Met a new Green Bay resident...by accident!

[John Schmidt]

Wisconsin is roundabout crazy and it caught up to me yesterday on the way to church and wasn't my fault. Seems you can't get from point A-B anywhere around this metro area without going through one of these circles, where I live is no exception. I approached the circle in my right hand lane since I was going to continue around it in the outer lane to access the I-41 northbound on ramp. There's an exit to the right before the on ramp for traffic to continue north on the same street I was on coming to the circle, but it's not accessible from the inside lane on that roundabout. I was just about to pass that exit when this guy in a big Dodge Ram p/u tried to make that turn from the left lane and hit my left front fender. Basically, he tried to make a right turn from the left lane, which is the inside lane on the roundabout. I was on the phone all morning with my insurance company, Enterprise car rental, local Buick/Cadillac dealer and it's driving me nuts. Then when I thought it was over for now, I get a call from my insurance company liability investigator who wanted to go over the entire even again. After taking a statement he indicated it looks like the other driver is totally at fault, I agreed by telling him you don't make right hand turns across another lane of traffic.

The guy driving the p/u was maybe late 30's and had a nice, quiet demeanor. Judging by his manner of handling things I think he felt totally at fault. We didn't call the cops, probably should have at the time but I did call to ask questions later and was told they no longer make a report after the fact, especially if it's not a major incident and no injuries. The cop laughed when I said it looked like it was too much Ram and not enough Dodge. Kinda bugs me cuz I didn't have a scratch on the car...until now.

[OnaWingandaPrayer]

Sorry to hear this John. I hope you are able to get it sorted out quickly .
 Here in my area of Florida round d bouts are becoming a popular traffic control device. Some of them seem to work well and others not so well . I suppose its a learning curve/traffic volume ration thing. Also we are getting a few of the double diamond intersections

[cookiedough]

sorry for the loss and burden of dealing with his, and your, insurance company, good luck.  Is best to get a police report every single time a collision occurs since if it goes to court and the guy does not pay, you have a police report to back you up.  Hope it does not go to that event I have been in once before, and their insurance company pays for the damages as they should.  My instance the guy lied to the police officer said he had required car insurance, never had insurance, police officer just took his lying word, but then 8 months later going to court, guy never even showed up, won my case and the courthouse forced him to pay up all over about 1200 bucks in damage is all. 

roundabouts and overall turning into lanes NO ONE stays in their darn OWN lane.  So many times near weekly into work in Madison WI there is a corner/curve to the right both lanes same direction and the idiot in the right lane going around the corner, goes into my left lane.  Dozens of times I have to slam on the brakes me in correct lane for the idiot in right lane not following his own lane just moving on over with no regard to me right next to him.  Or, I have to get over again into the far left lane to avoid a side collision.  Happens like few times a month and I BLARE my horn every single time at them yet they do NOT care nor stay in their own darn lanes. 

Another intersection two lanes same direction,  right lane can turn right, but there is a clear sign saying left lane NO turns on red.  So, 75% of the drivers in left lane still turn right around corner on a red light.  Then same issue happens both turning right this time around a corner and NONE can stay in their won lane then as well. 

[TJ]

  Your fault , Your fault ,  just because you're old as dirt and should have stopped for the youngster ...They aren't very smart because it's the Not my fault generation...   

[John Schmidt]

  Your fault , Your fault ,  just because you're old as dirt and should have stopped for the youngster ...They aren't very smart because it's the Not my fault generation...   

