I am so mad at myself right now.

I've had the car for almost two months. Today I came to a stop for a red light. At the same time, my cell phone rang. I didn't answer it, but was still trying to reach it. Meanwhile, my foot slipped off the brake and I coasted slightly forward, and since I was distracted, I didn't realize it until I heard the "bump." (My eyes were looking down at the passenger seat, where the phone was located.)

I immediately got out of the car to check the driver in front of me, who was driving a mini-van. She was an older lady and I said if she could pull off to the side, we could exchange information. I was so rattled from everything (I haven't been in any accident for over 20 years), that I didn't get her insurance. At first I thought it wasn't that big of a deal. Her rear bumper didn't even look scratched but she said there was something there. So I gave her all my information and told her I'd call the insurance when I got home. (Because I couldn't find my insurance card. I know this makes me look like a complete ditz and I'm not, really. Maybe it is stuck in the glove compartment...)

Anyway. Later I took a closer look at my bumper and saw that yes, I did have a scratch and a small outward bump that I didn't notice before. The bump is about the size of a nickle. My husband checked underneath because I told him I had a feeling there was something behind it that came forward in the bump. Sure enough, there is some kind of metal rod that made the bump.

The woman was nice enough but then mentioned "whiplash" and that I hit her rather hard. I thought, "Lady, are you kiddiing me?" She's in this huge monstrosity of a car and I'm in this little sub-compact. I'd think that if I really hit her that hard, I would have had much more damage, which I didn't.

I even checked how fast the car moves forward with the brake pedal off while its in drive. It wasn't even over 0 mph. (I have an automatic.) We were also on level ground.

Sooo... I have a $500 deductible and the adjustor will take a look at it tomorrow, maybe. (Progressive, they'll call me.) Meanwhile I'm so made at myself for allowing myself to be distracted for even one moment. I've been so careful since getting my car. I come to full and complete stops. I stop several feet from a car. I look all around me before pulling out and wait until I look in both directions before moving through a light that just turned green. And then this.

My husband suggested getting a nose mask to cover up the minor damage. I have no idea how much a new bumper would cost.

I have the Storm Silver color. If you have any advice or suggestions, please let me know. I just needed to vent and hopefully get some good advice.

My poor, sweet Fit... snif, snif...

 

lets see some pics of the damage. doesnt sound tooo bad

 

I support a nationwide ban on using cell phones while driving. I've seen enough carelessness already, including a cell phone driver rear ending me too.

 

Well funny your husband mentioned a mask because Mechanicsville Honda in VA. has them on sale. They are on Ebay just type in honda Fit mask and you'll see them GD3 is $94 & GE is $108. He's right in it will be quicker and less exspencive.
Sorry about the bump on your new Fit.

PS Don't mind Jensen she says things alittle more directly than most

 

Here's the thing. I'm in total agreement with Jensen. I made the decision that with my new car, I was not going to drive and talk on the cell phone. I didn't do it that often anyway. (I only got a cell phone because my older car was getting to be unreliable and I wanted to have a phone in case of an emergency. Especially after finding out one day when I was stranded in downtown Columbus that I couldn't find a pay phone ANYWHERE!!)

So. If I need to make a call, I pull over in a parking lot. If the phone rings, I let it ring and then check it when I can. For some reason... (kicking myself again), when the phone rang this time, I turned to look for the phone. I broke my own rule and paid for it.

Here's my photo that I took especially for this board JUST yesterday!




And here are the photos from the bump. You can see the protrusion. There also is a slight dent to the right of it.





Thanks, Perrenoud for the tip. I did check the Mechanicsville Honda Ebay store but it looked like the mask was for the 2009. I have a 2010. I'm not sure if a 2009 would...um.. FIT.

 

09 and 10s are virtually identical.

As far as I can tell, the only difference is the number in the model year.

 

I doubt you need a new bumper just some sanding, bondo and repaint.... probably get it done for around the cost of your deductable

 

bumpers are cheap. it's the labor to prep, paint, and install that may be a little high, but if you know somebody, it can be done fairly cheap.

