Need help on minor accident

Fxspt22 SG

I came across this forum while looking for help on solutions to my little debacle..

I'm currently serving my NS in tuas naval base and i drove my dad's Honda Civic Hybrid to camp today coz he took leave to entertain some visitors..

it happened while i was driving in the carpark below my flat while i was like 50m from my home.. the guy in his toyota vios(with his back to me) apparently had his hazard lights on and was going to reverse into a lot on my right.

i assumed he would wait for me to pass him as he wasnt moving at all. so i went ahead and tried to drive past him at 25kmh. thats when he suddenly reversed at a rather fast speed (relatively for a new driver like me). i tried to react by swerving my vehicle into an empty lot on the right but i didnt do enough to avoid the collision.

the damage received by his car was not as serious as mine i think (by my stupid no brained way of thinking). apparently his rear bumper was severly dented but the rest of his car was ok. my dad's car, however, had part of the front headlights/foglights chipped off and the fender was bent out of shape. i could hear rattling noises as i drove off later.. after conversing on the possible courses of action i desided to exchange details with the guy and continue discussions after my dad comes home.

the guy's relative then came up to me to talk to me (he's a taxi driver). in his words:"if u wan fight for insurance sure lose, cuz u bang into his bumper and u have a p-plate" the owner himself also says that he is going to claim insurance against my dad's ins company.. i was rather shocked that things have come to this point as far as im concerned, if im at fault, he has to bear a certain amount of responsibility.. after all, isnt the reversing driver supposed to check out for incoming traffic? he's even supposed to be more "experienced" than me..

im feeling totally down now... i think i might be able to pay for the damages incurred through my savings.. haiz... besides, if my dad's insurance company resets the insurance.. prems gotta double............. christ...

QX179R SG

just wait & see what your insurance company will say first..

Fxspt22 SG

my dad managed to convince the other party to settle it at my dad's workshop for his car... but the damages to my dad's car aren't minor.. i guess he will have to claim it with his insurance company... thats not the end of the problem though.. thing is, my name wasnt listed in my dad's insurance.. sighz... i feel so remorseful for damaging his car... i wonder if i'll ever come to terms with this accident..

my friend keeps telling me to treat it as a lesson learnt.. but im not sure if im ok with tt... 1 day of driving on my own leads to an accident.. dun say 1 yr or even 1 week.. i cant even trust myself with my driving.. how can anyone else trust me?

BrUtUs SG

difficult case... now is dun let him bully u... wat ur dad say? keep calm now...

QX179R SG

don't worry so much on it since it has already happened & it can't be rewinded back..anyway this is a minor accident & hope you're able to get back your confidence as well as trust to get back on the road again

BrUtUs SG

ya ur fren is right... take this as a lesson... u need to rebuild ur confidence in driving...

hisoka SG

should have disputeed and taken the point of impact i think it owuld make a big difference in killing their claim. but oh well no choice now. just take as lesson learnt bah.

nightsky87 SG

Well.. as in all accidents the best thing is (if its safe) to take the pictures of the cars in their relative positions right after the incident (ie immediately after). actually from the damage point of view, it does look bad on you because apparently the front of your car (lights) was hit while his rear (bumper) was hit, so if both of u move your cars, its his pasar to say you purposely hit into him when he was stationary. it would have made a very big difference, if the bumper impacted your side panel or the doors (because in that case it would be clear that you obviously didnt drive your car into him), but nowadays Insurance Company is king so whether win or lose is up to the insurance company to fight.. if not, its your words versus him, and it does not look good on you.

well, as long as you know that the true story is caused by his indecisiveness instead of your recklessness, don't take the incident to heart, take it as a learning journey. believe me you're still young, you will meet much more cheesepies people out there on the road.. don't be that easily disheartened, accidents do happen, slowly rebuild your shaken confidence.

see you on the roads soon.

Naughtius Maximus SG

Well since the other party has already accepted to get his vehicle repaired at your Dad's workshop, I guess the biggest part of your worries are relatively over. But dude, getting into accidents are, how should I put it..., a right of passage. One way or another... I mean, it could've been a lot worse. You should count you lucky stars it wasn't as bad as it could've been. No one was hurt. Obviously you're a lil' shaken and feeling guilty. It's okay, these things happen to the most experienced also. Just remember to take away the lesson it has taught you, apply it to your everyday driving. Every driver, sooner or later will encounter moments like these. I smacked the left side of my bumper into a darn column @ a multi-storey carpark when I was on probation. Simply because I misjudged my car's length and turning radius. Shake it off, don't be too hard on yourself...

This experience should make you a better driver both in the judgement of your own vehicle and to be aware that even though you are careful, others may not be as cautious. Always look out for other vehicles and the funny things their driver's tend to do. With time, you'll get the hang of it. Good luck and drive safe man...

storywolf SG

double post

storywolf SG

"i assumed he would wait for me to pass him "

That is a problem - "you assumed" - which does mean a wrong judgement in your part. Frankly you should have be more patient and let him park first ... Even if you want to pass him , when he is clearly in decisive .....my advice Honk first to get his attention that you are going to attempt to pass him for he may do like what he did, or a door may open and someone even alight into you car path !!!

Anyway this is a costly lesson... well it is over so get over it.

soleachip SG

I came across this forum while looking for help on solutions to my little debacle..

I'm currently serving my NS in tuas naval base and i drove my dad's Honda Civic Hybrid to camp today coz he took leave to entertain some visitors..

Thankfully there was an empty lot on the right.

IMHO driver of the black vios is not in the wrong. He was parking and his hazard lights were on, both were correct procedures most people adopt. In this kind of situation, I'll only pass if the driver gestures an ok. Even if you're in a hurry and have to pass, like what storywolf said, you should at least sound the horn as a warning to him.

Yep he may be more experienced than you, but both parties are licensed drivers and both are grown ups. Having a P plate doesn't mean you can be excused for wrong judgement in this incident.

Cheer up mate, practice more can already. Don't let this small matter affect your confidence and keep driving! :)

muwrx SG

next time if you have all the intention to drive past the parking car, use your HORN! it's just a case of assuming. now you understand very clearly what others say assume = ass + u + me.

drive with caution last time.