Yeah, the devil probably made him do it cuz we were on our way to church.    My insurance, State Farm, isn't cheap but has sure stepped up. They emailed me the case number, then contacted the local Caddy/Buick dealer with the case number...they're under contract with them. Dealer called me, set up an appointment time to come by for an estimate today, I had to pay my deductible at that time but will get it back when all is completed between the insurance companies, the other guy has been found liable. My insurance also called Enterprise and set up a leased car for the time mine is under repair. I'll drop it off next Monday, should be done by the following Friday next week. Nice older gent did the estimate, he smiled and said this is a nice car so he's not going to mess with trying to save anything by fixing damaged parts. If the fender can't be straightened out(dinner plate size depression behind the headlight) he won't waste time, just order a new one. I joked with him, told him I was planning on looking at their two year old Buick or Caddy SUVs after first of the year so if he takes shortcuts I'm going to tell on him if they cut me short on trade value. The current car is a 2018 Buick Enclave SUV, bought with 40k on it two years ago, nice ride for these old bones. Also gives mileage in the high 20s to low 30s, depending on topography...and load. Been a good car.

[Rams]

I have no idea of the weather there that day but, I'm thankful you weren't on the trike.   

Rams   

[Pluggy]

Hello, John.  You saw the picture of Mrs. Pluggy's CrV after it was clobbered.  The repair quote was mostly parts and those were "certified replacement parts".  We were told these were "just as good as genuine Honda".  Well, the damaged parts were genuine Honda, and we wanted the same.  We heard "Oh, no you don't get that".  

The person at-fault had The General insurance.    I only get stinky about once every five years and I had to use that skill to get what we felt we deserved.

Now, if you want genuine Buick parts, you may want to ask about the estimate and find out what they quoted.

[John Schmidt]

Stu, I plan to have my insurance tell the Buick dealer I only want GM Buick factory replacements. Had that issue some years with one of my daughter's cars, half the "genuine" replacements simply didn't fit even though it looked identical. Never did look right after that but the cost was lower for her.

[Jess from VA]

There are a series of three of those roundabouts (in quick succession) out where I ride my bike.  They're the only ones I've ever seen around here.  No one knows how to drive in them or who has right of way, and they're a death trap on a motorcycle.  I yield to everyone (even if I get honked at).

Although a bike can blaze through them (cranking and banking) faster than any cage. 

[cookiedough]

good you know about OEM buick parts not rip off factory seconds aftermarket BS.  I once made the mistake of a plastic fender wheel well liner and was so thin I could rip it with my hands apart was not thick or secure at all like OEM was. 

At least guy had insurance, try fighting in court and calling the jerk who had no insurance every week for 8 months to get PAID and damage was ONLY like 1200 bucks or so fender bender....  He called me up one day knowing he was home since he lives in same town as me 1/2 mile away and knew he was home saw him outside so I called 3x's in one day.  He yelled at me saying QUITE calling him or he will file harrassment charges on me.  WTF!  That is when I had enough and took him to small claims court and he never bothered showing up even knowing he had no case.

[John Schmidt]

Since I have the estimator's card, I gave him a call re. quality parts. He told me it didn't make sense to try and pop out the fender so included a new fender in the list. Then added that since new or repaired had to be repainted anyway, just R&R of everything is easier and faster, especially since the damage was all well above any frame members. Then with a chuckle he said I should come in this weekend and look over the dealer's inventory, your car might never leave the lot. Might do it just to see what's out there. The 2026 models all seem to have turbo'd 4 cylinder motors, that's why I'm only going to look for a low mileage 2-3 yr. old vehicle. As for the later models, why they put a 4 in a nearly 4k lb. SUV makes no sense. Sure, it can move it around ok, but putting it to work pulling my trike on a trailer comes to 2k lbs.. I might be old school but to me that is overworking a 4 cyl. whether it's turbo charged or not, leading to early engine issues. Granted, some turbo charged units seem to run indefinitely but for me...it's simply more to go wrong under the hood. My SUV has a 310hp V6 backed by a 9 speed transmission, and has real good torque throughout. When I first bought it, I had my preferred shop drain the factory tranny fluid and put in some good synthetic, then go through it and reprogram the function if necessary. The result is I've had no problems with it. Total mileage is coming up on 63k so might have them do the tranny change again before summer trailer towing. Since my degrees aren't in engineering, I choose to not work on the engine...even though my military background is in electronics. I can't afford the test equipment.