It happened at ~1:45pm on January 19, 2007. I was driving the white 1995 Ford-Econo (plate #:-HE) on the right lane of No.3 Road between Leslie and Parker place, Richmond. I found a white truck (GMC, plate #:-JR) stopping in the middle of the lane in front of me with its hazardous lights flashing. I slowed down and checked the left mirror to find a good chance to change into the left lane since there was a heavy construction and heavy traffic on No.3 Road. When I found the nearest vehicle behind me was ~ 30 meters away from me and my distance between my truck and the white GMC was ~one truck long, I slowly changed into the left lane, the car behind me was honking to me since I was too slow to enter the middle of left lane. I didn’t pay attention to my right mirror, because of the honk; also I had to turn my wheel to my right direction to get into the middle of the left lane. I suddenly found that I was in an awkward situation: the left lane was too narrow, and I heard the sound of collision first and then the sound of scratching from my rear-right direction. I immediately stopped my truck in the construction area to give ways to other vehicles. Honestly, I didn’t see whether or not the white GMC was moving backward when the collision happened.
The driver of the GMC, Mr. Wei Min Wang (driver license: , class 5), showed me the plastic part of his rear vehicle. He confronted me to give him my license and my truck insurance. I told him that I was going to give him everything necessary before I looked into the damage and I needed to take a picture by my cell phone since I didn’t see any visible damage on his plastic part. Mr. Wang pointed a scratch on the upper part of his truck and told me that was my work. I took a picture and I suddenly found it was an old scratch not a new one.
I told Mr.Wang that I heard the noise but I wasn’t sure of the damage. However, I went back to my truck and picked up the insurance paper. Mr. Wang refused to accept my license and insurance paper when I handed my license and paper to him. He asked me if I was able to speak Mandarin, maybe he saw my Asian face. I said yes. Then he told me in Chinese that he would let me go since it was only a small scratch (1/3 palm-size on the lower part of his truck.
Mr. Wang told me that he let another driver go last time when other people scratched him and his boss blamed him, that is, he had to call his boss first. Also he was going to beg his boss to give up the compensation. I asked him why he was parking his truck like that, because I found his rear left wheel on the white-line between the right lane and left lane. Also I couldn’t judge that he intended to move backward to collide my truck when I was changing into the left lane slowly.
Mr. Wang told me that there was a construction vehicle in front of him and he was going to change his lane. I noticed that his vehicle was very close to the truck in front of him (~1meter). I kindly reminded him not to park truck too close to other vehicle. Mr. Wang told me that his boss is coming in 5 minutes. Also he asked me where I am from. I told him that I was from Sichuan and he told me that he was from Ningxia, a Chinese Muslin territory. Also he told me that he wasn’t a Chinese Muslin because I asked him.
I asked him what business he was doing. He told me that he was delivering food and plates to all kind of restaurants in Richmond. I told him that I had done that business before, and I knew all the restaurants in Richmond. Mr. Wang asked how many years I lived in Canada, how many years I was driving and what’s my salary. I told him.
Then Mr. Wang suggested I work for his company and his company is offering a better hourly salary ($12/hr) than my company, since he was going to leave and his boss need someone to take his shift. Mr. Wang promised me that his boss was going to let me go. But I still wrote down the plate # of his vehicle.
Mr. Holly Chan showed up ~ 8 minutes after and he told me to exchange info with Mr. Wang. I told Mr. Chan that I wasn’t sure of the upper scratch since it’s an old aftermath. Mr. Chan and Wang told me that lower part was scratched. I heard that Mr. Wang told Mr.Chan that I stopped the truck right after the accident. I kindly and politely reminded Mr. Wang not to park his truck like that any more, before we said good-bye to each other.
My position was that this was an impossible collision if Mr. Wang wasn’t moving backward when I was changing into the left lane, because the distance between the two vehicles was at least one vehicle long. I don’t have the habit of driving too close to other people. Unfortunately, I didn’t pay attention to my right mirror before the scratch happened, also I didn’t know whether or not Mr. Wang was moving backward at that time.
Mr. Holly Chan:
ICBC confirmation #: WDRF-HHCK
ICBC claim #: W547164 5
Li’s opinion is that we respect the authority and judgment of ICBC: Li is 100% responsibility of the accident, that is, Li is going to have a record and the insurance premium may rise next year, because we can’t afford the over-estimating of dishonesty.
February 24, 2007
ICBC Caim #: W547164 5
Dear ICBC,
Thanks for the letter on Feb. 14, 2007. I accept the judgement of 100% against me. But today, my boss told me that she paid over $600 for the victim. My point is that the victim asked more than necessary, since I told you in my first email that the damage was ~1/3 palm size scratch at the tail of the truck that only needs $300-$400 in a regular ICBC shop.
My boss required me to directly bargain with the victim without informing ICBC next time in order to decrease the insurance premium and cost. Another driver only paid $90 for the loss that would be $400 if it's repaired in a shop, of course, he didn't inform ICBC.
