[Rahxephon]

Hi there,

My Matrix was rear ended tonight. The person who hit it stopped to talk to me at first but then later took off without giving me her driver's license/insurance information. She did tell me she had no insurance card with her.

I remember her license plate and had reported her to the cop. When the cop came, he said my car looked OK. However, I believe that the GAPS between the taillights and the rear bumper have now widened. Perhaps, it's just my imagination. Can any matrix owners confirm whether the gaps between my car's taillights and the rear bumper are normal?

I am upset because less than 3 weeks ago my car was hit rather bad in Costco parking lot. The person who hit my car did not leave a note, so I had to pay out of my own pocket for repair. (My insurance deductible is high.)

The cop believed that since my car looked OK, there is no evidence that she hit me. The hit was pretty loud -- so I did expect there to be some damages. If there is really no damage, then I am actually happy with it as I am back in school; money & time is tight. If there are some damages, I should not have to pay out of my own pocket to repair the car for something I did not do again.

Your feedback and suggestions are much appreciated.

 

[Cuban Legend]

Hi there,

My Matrix was rear ended tonight. The person who hit it stopped to talk to me at first but then later took off without giving me her driver's license/insurance information. She did tell me she had no insurance card with her.

I remember her license plate and had reported her to the cop. When the cop came, he said my car looked OK. However, I believe that the GAPS between the taillights and the rear bumper have now widened. Perhaps, it's just my imagination. Can any matrix owners confirm whether the gaps between my car's taillights and the rear bumper are normal?

I am upset because less than 3 weeks ago my car was hit rather bad in Costco parking lot. The person who hit my car did not leave a note, so I had to pay out of my own pocket for repair. (My insurance deductible is high.)

The cop believed that since my car looked OK, there is no evidence that she hit me. The hit was pretty loud -- so I did expect there to be some damages. If there is really no damage, then I am actually happy with it as I am back in school; money & time is tight. If there are some damages, I should not have to pay out of my own pocket to repair the car for something I did not do again.

Your feedback and suggestions are much appreciated.

Nice username. I dont have a matrix but that gap seems too wide for sure. I dont think you're supposed to see anything in that gap at all.

Another Matrix owner can chime in and verify though.

 

[smancer]

Looks normal to me. The gaps on the matrix are a bit wider. Just check to make sure both sides line up to the side panels of the car just above the tail lights. Unfortunately Cops don't do squat here in Calgary unless it's serious and maybe injury is involved.

Costco is always a gong show to go to even with huge parking stalls people still manage to do the stupidest things...

 

[SupremeCorolla451]

Sorry to hear about what happened. Hit and runners are one of the most scummiest people in the world and I hate that they think they can get away with anything. The gaps seem a tiny bit off to me and I have been rear ended before in my Corolla. Do you remember what car the other person was driving? Was it a car or suv? Where was the exact hit, in the middle or off to a side? What may have happened is, they hit your bumper and it may have pushed in but came back out. Try to look for everything you can on the rear bumper, taillights, under the rear, and the rear hatch and try and find any scratches, dings, chips, any bent parts, etc. Try and wiggle your bumper to see if you have any broken clips as those are the pieces that break first in a hit. Also, if you can, post a picture of your entire rear and the rear bumper lines as well.

 

[Rahxephon]

Thanks Cuban Legend, smancer, SupremeCorolla451 for the replies.

Cuban Legend, I compared the gaps to the old Hyundai Accent & the 2nd gen Pontiac Vibe in my building parking lot; the gaps on my Matrix are noticeable wider than on those cars. However, I compared the gaps to the previous gen Honda Civic; the gaps between the taillights & rear bumper on the Civic seem large too. Perhaps, that Civic was rear ended too; I could see a leaf & trash stuck in the gap of that Civic.

smancer, I actually have moved to Kitchener for School at U Waterloo; just updated my profile. Still miss Alberta very much, & I will try to find a job there once I graduate. The rear bumper seems to line up with the side panels, so I'm feeling somewhat better.

The hit on the driver side of my car at Costco was brutal. At first, I thought it was just a shopping cart that cause scratches on the rear bumper, then I saw the main impact on the panel in front of the driver door. The metal was exposed and began to rust in just a few days. So my car was likely hit by both another car & a shopping cart in the same day. I still see people leaving shopping carts beside other cars when they finish unloading instead of putting the carts back; this makes me mad lol. (I will upload the picture later on today; my main computer has been alternating between working briefly and freezing.)

SupremeCorolla451, the car the other person was driving was the 5th gen Chevrolet Malibu; I have the license plate. The cop said he'd investigate but I'm not expecting much -- as he said he would get back to me by 7AM yesterday before he goes on his 7-day vacation, but I've heard nothing from him. My experience with this cop has not been pleasant, but I'm trying not to paint all cops with the same brush. I'm off work today, and I'll thoroughly inspect the car; I might even take it to a Toyota body shop.

Coincidentally, one of my preceptors also had her car hit when she was on one of her co-op. She had also paid about $800 to repair the scratches on her car just about a week before her car got hit.

I do believe that some people really shouldn't be driving.

 

[taco'rolla]

depending on how hard the bump was...

I'd be more concerned about what damage may have occurred
that is hidden under the bumper's plastic cover and not seen.

Only way to be sure...
is to pull the plastic Rr. bumper cover off and inspect.
Might need a professional's opinion, if ya don't know what to look for.

Scratches in the paint or deformation to that plastic bumper cover
would be the responsibility of that hit and run driver.

Just because they refuse to accept responsibility for their actions...
because they didn't see any visible exterior damage.
Doesn't mean that damage underneath that plastic cover hasn't occurred.

It's more probable you have some damage... then not.
The gaps around the tail lights makes that a possibility.
Minimally the clips holding the Rr. bumper facia on... have been broken.

It's a hit and run so report her and file a claim against her
with the police... and your own insurance.
It was not of your fault... so your Insurance Co. can't hold that against you.

The police will generally do little to nothing...
unless a physical injury were claimed.
So don't expect much help from the police.
But you need their report to turn over to your Ins. Co.

These people that do this and don't accept their responsibility piss me off.
They should be arrested, then flogged 'til they bleed

Then made to pay for any damages done.

Don't allow anyone /or her to get away with it !

 

[Rahxephon]

Thanks Taco'rolla,

I'd love to get my car checked out. I'm super busy with classes though and it's been over a month. I don't know if anything can be done now.

From this exp, I'm disappointed by the cops. I feel like they could have done a lot more. The cop told me the license plate matches the description of the car that hit me. However, because the damage didn't look obvious to him, I think he didn't do anything -- even though he said he was going to try finding the person and getting back to me w/in 24h. It's been over a month, and I've never heard from him again.

The attached image is the picture of my car after getting hit in Costco parking lot, nothing to do w/ the last hit & run.

 

[taco'rolla]

^ bummer

Do you have a " hit me " magnet or sign on yer car ? Lol

Like I said... the cops will do little to nothing...
unless an injury is claimed.

So basically it's up to you to prosecute those hit and run bastards...
if you can catch them.

More often then not...
you will just find the dent... and no one to hold accountable.

Bottom line...
If you do nothing... then nothing will come of it.

And your only option is filing a claim with your Insurance company...
or eating it.

Tho' it's been a month...
you may still be able to file a claim with your insurance co.
But you'll need that police report to give to them.