from my insurance with all the information on the other insurance company, who I had to call, etc. I do that immediately, give them a recorded statement of the incident and am waiting for instructions on having their adjuster take a look at the car.

On Thursday morning I receive a call from the gentlemen’s insurance company stating that I can get an estimate from my Body Shop and just fax it to them – if it is reasonable then they will okay it and I can get the car repaired. I stop by the body shop – they provide me with an estimate and I immediately fax it to the insurance company.

Later that afternoon I call his insurance company to make sure they received the estimate and what are our next steps. WELL, if I am not in shock when I find out that the “gentlemen” has now changed his tune and stated that I too was backing up and am also at fault. I am appalled that he is now blatantly lying. There is still that part of me that believes that individuals are generally good and will do the right thing. Those of you who know me can realize that I am now tongue-tied because I am so angry. Her (the insurance agent) proceeds to let me know that it is now 50% my fault; and, therefore they are only responsible for paying 50% of the repairs and this is a result of my not calling the police and having a police report or an eye witness.

I then called my insurance agent advising her of what happened. I have to say that I very much like them (www.geico.com) as she advised me that she would fight for me on this. She will get recorded statements from each of us, she will have her adjuster look at my car and that the most I will be out of pocket is half my deductible. I also advised her that I had filed a report with my fitness club and that I knew he had not because by the time I had parked my car he was gone.

So a few lessons learned:
1. No matter how minor the accident and no matter what you will be late for file a police report
2. Don’t think the best of individuals in matters like this
3. Even though you are parked and will be moving forward – keep looking behind you for what others are doing
4. If you are the one backing out – look behind you – don’t just back up

My little burgundy CRV will be fixed; it is a hassle to go through this process – I have not been in an accident for over 30+ years and although not my fault I dislike the thought of it.

Things to be grateful for: I was alone in the car, I am not hurt and neither is he. The car is a piece of materialism and not a life.

Recommendations I will be making to my fitness club: install speed bumps and surveillance cameras.

So this week was a lesson learned, in a car accident no matter how minor call the police.