There’s a first time for everything.
Today as I was leaving Costco, I was rear-ended by the vehicle behind me. Legally, I’m sure it was her fault, but under the circumstances I completely understand why it happened and I feel partly responsible.
I was turning left out of the Costco driveway. There was no traffic coming from the left, and just one car coming from the right. Since I wanted into the center turn lane, there was no need to wait until that car had passed.
I drive a big van, so I start and stop slowly. As I eased out into the intersection, the oncoming driver swerved into the center turn lane and switched on his blinker. He was turning in just where I was coming out. Since he was on the main road and I was coming from a driveway, he had the right of way. I stopped halfway into the road and waited for him to make his turn. I was blocking two lanes, but there was nobody coming from that direction.
Then - BAM! The SUV behind me rammed me.
I’ve never been rear-ended so I have nothing to compare it to, but it felt like a pretty hard hit, especially since I was driving a 15 passenger van. She must have been looking left and right, and hit the gas without stopping for her turn at the stop sign. She obviously didn’t realize that I had stopped.
After the oncoming vehicle turned into Costco, I finished pulling out into the turn lane, turned around, and came right back in. The lady who had hit me rolled down her window long enough to ask if I was ok – I was – and we agreed to stop and assess damage. I wanted to see how bad it was. I was sure my lights would be smashed, and I just hoped my back doors would still function.
To my very great surprise, there was not a scratch on my van. Even the bumper gave no clues as to where it was struck. Other than a rippled license plate, the other vehicle was entirely unmarked as well. We assured each other that all was well and parted ways, greatly relieved.
In retrospect, I’m not even sure that the rippled license plate was anything new. Maybe this wasn’t a first time for her. If my license plate was mounted right on my bumper, the back one would have been rippled on my van too. No, not from being hit today. I mean from what I did last week. 
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oh wow! I’m glad everything was ok and everybody too!
I was pulling into a wal-mart parking spot in our 15 passenger van today and *almost* hit the lights on another vehicle… I was quite shaking when I got out of the van and I thought of you when you have posted about opening doors into other vehicles…
Oh my. Im glad your fine. God bless His protection (and a 15 passanger van) we have a big conversion van and was in an accident and NO DAMAGE. Can’t wait to upgrade to a 15. I get giddy just thinking about it.
Anyway, So glad you and baby and anyone else in the van was a-ok!!!
XoxoGapGirl
I had something happen to me the other day also. I was at a stoplight, and the guy in front of me actually rolled backwards right into me! He wasn’t even trying to go, and we definitely weren’t on a hill. I don’t know what he was doing! Anyway, no harm done, and we parted ways…..
Glad you were ok–Praise the Lord! Whew!
Wendy
Okay, am I missing something? What did you do last week?
I’m glad you’re ok!!
And that is a very nice thing about the big vans/suv’s. They can pretty much drive over a bus and there won’t be so much as a dent.
Not that I would have any first hand knowledge….
Glad you are OK. I love driving a big vehicle!! I had an accident once and my car did not have a scratch – perhaps a little one on the bumper — the other ladies car – totaled!!
I’m glad everyone is all right.
We drive a 12 passenger van and were rear ended one time (sitting at a red light). There was no damage at all to our van, but the other car didn’t look so hot. I suppose it’s one advantage to driving a huge vehicle. Well, that and the fact that all of our children will fit in it.
Wow. I am glad that you and the baby are all right. I have to know… WHAT happened last week?!
Lulu
Susan and Lulu,
I was hoping someone would ask.
Last Saturday I was backing into a parking space in a smallish lot so I wanted to get as far back as possible. I decided to just back slowly until I felt the tires hit the curb.
I hit harder than I meant to but wasn’t worried about it – until I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a telephone pole suspiciously close to the back doors.
I cringed inwardly and asked the children – “That wasn’t the curb, was it?” The response was a chorus of giggles.
I pulled out a bit and went around back to check things, but there wasn’t a dent or scratch to be found on either the van or the pole.
I casually mentioned it to hubby the next day, expecting him to give me a good solid ribbing and was chagrined to learn that the kids had already told him. Little rats!
I think 15 passenger vans are impervious to anything but major impacts – at least in the bumper. Ours was hit four times in the rear and never had anything but a few scratches on the bumper! Now the door – where other people mis-judge and slam their door (or something?) into your side mirrors are quite another thing entirely. After having our 15p van for 6mos. I ended up using two parking spaces all the time, just to keep people away from my mirrors. The third time it happened, we had to pry the door out just to get the window up and down.