I do carry comprehensive coverage, just not collision.  That is because I
have looked at statistics, and for older vehicles, fires, vandalism, theft
and so on are more common than crashes.  But now I realize that collision
insurance is probably worth the price for instances like this.

On Tue, Aug 30, 2016 at 12:23 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Well, if that's their story then their insurance company will go after
> yours for payment, which will be a lot more than your $2000 damage.  It
> will impact your policy record instead of theirs, which is why they are
> lying about this.
>
> Comprehensive coverage with a $500 or $1000 deductible is cheap, and then
> your agent will sort it out with their agent. This will likely happen
> anyway, so be prepared to fight.
>
> Stuart
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of David McNeely
> Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2016 11:07 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: venting about irresponsible drivers
>
> Well, for those of us who haven't found a need for one of the newer type
> phones (I do have a cell phone, but it is an old style flip phone, without
> all the newer gadgetry) these approaches don't work.  I didn't know that
> everyone emerges snapping pictures of everything, and recording
> everything.  I guess that's what I get for being an old fart.
>
> And I never imagined that someone who says repeatedly that an accident was
> her fault, and who states that her liability insurance will take care of
> the damages, would then falsify a statement to her insurance company and
> deny liability.  I also learned, regarding that being a felony:  Nope.
> Only if the intent is to defraud THE INSURANCE COMPANY.  Defrauding the
> victim seems to be no big deal.
>
> Well, old farts can learn, and I am doing so.
>
> On Tue, Aug 30, 2016 at 10:31 AM, PB <pbrattan@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I think the video recording is the best solution. Nowadays, everyone
> > who has a fender bender comes out with a cell phone snapping pictures.
> > It's just a normal practice, and is not usually interpreted as
> > aggressive or accusatory.  You can appear to be snapping photos, but
> > actually recording, and the other party will not even know it. Even if
> > you should put your phone in your shirt pocket  or hold the phone
> > downward in your hand, the audio will still continue to record in most
> > of the newer cell phones. I actually never thought of this myself, but
> > it would be best to check to find out if your cell phone has limited
> > recording time.  In that case you should have an audio recording app
> > icon easily accessible on your home screen.  They usually have longer
> recording times.
> > Patti
> > 90 Westy automatic
> >
> > On Tuesday, August 30, 2016, Greg Childs <Greg@gregorychilds.com> wrote:
> >
> > > 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.
> > >
> > > -------- Original Message --------
> > > Subject: Re: venting about irresponsible drivers
> > > From: Roy Nicholl <RNicholl@NBNET.NB.CA
> > > <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','RNicholl@NBNET.NB.CA');>>
> > > Date: Mon, August 29, 2016 5:29 pm
> > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > > <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM');>
> > >
> > > David:
> > >
> > > Any chance there are surveillance cameras in the area?
> > >
> > > > On 29-Aug-2016, at 18:53, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM
> > > <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM');>> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I need to vent. A week ago (last Tuesday afternoon, actually), I
> > > > took
> > my
> > > > 1991Volkswagen Vanagon GL Campmobile out to pick up some
> > > > furniture. I stopped at a stop sign that controls entry from a
> > > > ramp into a Y where
> > two
> > > > other roads enter. Both of those other roads have curves in their
> > > approach
> > > > to the intersection that make the sight distance short.
> > > >
> > > > So, I stopped at the sign, then, creeped forward a bit to get a
> > > > better
> > > view
> > > > of oncoming traffic, and stopped again. Just after I stopped the
> > > > second time, a vehicle hit the camper's rear bumper, thwack!. The
> > > > damage was minor, a broken bumper on the passenger side rear, a
> > > > small ding in the D-pillar, two mangled bumper mounts.
> > > >
> > > > The other driver and her husband both got out of their small SUV,
> > > > as my wife and I did from the van. We all surveyed the damage.
> > > > Their RAV4 had more, the grill, a headlight, a fender, the bumper
> > > > all being sort of mangled. Their vehicle was about ten feet behind
> > > > ours, which had been pushed forward by the impact.
> > > >
> > > > The other driver was exceedingly apologetic, saying over and over
> > > > that
> > > she
> > > > was extremely sorry that she had hit us, and that she was certain
> > > > her insurance would take care of the damage. Her husband observed
> > > > that the damage to our vehicle was minor AND THAT IT WAS QUITE
> > > > OLD. I pointed
> > out
> > > > that being a classic and their being a hot market for these vans,
> > > > I
> > would
> > > > have to fix it. He also said that their insurance would take care
> > > > of
> > it,
> > > > and he pulled out registration papers and insurance card. We
> > > > exchanged information, and both drove away.
> > > >
> > > > The next morning I called her insurance agent, and was referred to
> > > > the claims department (of State Farm). At first I got the spiel
> > > > from the adjuster about using the State Farm appraisal system. I
> > > > listened
> > politely
> > > > and observed that I would get estimates from independent body
> > > > shops. He demurred on that, but then said I would hear back from
> > > > him later the
> > same
> > > > day.
> > > >
> > > > An hour later, a different person called me from State Farm to
> > > > inform
> > me
> > > > that liability was denied, as the other driver stated that I had
> > > > backed into her when she was stopped behind me. No witnesses
> > > > except
> > ourselves. I
> > > > do not carry collision insurance, even on this rather pricey
> > > > vehicle,
> > as
> > > I
> > > > prefer to drive self insured, expecting to pay my costs if I am at
> > fault,
> > > > and to rely on my liability insurance to fix the other driver.
> > > >
> > > > But that leaves me with no representation to collect from the
> > > > other driver. I have considered small claims court. It will cost
> > > > me about $2K to fix the camper. In court, it would just be my
> > > > explanation against
> > the
> > > > other person's, with the only witnesses being the two drivers and
> > > > their passengers, both spouses.
> > > >
> > > > Any advice? One thing I learned, despite police admonitions to
> > > > just exchange information and be on your way, if I ever have
> > > > another
> > > accident, I
> > > > definitely will call in a patrol officer.
> > > >
> > > > mcneely
> > >
> > >
> >
> > --
> >
> > *♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪*
> > If it's not on my iPhone, it doesn't exist...
> > ●▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬♥▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬●
> >
>
>