My Rubicon was totaled by an uninsured/unlicensed driver. What to try next? (dashcam video included)

[sigsegv]

Update: They do have insurance! The state trooper appears to be utterly incompetent and filled out all sorts of stuff wrong in the accident report. It turns out that she's an au pair, and the car belongs to the family she works for. It's still not clear if she has a driver's license. At least I'll be getting my deductible back, and there better be some money for pain and suffering too, because lord knows this is painful.

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[TheRealTVGuy]

Which Dashcam system do you have? I’m thinking about ordering one (two).

 

[TheRealTVGuy]

Update: They do have insurance! The state trooper appears to be utterly incompetent and filled out all sorts of stuff wrong in the accident report. It turns out that she's an au pair, and the car belongs to the family she works for. It's still not clear if she has a driver's license. At least I'll be getting my deductible back, and there better be some money for pain and suffering too, because lord knows this is painful.

If it’s an Au Pair you’ll probably be okay. Those aren’t cheap and BMWs aren’t necessarily cheap, so hopefully they’ll have decent insurance. I’m just glad you guys are okay. I hate hearing kids cry in pain. Those videos are some pretty powerful stuff.

 

[JLUW75]

Yesterday night while stopped at a red light on an exit ramp, someone hit me at about 50mph without even touching their brakes. They pushed me into two cars in front of me, and my jeep is almost certainly totaled. It turns out that the complete and utter waste of oxygen and protoplasm that hit me doesn't have insurance or a driver's license. I'm sure she'll face no consequences because I live in a criminal wonderland. The Jeep protected us well, and things could have been so much worse.

I love all cars, and my goal is to own one of everything that's ever been interesting before I die. However, right now is an awful time to go car shopping, and also: I had no hankering for something besides my Jeep.

Given that there are a bunch of cool cars I've never owned, I feel really silly turning around and buying literally the same Jeep again - the JL hasn't changed much since 2018.

If you could snap your fingers and try something new, what would it be? Like I said, I love all cars, I traded a Miata in for my Jeep.

As promised, here's the dash cam footage. Both me and my son are sore as hell but had no broken limbs. My son is still complaining about having a headache so we're off to the hospital (again, he left in an ambulance the first time), we'll see whether we have any long-term medical issues as a result.
Rear:
Front:

And since it also doesn't exist without pics, here's my jeep at the impound lot:

The tow hitch is almost bent down to the ground:

The frame is so bent the rear doors don't close:

The car of the scumbag who hit us:

Wow, glad everyone is ok. Honestly, I would hire a lawyer and sue him for damages. I hope that since she/he drives a BMW that they have some assets the lawyer can go after. I hope you can get them to make things right. This kind of behavior needs to have consequences.

 

[2mnycars]

Which Dashcam system do you have? I’m thinking about ordering one (two).

I'm interested too! Need a front and rear camera camera to install....

 

[2mnycars]

Update: They do have insurance! The state trooper appears to be utterly incompetent and filled out all sorts of stuff wrong in the accident report. It turns out that she's an au pair, and the car belongs to the family she works for. It's still not clear if she has a driver's license. At least I'll be getting my deductible back, and there better be some money for pain and suffering too, because lord knows this is painful.

Thought I'd chime in after reading your first post.
Some similarities.
Wrangler JLU 2019
Miata have had a bunch

Wrangler was leased. Really miss it. Replacement is a Subie Forester. It's just not the same. Why a Subie? I don't think they've solved the steering problem that the JLU had. Yes had the TSB done and the steering gear changed. Made a big difference. I'm angry it took a year to solve. Actually longer. Later TSB's might have been better.

Thinking a Rubi. Maybe.

Point is--don't give up on Jeep. Really miss the JLU. and what could do with it.

 

[hiimmike]

First and foremost, I'm happy that the OP and his son seem to be fine.

But....almost a 100 posts and not one person asked whether the at-fault driver was hurt.

Have we gotten that jaded as a society?

YUP!
At least I'm honest. Should we also give them a participation trophy for crashing? They participated in a crash, good job crashy mcgee, you get a trophy!

I would care more about the other person if the other person cared more about those around them. This person was driving a BMW with no license, no insurance, and probably playing tokytok or whatever these idiot social media whores are doing these days and plowed full speed into the back of someone.

I'm not sorry that I care more about the poor guy going through life doing everything "right" and getting screwed hardcore than the jerk who couldn't care less. Maybe that's not the right answer but I'm pretty much tired of all the crap and these type of people. Before I come off (maybe I already have) as a cold rude asshole, I'm quite forgiving to mistakes made. My wife scratched my Jeep and I didn't even say anything to her even though I wasn't happy. It was an accident, I'm sure she didn't mean it, and I'll get over it.. .maybe. This wasn't a mistake though, this was blatent negligence, based on the OPs statements. For me, it's about putting forth some effort. If you're putting forth any effort, I'm happy to help you out. If you put forth no effort and want everything for free, go away.

 

[Murphydog]

YUP!
At least I'm honest. Should we also give them a participation trophy for crashing? They participated in a crash, good job crashy mcgee, you get a trophy!

