lucidardor

Got rear-ended - while driving, mind you. I was NOT stopped... Some lady - presumably texting? - slammed into me as I was driving down a 35mph road. I was just driving down the road listening to my favorite Willie Nelson cassette, then BOOM. The impact blew out my front right turn signal (the indicator is now illuminated on my dash), and my drink exploded all over my interior. I guess I wasn't driving fast enough. Check out the picture of where it happened - right next to a speed limit 35 sign! This lady must have been going a hell of a lot faster than that.

So I pulled over, and this crazy lady gets out of her car, comes up to my window and starts shouting and cussing - accusing me of pulling out in front of her. We argued a few minutes, and after realizing she was in the wrong, she threatened to lie to the cops and tell them that I was stopped in the road. When the police arrived, they told me that's what she told them. She had an expired registration, and I saw them ordering her about as I drove off... What an unbelievable day.

In all my days, I've never heard of anybody getting rear ended while driving down the road. You literally can't make that kind of thing up.

SO... now I have a smashed up rear bumper, who knows what kind of damage underneath, and bent exhaust pipes... I need to find a reputable body shop that knows corvettes and can work with fiberglass... Anybody know of any in Las Vegas?

DMITTZ

Sorry to hear this. That really sucks. On a positive note your corvette seems to have faired pretty well for how hard you were hit.

lucidardor

True, that was pretty big car too! But I'm sure I would have lunged myself between the two cars to protect the vette if I could have!

nutsy

for her being such an ahole I would also have a severly sprained neck. make her pay.

JungleCat

Man, that bites. The damage doesn’t look horrible, though. Good luck with the repairs.

OzyC4

As much as it pains me to say it, these days a dash camera is essential equipment in your car to protect yourself from arseholes.

FWC

Maybe she didn't like Wilie Nelson, on a cassette no less ! Sorry it happened though, hope you get her fixed up without issues.

drcook

Exactly. My wife bought me one, I have to get busy and install it. I think I will get one for all 3 vehicles. Not only is it self protection, but it can be used in evidence for other accidents that you witness.

It could also be used in court if you are wrongly accused of speeding. Get the LEO on it to provide a point of reference, then you can "time" the distance between 2 reference points and use it in court.

haxxx

I know in my state it doesn't matter what she says. The damage is on the rear of your car and in front of her car. It's her fault. In my state the cops would determine her at fault right then and there and that would be that. The only thing that could change this is video evidence of you slamming on your brakes to purposely cause the accident, something like that.




The rear bumper is all plastic by the way. It looks like it's mostly just paint cracks so a repaint would make it look good as new. The exhaust look like they could use some quick cleanup with a metal grinder and maybe some adjustment.

dmaxx3500

there is a metal tube/bar under the rear bumper,thats probably $3,000+ damage

start looking over the deck lid/quarter panels for cracks

corvette95

Your problem is going to be her insurance company is very likely going to want to total your car. You have options, don't just go along with it.

NavAir

C5 4me

yes!i say he needs to see a doctor & a lawyer fast!

billschroeder5842

Sorry, for the accident. I know it sucks.

Easy for me to say but your damage is not really all that bad. Your body panesl look good and you have pain cracks. My guess is that your bumper bar is good as well-- you did get hit while in motion so the impact was less.

My guess is that you are out of the situation for 1200-1500 and less than a week. Please try to source the bumper on your own. Not only will yuou save money but you will ensure quality.

1stVetteFinally

It's the same way here in VA, even if you brake check the person. I live in the country, where there is plenty of wildlife ranging from 1 lb to +150 lbs, not to mention livestock. If an animal jumps out in front of you, what's the difference between slamming the brakes for that or slamming the brakes for a brake check. No matter how it happens, if you are rear-ended in VA, it's the other persons fault for following too close (unless you do something like cutting off someone and immediately slam the brakes. But even then, the cops are going to want either a witness to some kind of proof that that happened).

corvette95

If the rear body is damaged (paint looks like it is cracked or rubbed off where the rear body meets the bumper, they will need to repaint the entire rear body, including removing and REPLACING rear body weatherstrip (and retainers) (not supposed to re use weatherstrip), again, the insurance company will look at the standard value of the car and may want to total it to get it off the books, don't go with that. Again, you have options, and demand quality weatherstrip . Shop of choice is yours.

Krusty84

Yea, good luck with all that. I don't even see any real damage besides the scratches on your muffler tips. Everything else looks similar to what 1/2 of the round tail light C4s already look like.

lucidardor

Thanks everybody. I found a hairline crack in the passenger side quarter panel just beneath the B Pillar. Hopefully it's just in the clear coat. Luckily it is essentially just the rear bumper, but I bet there's more damage beneath it as she hit me a lot harder than it looks. Although as mentioned, I was hit in motion, so the damage beneath the bumper may indeed be less than I'm expecting.

Luckily here in Nevada, damage on the rear bumper is her fault regardless of what she tells the police. First she told the police I pulled out in front of her (even though there were no driveways near where this happened), then she changed her story. On a 35mph road, there's no reason for someone to ever rear end another car in motion. Because of the law here in NV, both of her made up stories will get her a ticket. And I'm pretty sure a "failure to maintain control" will be a higher ticket than going 50 in a 35. Plus I think it's against the law to lie to the police, and they'll know when they're being lied to. I swear, some people have more teeth than brain cells!

And I am feeling some slight pain in my back. I have a previous compression fracture injury, so it's a little achy today... Plus I have a pretty stiff neck today. I may go get an MRI to make sure I'm fine.

lucidardor

Same law here in Nevada. But only an idiot would break check somebody - especially in a tiny plastic car! I'm more upset that my car has never been in a collision and still wears the factory original paint - even on the rear bumper. It really pisses me off.

lucidardor

Noted. Although, I would prefer that they do not repaint the body - even if there were a crack, because it's the original paint. Lucky for me, I have classic car insurance with a $12,000 agreed upon value ;-)