Got rear ended today for the first time. Car's ok as am I

"JeffFurbs" (jefffurbs)
03/31/2014 at 17:11 • Filed to: None

For the first time today I was rear ended. Scared the crap out of me. It sounded a lot worse than it was. I have always wondered how I would react in such a situation where I am not at fault. I am happy to say I am proud of myself. I did not freak out. I have this horrible thing where I get overly attached to my worldly possessions and my car is not excluded from this. Now it might be at the top of my favorite possessions as it was my attainable dream car. Anyways...

So I was leaving work (I do IT for a school district) and came to a T in the road to turn right. I stop at the stop sign and inch up a little. As I inch up, I guess the high school student behind me thought I went and so they started to go. Well you can guess what happened next. Slam. I immediately go in to wtf just happened panic mode. Turn the car off, put the hazards on and look behind me. There is the biggest dear in headlights I have seen in my life. Poor driver was even more panicked than I was. So I go to there car to make sure they are ok. They ask me the same thing and are apologizing up and down. We exchange information, i look at my car and don't see any blaring scratches or cracks. I tell them that it's most likely not a big deal and I will be in touch if it is. It is not a big deal and I won't be calling them. There are a few scuffs but I bought a used car with scratches built in so eh what can you do (yes my attainable dream car was used, whatever works right?).

Flashback-I think I have the lady to thank that I rear ended when I was in high school. It was snowing and my first car (mercury tracer), the brakes locked up, and even after pumping them, I dinged the BMW stopped in front of me. I freaked and the lady was nice enough to call me later and tell me that the screw hole dent my license plate left was not a problem and not to worry. She was nice during the whole ordeal anyways. So I was happy that I could be level headed to someone that was in the same role I was when I was young.

The driver made an honest mistake, everyone was ok, and they will hopefully be wiser in the future. All in all not a bad day. I even told them to "drive safe" after we finished exchanging information haha. Damn I'm witty.

The end

P.s. they were even more embarrassed when I told them to come down to the IT office if they had any problems haha. My office is in the HS.

DISCUSSION (19)

jkm7680 > JeffFurbs
03/31/2014 at 17:14

Welcome to the club! I've been rear ended three times in the last three years. Only one time was serious-ish though (Thanks Bro truck)

ddavidn > JeffFurbs
03/31/2014 at 17:17

I'm still waiting to get rear-ended so I can get a new bumper...
Glad to hear everyone was all right and you were a reasonable person about it.

JeffFurbs > jkm7680
03/31/2014 at 17:18

Damn! In 8 years I've been in two accidents... 1 was the aforementioned sliding into the BMW and 2 was the aforementioned being rear ended haha. You have some luck of the bad variety.

JeffFurbs > ddavidn
03/31/2014 at 17:20

Hahah my hindsight thought was I should've told her to hit my front bumper next time. That could use a replacement.

Thanks! Now if only I could relax when I get cut off or tailgated then I'll be a good person. That one's a work in progress though...first step is admitting

jariten1781 > JeffFurbs
03/31/2014 at 17:20

Driving around high schools is dangerous to bumpers. Learned from experience.

jkm7680 > JeffFurbs
03/31/2014 at 17:22

Haha, not even including multiple people leaving marks on my rear bumper because they don't know how to parallel without hitting everything.

$kaycog > JeffFurbs
03/31/2014 at 17:22

You handled that very excellently!

JeffFurbs > jariten1781
03/31/2014 at 17:39

Truth...I've now been on both sides of the bumber

JeffFurbs > $kaycog
03/31/2014 at 17:39

Thank you!

CAR_IS_MI > JeffFurbs
03/31/2014 at 17:47

I guess the high school student behind me thought I went and so they started to go. Well you can guess what happened next. Slam

Similar thing happened to me, guy behind me saw the turn arrow turn green (we were in straight lane, straight was still red) and went even though my foot was still fully on the brakes. I think I only kept my cool because the guy got out and was very apologetic and all, if he had got out and been a tool bag about it I probably would have lost my cool.

JeffFurbs > CAR_IS_MI
03/31/2014 at 17:54

Good on you! It's tough not to loose it in such a high adrenaline moment regardless of the damage done or not done

sidenote: That's my qualm about standards, I set myself up for failure when I occasionally take my foot of the brake on flats. Got to remember not to do that

CAR_IS_MI > JeffFurbs
03/31/2014 at 17:56

I only take my foot off if either there is no one behind me or I can see that the driver behind me is aware and looking, and not too too close.

JeffFurbs > CAR_IS_MI
03/31/2014 at 17:57

Unfortunately some people are masters of the "look like they are paying attention" variety

CAR_IS_MI > JeffFurbs
03/31/2014 at 18:00

It's sad but true. I would probably be more cautious about it if I wasnt driving a big Jeep with steel bumpers and a giant 100+ lbs tire mounted to the back. bump into me at a light and you might scuff my paint but your front end will need some work.

JeffFurbs > CAR_IS_MI
03/31/2014 at 18:02

hahaha that works

Stef Schrader > JeffFurbs
03/31/2014 at 18:12

Glad to hear you're okay. Ouch!

Flat Six > JeffFurbs
03/31/2014 at 18:30

Sometimes the bump feels worse than it actually is. However sometimes you can have more damage than it looks like. Before you decide not to call the other driver, look really carefully to make sure nothing is bent or dented (even if paint is okay), and make sure you can open/close all doors, windows, trunk, etc... normally.

JeffFurbs > Flat Six
03/31/2014 at 18:39

Thank you that is good advice. I will be doing that

JeffFurbs > Stef Schrader
03/31/2014 at 22:51

Thanks!