There's nothing wrong with the issues of decreasing the labor cost of ICBC and increasing company's capability of competition. My position is that the silence would give you the wrong statistical data and mislead ICBC to design the wrong insurance policy, since the insurance premium is based on the history of accidents and the road sense of the driver. Also ICBC has the liability to educate the drivers' veracity. As a Chinese, I know that some Chinese drivers have the habits of taking advantage of their victory if they have the chances.
Therefore, I am requiring that ICBC supply a way for the drivers to input the accidents for the statistical purpose when we settle down the dispute privately that is going to save the cost of ICBC and decrease the loss of the company.
A loyal customer,
Gesheng Li
The driver of the GMC, Mr. Wei Min Wang (driver license: , class 5), showed me the plastic part of his rear vehicle. He confronted me to give him my license and my truck insurance. I told him that I was going to give him everything necessary before I looked into the damage and I needed to take a picture by my cell phone since I didn’t see any visible damage on his plastic part. Mr. Wang pointed a scratch on the upper part of his truck and told me that was my work. I took a picture and I suddenly found it was an old scratch not a new one.
I told Mr.Wang that I heard the noise but I wasn’t sure of the damage. However, I went back to my truck and picked up the insurance paper. Mr. Wang refused to accept my license and insurance paper when I handed my license and paper to him. He asked me if I was able to speak Mandarin, maybe he saw my Asian face. I said yes. Then he told me in Chinese that he would let me go since it was only a small scratch (1/3 palm-size on the lower part of his truck.
Mr. Wang told me that he let another driver go last time when other people scratched him and his boss blamed him, that is, he had to call his boss first. Also he was going to beg his boss to give up the compensation. I asked him why he was parking his truck like that, because I found his rear left wheel on the white-line between the right lane and left lane. Also I couldn’t judge that he intended to move backward to collide my truck when I was changing into the left lane slowly.
Mr. Wang told me that there was a construction vehicle in front of him and he was going to change his lane. I noticed that his vehicle was very close to the truck in front of him (~1meter). I kindly reminded him not to park truck too close to other vehicle. Mr. Wang told me that his boss is coming in 5 minutes. Also he asked me where I am from. I told him that I was from Sichuan and he told me that he was from Ningxia, a Chinese Muslin territory. Also he told me that he wasn’t a Chinese Muslin because I asked him.
I asked him what business he was doing. He told me that he was delivering food and plates to all kind of restaurants in Richmond. I told him that I had done that business before, and I knew all the restaurants in Richmond. Mr. Wang asked how many years I lived in Canada, how many years I was driving and what’s my salary. I told him.
Then Mr. Wang suggested I work for his company and his company is offering a better hourly salary ($12/hr) than my company, since he was going to leave and his boss need someone to take his shift. Mr. Wang promised me that his boss was going to let me go. But I still wrote down the plate # of his vehicle.
Mr. Holly Chan showed up ~ 8 minutes after and he told me to exchange info with Mr. Wang. I told Mr. Chan that I wasn’t sure of the upper scratch since it’s an old aftermath. Mr. Chan and Wang told me that lower part was scratched. I heard that Mr. Wang told Mr.Chan that I stopped the truck right after the accident. I kindly and politely reminded Mr. Wang not to park his truck like that any more, before we said good-bye to each other.
My position was that this was an impossible collision if Mr. Wang wasn’t moving backward when I was changing into the left lane, because the distance between the two vehicles was at least one vehicle long. I don’t have the habit of driving too close to other people. Unfortunately, I didn’t pay attention to my right mirror before the scratch happened, also I didn’t know whether or not Mr. Wang was moving backward at that time.
Mr. Holly Chan:
ICBC confirmation #: WDRF-HHCK
ICBC claim #: W547164 5
Li’s opinion is that we respect the authority and judgment of ICBC: Li is 100% responsibility of the accident, that is, Li is going to have a record and the insurance premium may rise next year, because we can’t afford the over-estimating of dishonesty.
February 24, 2007
ICBC Caim #: W547164 5
Dear ICBC,
Thanks for the letter on Feb. 14, 2007. I accept the judgement of 100% against me. But today, my boss told me that she paid over $600 for the victim. My point is that the victim asked more than necessary, since I told you in my first email that the damage was ~1/3 palm size scratch at the tail of the truck that only needs $300-$400 in a regular ICBC shop.
My boss required me to directly bargain with the victim without informing ICBC next time in order to decrease the insurance premium and cost. Another driver only paid $90 for the loss that would be $400 if it's repaired in a shop, of course, he didn't inform ICBC.
There's nothing wrong with the issues of decreasing the labor cost of ICBC and increasing company's capability of competition. My position is that the silence would give you the wrong statistical data and mislead ICBC to design the wrong insurance policy, since the insurance premium is based on the history of accidents and the road sense of the driver. Also ICBC has the liability to educate the drivers' veracity. As a Chinese, I know that some Chinese drivers have the habits of taking advantage of their victory if they have the chances.
Therefore, I am requiring that ICBC supply a way for the drivers to input the accidents for the statistical purpose when we settle down the dispute privately that is going to save the cost of ICBC and decrease the loss of the company.
A loyal customer,
Gesheng Li