<html><body><span style="font-family:Verdana; color:#000000; font-size:10pt;"><div>The last time I was rear ended I immediately turned on the video camera on my smart phone and exited my vehicle. The phone captured my description of the situation and other drivers' admission and apology. I continued to video record the damage, license plates, documents, and the driver.<br><br></div>
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-------- Original Message --------<br>
Subject: Re: venting about irresponsible drivers<br>
From: Roy Nicholl &lt;<a href="mailto:RNicholl@NBNET.NB.CA">RNicholl@NBNET.NB.CA</a>&gt;<br>
Date: Mon, August 29, 2016 5:29 pm<br>
To: <a href="mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM">vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM</a><br>
<br>
David:<br>
<br>
Any chance there are surveillance cameras in the area?<br>
<br>
&gt; On 29-Aug-2016, at 18:53, David McNeely &lt;<a href="mailto:davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM">davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM</a>&gt; wrote:<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; I need to vent.  A week ago (last Tuesday afternoon, actually), I took my<br>
&gt; 1991Volkswagen Vanagon GL Campmobile out to pick up some furniture.  I<br>
&gt; stopped at a stop sign that controls entry from a ramp into a Y where two<br>
&gt; other roads enter.  Both of those other roads have curves in their approach<br>
&gt; to the intersection that make the sight distance short.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; So, I stopped at the sign, then, creeped forward a bit to get a better view<br>
&gt; of oncoming traffic, and stopped again.  Just after I stopped the second<br>
&gt; time, a vehicle hit the camper's rear bumper, thwack!.  The damage was<br>
&gt; minor, a broken bumper on the passenger side rear, a small ding in the<br>
&gt; D-pillar, two mangled bumper mounts.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; The other driver and her husband both got out of their small SUV, as my<br>
&gt; wife and I did from the van.  We all surveyed the damage.  Their RAV4 had<br>
&gt; more, the grill, a headlight, a fender, the bumper all being sort of<br>
&gt; mangled.  Their vehicle was about ten feet behind ours, which had been<br>
&gt; pushed forward by the impact.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; The other driver was exceedingly apologetic, saying over and over that she<br>
&gt; was extremely sorry that she had hit us, and that she was certain her<br>
&gt; insurance would take care of the damage.  Her husband observed that the<br>
&gt; damage to our vehicle was minor AND THAT IT WAS QUITE OLD.  I pointed out<br>
&gt; that being a classic and their being a hot market for these vans, I would<br>
&gt; have to fix it.  He also said that their insurance would take care of it,<br>
&gt; and he pulled out registration papers and insurance card.  We exchanged<br>
&gt; information, and both drove away.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; The next morning I called her insurance agent, and was referred to the<br>
&gt; claims department (of State Farm).  At first I got the spiel from the<br>
&gt; adjuster about using the State Farm appraisal system.  I listened politely<br>
&gt; and observed that I would get estimates from independent body shops.  He<br>
&gt; demurred on that, but then said I would hear back from him later the same<br>
&gt; day.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; An hour later, a different person called me from State Farm to inform me<br>
&gt; that liability was denied, as the other driver stated that I had backed<br>
&gt; into her when she was stopped behind me.  No witnesses except ourselves.  I<br>
&gt; do not carry collision insurance, even on this rather pricey vehicle, as I<br>
&gt; prefer to drive self insured, expecting to pay my costs if I am at fault,<br>
&gt; and to rely on my liability insurance to fix the other driver.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; But that leaves me with no representation to collect from the other<br>
&gt; driver.  I have considered small claims court.  It will cost me about $2K<br>
&gt; to fix the camper.  In court, it would just be my explanation against the<br>
&gt; other person's, with the only witnesses being the two drivers and their<br>
&gt; passengers, both spouses.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; Any advice?  One thing I learned, despite police admonitions to just<br>
&gt; exchange information and be on your way, if I ever have another accident, I<br>
&gt; definitely will call in a patrol officer.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; mcneely<br>

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