Ouch

Velma and I got to be the Prius human filling to a German sandwich today when we had stopped in traffic in Bristol.

The car in front, a BMW, had stopped because the car in front was turning right and crossing traffic. I'd stopped too with plenty of distance between myself and the car in front.

Sadly a VW golf came skidding in from behind and pushed both my car and myself into the back of the BMW. Yay. Two crashes.

So I've now got one dented up Prius and a whole load of insurance stuff to deal with. Luckly a traffic officer came by shortly after the accident and seems to think it was all the VW's fault as both the BMW and myself were stationary.

I'm not sure what damage is done. I was driving from my partner's office after dropping off a Starbucks to her and so wasn't too far away. (the accident actually happened outside a hospital but they still called an ambulance!!!)

Kate's taken Velma back to her office car park and said the car drove okay. So now I'll have to wait until she drives my Prius home tonight before I see what damage has been done. She's got secure parking at work so her Prius will get a free night off the evening commute tonight - she'll get the train in tomorrow and bring hers home tomorrow...

Anyway.

Ouch... I'm in bed now with a really really bad back, stiff neck and dodgy knee (my knee hit the steering column) Oh, and I got my coffee all over the interior. You know you get hit hard when your coffee gets spilled everywhere (even with a lid on it!)


Anyone like to guess at what the insurance company will say and what will get replaced? Velma's a 2004 Prius.



(A full photoset of the damage is at flickr Car Accident 11/12/08 - a set on Flickr )


Nikki.

 

Good! Thanks!

I only hope my back and neck repair too!

I've also just noticed why there was a big dent in the front of the hood - It's missing the hood ornament as a consequence of the accident!



My other half has just rang and she's driving Velma home and leaving her Prius at work.

Nikki.

 

Having got the car back tonight I've had a little look in the semi-dark.

It seems like the rear bumper bar is dislodged from the car slightly and the paint is cracked and peeling where the plastic deformed. I guess it did it's job!

The front is a bit more sad as the front of the hood is dinged up (but does open), the upper grille and front fender is badly dinged, scratched and dented.

I'm feeling really rubbish too and keep replaying the whole thing in my head. I just keep remembering seeing the car coming up fast from behind and not being able to do anything about it.

Still, let's hope the insurance company sort things out eh?

One final thing. I'm quite particular about adjusting headrests in my cars. I'm glad I did as it's avoided more injury than I got. While my neck still hurts I'm convinced it's better than it would have been had I not ajusted the headrest correctly...


Nikki.

 

Heheh IT's good to know!

I wonder if the other cars will be that easy to repair? The VW was pretty beat up at the front end..for a slow impact, at least.

 

Well folks, I should hear tomorrow from the repair firm. I hope they get off their rear and get the car fixed before Christmas!

 

So here's a little update:

After waiting for a call (and not getting one) I rang my insurance company again, who agreed that it would be okay if I sent the car to my local repair place sanctioned by the local Toyota garage.

Velma is now safely in the hands of the fixing people who have told me that it'll probably be five days or so before the parts have arrived. Estimations are that it will be a few weeks before my car is fixed and back on the road. Typical British slowness!

Anyway - in the meantime I'm without a Prius and I've got to drive a gas-guzzling Citroen C4 which the insurance company have handed me. I cried when I looked at the fuel economy figures on line.

I suspect that Kate may find her Prius missing on certain days to be replaced by a strange Citroen C4....

 

Nope - the PHEV won't happen until the new year (probably)

The C4 is a disgusting car. I've just got back from being out in it.

Average fuel economy for a 10 mile trip? 29.5 mpg, UK. The fuel gauge has moved off the first 'pip' already and the car says it has 310 miles before the tank dies. When I filled it up the gague was reading 1/4 full and it cost £5 more to fill it to full than it does the Prius from empty. And I can get 500 miles easily from one tank in Velma. This car is terrible!

I don't know how anyone could like the C4. The steering wheel is HUGE* and the centre doesn't move - which in itself is very disorentating. The driver's seat has terrible adjustment too and the only way I can drive at all is to lean forwards constantly so I can reach the pedals and the wheel.

It's also the first car I've EVER had to resort to the owner's manual to figure out how to do various things. Intuitive it is not. Annoying it is. Had I not needed a car for tomorrow I could have gone with a Honda Fit (Jazz) which I've driven before and quite liked. At least Hondas are in the same league as most Toyotas in terms of ease of use and reliability!

I've never before taken such an instant dislike to a car, but I really hate this C4. Why anyone would buy one is beyond me. The insurance hire car company had told me they would replace 'like with like' when I initially asked for a car but I didn't expect something this bad! Still, a car is a car.

Oi vey. Give me back my Prius. Soon. Please!

* I don't have problems with big steering wheels persay, as I grew up on a dairy farm and used to drive tractors. I am also a closet classic car buff and have owned/driven/helped to fix a whole collection of weird and wonderful vehicles. But this one is terrible!

 

I would love to, but the insurance company (or rather, the appointed 'angel hire' firm whose job it is to find you a car while yours is repaired) said "Oh, we don't DO priuses.

I actually asked them for a Smart Car instead, as it's a smiliar fuel economy. But no, they don't do those either.

So I'm stuck with this horrid car if I want a car for the next two weeks. I suspect I'll be borrowing Kate's Prius wherever possible...

At least I don't have to pay for it. As the other driver has admitted it was her fault (at least, that's what I think the traffic officer said) I can get her insurance company to pay for the rental...

Roll on the plug!