 

They are banned here. I feel sorry for the woman that was hit. Whiplash is painful.

 

The only reason to get a mask would be if you were worried about how it looks. I don't think it looks bad and it's not going to rust since it's not made of metal. It's only noticeable if you are looking for it. If it were me, I would just let it slide.

 

So is paying off someone who claims "whiplash".

Mistakes happen, I totally understand. Shouldn't add insult to injury for the OP.

 

Thanks for the tip!

Hmm. The question is how to find someone who could do it "fairly cheap." I'll see if I can do it, just to get an idea of the cost.

Thanks for saying that. I kind of go back and forth with it. I took a look at it again last night and shrugged, thinking, "It's really not that bad." But then I think of how perfect it was before..lol. Sigh. We all know when we get a new car that eventually something will happen. It's just that I was hoping to last a little longer than two months.

Black3sr and baylorbro - it hasn't been established yet that this woman has whiplash. She was driving a mini-van. It seriously was a bump. With the foot coming off the brake, the car drifted forward at about 1 mph. This wasn't a "slamming" into someone accident. I'm not minimizing injury but would be very surprised if such a low-impact contact really did that much damage.

 

Thanks, Goobers. I live in the same state as College Hills Honda and they have the mask at $108. I was thinking of getting one anyway. I'm not completely sure I'd like it, but it is a way to protect the front of the car from flying debris.

If anyone has one on their car and is reading this - what do you do when you wash the car? You remove it, I'm thinking, but is it that much of a hassle to do so?

 

My wife has a mask on her 2009 Subaru and it hasn't needed to be removed when washed and it has been on it for a year.... She pulls it away from the body and rinses away any dirt that is underneath it.... Just put a few coats of wax on the area it covers. I had one on a GMC Safari cargo van and did the same with it.... The lower part of it around the front spoiler got torn up from off road driving when the access easement to my land washed out and was rutted.

 

Thanks, Texas Coyote. I was just curious since I've never had a mask before. After getting an estimate, I may go this route, not sure. I still go back and forth with the way the bumper looks. On one hand, the size of the damage is rather small. But then I think that still, there is damage. And further, do I want to protect it from further dings, etc.?

Went to a collision repair shop to get an estimate. They said they'd have to remove the bumper, which I thought they would, to work on it. Also they'd have to remove the headlamps (?). The repair itself is $391.60. The tax and labor bring it to $534.60.

So, yeah. My deductible is $500 which is why I'm leaning toward a mask or simply leaving it alone.

 

DIY time?

And if the old lady takes you to court for "whiplash", then remember to look up the Happy Days episode.

 

Ha! I can't quite remember it but am thinking it had to do with a dollar bill being on the floor?

 

Hmm seems like its not bad at all. I would say get a bluetooth so that way you can talk and drive if you have to. I use to be bad at talking on the phone and driving now i just use a blutooth if i have to. Glad to see ur ok and there was minimal damge from it

 

I feel very sorry for all the other people who were injured too by accidents that could have been avoided if no cell phones were around at the time. What's really sad is even around here in the Winless City, where driving with hand-held cell phones has been outlawed, I still see motorists doing it all the time! Chicago, Illinois Cell Phone Accident: Teen Was Looking at Phone When She Hit State Police Trooper on Dan Ryan Expressway :: Chicago Car Accident Attorneys Blog

 

Yikes. That is so tragic. Jensen, as careful as I have tried to be, I realize I wasn't careful enough. From now on, my phone will be in my purse. Period. No way am I ever going to take the chance again of just having it out and then curiosity getting the better of me. I really don't want a Bluetooth, either. It took me years to finally cave in and get a cell phone. I don't particularly like them and I immediately had AT&T turn off my texting capability.

I saw a video awhile back of a car accidents and it was just terrifying. It's made me even more careful as I get in my car and drive. I have to simply try to be careful but yet not fearful, because believe me -- I could go there!