Well, in a way, it's good news, because it takes normally a lot longer when the car's totalled - the process, I mean. This should be much quicker for you.

Any news on this lowlife ratbastard worthless piece of cell-phoning alcoholic crap? Is he going to be charged with something,I hope?

Yeah, they're going to start ordering the parts tomorrow, I guess.

No word on the drunky-drunk. I know he was arrested for DUI and hit-and-run, the cop told me that much. Apparently he hit two other cars while running, that's what Maria's agent told me yesterday. We're a bit concerned that even if he does have insurance he's going to his the cap in his coverage pretty quickly. What happens then, Paigey?

I'm going to call and get a copy of the police report tomorrow. Or maybe I'll just call Maria...

Well, once they hit the cap, I'm not 100% sure - a lot of it is state-specific. Definitely ask your carrier. If I remember right, your carrier will pay the difference and try to collect it directly from him, just like they're doing now, only they'll be getting paid by him instead of his carrier. I mean, he's still liable for the damage whether it's his carrier who pays for it or it's him who pays. But if every car he hit (four, right?) has around your same amount of damage, I wouldn't think that would be a problem. If every car has $8,000 in damage, that should not be even close to his PD (Physical Damage) limits (but those limits are also state-specific, so check). I take it they've established that he does have coverage, at least?

You know, this has been quite an ordeal. I'm sure Maria would appreciate comiserating with someone who knows what she's going through, say over a nice, romantic dinner?

man-oh-man. glad you're okay.

that said, vehicular collisions suck. especially when your enemy, as it were, is drunk and on a cellphone.

(he was a white guy, right? not tryin' to jump to any conclusions, but that seems like a pretty white thing to do. hey, i'm white - i know how these people work. i'm not a drunk cellphone driver, though...)

i've been in two bang-ups recently. got swiped by a cabbie (total damages: $2,700) in october. less than a week after i got my pick-up back from the shop, some yuppie-lady rear-ended my ass when i was drivin' the pretty war to work. she pushed me forward into the car in front of me. the guy in front of me suffered no damage, but has hired a lawyer.

good times, eh?

oh, yeah...hook it up, mikewolf! if it works, that's one of the coolest hook-up stories ever. when you guys are all married or whatever, you can tell people, "we were hit by a drunk-driver," when they ask you how you met, and then you can go on doctor phil or something.

(sorry. it's early out here. not hittin' on all cylinders yet. yar.)

Hopefully the insurance comes through. Then you can drive it from the garage right down to the dealership! I vote for trading 'er in. What color Mini? I've been thinking about one too, or a hybrid. But the Prius is so damn ugly. The Honda, well, if we're gonna go that small, a Mini has got it all over H in the looks dept. At least its mileage is better than what I consume now. Are there any other hybrids on the horizon?

Even if the drunk does not have coverage you should be fine (ok well at least in MI you would be). I know this from being on the paying end of the ordeal. I ran a red hit one car and spun it back into 3 others (ouch!). This of course destroyed my little car and come to find out I did not have an insurance at the time (I thought I purchased 6 mos of coverage but only purchased 3 and the cancelation notice got lost in the mail). Anyway, in the state of MI the un-insured driver has to pay all the other drivers insurance companys back for any thing they paid. So the other drivers did not pay a thing but I paid a ticket for runing the red, plus $100 for causing an accident and the cost to repair one truck, one suv and one van! It took me almost 5 yrs to pay all that off.

I would trade your car as soon as you get it back. They never drive the same!!! Did you see Dateline (or maybe 20/20) last night? They crash tested the MINI (offset test at 40 mph) and gave it a best buy rating (least damage to the interior compartment)!

are you trying to tell me that you got 6 comments about your car and i was the only one who cared about those poor bulls. well that's just BULLSHIT. (pun intended.)

those poor, poor bulls. i am still over here gently weeping about it...

i'm with ya, EQ. It's really f'ing disturbing.

but let me stress that i am glad you're safe and uninjured as well...