I would care more about the other person if the other person cared more about those around them. This person was driving a BMW with no license, no insurance, and probably playing tokytok or whatever these idiot social media whores are doing these days and plowed full speed into the back of someone.

I'm not sorry that I care more about the poor guy going through life doing everything "right" and getting screwed hardcore than the jerk who couldn't care less. Maybe that's not the right answer but I'm pretty much tired of all the crap and these type of people. Before I come off (maybe I already have) as a cold rude asshole, I'm quite forgiving to mistakes made. My wife scratched my Jeep and I didn't even say anything to her even though I wasn't happy. It was an accident, I'm sure she didn't mean it, and I'll get over it.. .maybe. This wasn't a mistake though, this was blatent negligence, based on the OPs statements. For me, it's about putting forth some effort. If you're putting forth any effort, I'm happy to help you out. If you put forth no effort and want everything for free, go away.

I believe the OP provided an update and that the other driver has insurance…

 

[sigsegv]

Also glad the rear camera did not show you getting out of the Jeep and having a 'friendly' chat with the dude that caused the collision.

I actually wanted to check if she was okay, but we were both disabled in a *horrible* spot. It's a 3 lane exit with a crest in the road before it, and cars were whizzing by on both sides. If I had been able to talk to her, I wouldn't have gotten angry until I saw she was unable to produce insurance paperwork. Though she may have and the trooper may have just screwed up data entry.

I wasn't particularly angry until I reviewed the dash cam footage. Accidents happen, and this exit has bad sight lines. The dash cam footage showed me that she was still going highway speed (this was an exit with a T-junction about 400 feet away) and she didn't touch her brakes. That made me really mad.

I called her on the phone today to ask if she has insurance (since the state trooper didn't do his job) and she didn't apologize or ask how I was doing. That's when I basically gave up caring about her at all. I've hit a stopped car before. I apologized at least a dozen times. Yeah, liability, bad idea, whatever - if you rear end a stopped vehicle there is nothing an apology will make worse.

 

[Jhawth]

Glad you and your son are okay OP.

People seem to forget that driving is a privilege, not a right. Barring a sudden health issue that was not known about prior, F that BMW driver. I have zero sympathy for negligence, even more so when innocent people's lives are affected. Think of how much worse this situation could have turned out, thankfully only the Jeep was damaged. Hope you get the financial stuff sorted out and are able to continue earning an income OP.

 

[Powelligator]

If after a phone call with her and it's still not clear if she has a driver's license, then the case is now against the owner of the BMW as they can be proven to be negligent in allowing her to operate their vehicle. Imagine playing the dash cam video to a jury in a courtroom.

How are the folks in the vehicle ahead of you? Are they aware that the BMW is insured? They have just as strong a case as you do, and just as much an interest in being made whole.

 

[sigsegv]

If after a phone call with her and it's still not clear if she has a driver's license, then the case is now against the owner of the BMW as they can be proven to be negligent in allowing her to operate their vehicle. Imagine playing the dash cam video to a jury in a courtroom.

How are the folks in the vehicle ahead of you? Are they aware that the BMW is insured? They have just as strong a case as you do, and just as much an interest in being made whole.

I've been texting with both of the people in front of me about what happened, I texted them her insurance information when I got it. I think the at-fault insurance (USAA) may have actually been trying to call me, but the trooper got my phone number wrong in the accident report too...

 

[smokeythecat]

Yesterday night while stopped at a red light on an exit ramp, someone hit me at about 50mph without even touching their brakes. They pushed me into two cars in front of me, and my jeep is almost certainly totaled. It turns out that the complete and utter waste of oxygen and protoplasm that hit me doesn't have insurance (see update) or a driver's license. I'm sure she'll face no consequences because I live in a criminal wonderland. The Jeep protected us well, and things could have been so much worse.

I actually wish it was as hard to get a drivers license as it is to get a pilots license. The amount of safety training and scrutiny I got from everybody at the airport was invaluable in instilling into me the seriousness of that activity. And if you don't think driving is nearly as dangerous you could still agree that it is possible to change your life, or someone else's, for the worse in an instant.

 

[supermike]

sad to say but I found more disgusting is that the police officer who cant do his/her job correct. I do support law enforcement & understand its a tough profession but just how the fuck did he/she fill out all information wrong?! I had an hit and run accident in the parking lot and the officer till this day havn't finish his report yet, that's 11 month already. what a shame.

 

[Strommen95]

I believe the OP provided an update and that the other driver has insurance…

The BMW has zero justification for being on the road, assuming it's true they're not licensed. Even if the BMW hypothetically was licensed, there's a difference between getting into an "accident" and getting into a collision. What happened here wasn't some little mistake, an "accident". The BMW plowed into OP at full speed, presumably at a red light, without ever attempting to stop. That's not an accident. I'm sure it's not intentional, but it's not an accident when someone drives aggressive or distracted.

It's better that they're insured. They still might not be licensed, but even then, they deserve zero sympathy. The only time it's ever okay for something like this to happen is if someone had a legitimate medical emergency behind the wheel. The BMW clearly didn't. Insured or not, licensed or not, only a complete moron or a complete asshole could get into an "accident" like the BMW did here.

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