Twice. Once my fault (technically, though the guy cut me off, and after I rear-ended him he took off like a bat out of hell, so he was clearly up to something shady) and once I t-boned an old man who blew through a red light.

Just today, the guy behind me swerved around me as a light turned green... so that he would be in FRONT of me at the NEXT red light. I was tempted to run into him to teach him a lesson, but, well... fantasies. His car was WAY nicer than mine. More painful for him than for me.

Forgot to mention - the van in the fog was grey and didn't have his lights on. I still think he was partially at fault due to speeding and not having his lights on.

Three times total. The first time was when I was still in high school. My sister and I were at a yield and went to take a right hand turn. However, a guy in a van at dusk in the rain/fog came flying around the corner and struck the left hand corner of the car. Minor damage, but it was my mom's car. It was deemed our fault.

We've been rear ended twice while stopped.

First time - We were stopped at a light. The guy behind us thought the light had changed so he gunned it. Damage to the bumper only. A good sized gash.

Second time - We were the 5th car stopped behind a metrobus and a guy came flying through a light and hit us full speed. Only mild-moderate damage to the bumper but our brakes crapped out a couple days later. We think it was from slamming on the brakes to avoid hitting the person in front of us. Fortunately we were able to prevent the car from going into the car in front of us and creating a pileup. The guy got out of the car and said "were there people in front of you???". Um. Yea.

My DS was upset because he went to get a bottle of juice out of the fridge at the body shop and found that they only stock it with water now. That's how often we've been there the past few years.

I've only been in one involving other people. (when I was 16. I'm now 39.) But years ago I hit a parking lot median because I am a moron and totally misjudged my angle of approach. Felt pretty stupid explaining that one to the guys at the body shop.

Parked in metro parking for years and I can't tell you how many times people hit me without leaving a note. Most were minor, but it still pissed me off because it affects my trade-in value. And I could do without the cracked tail-light. I'm sorry, but if you hit someone hard enough to crack their tail-light, you should leave a freakin' note.

I feel for you OP. DC driving is nuts. I often wish I had a dashboard camera in my car to capture some of the crazy that I see.

I wouldn't buy another Japanese car if I were you.

I would never answer this question. It would totally jinx me.

5 times in 4 years: (all not my fault and paid for by the other parties)

-hit by a student backing out of a parking space straight into the side of my car.

-hit by a guy who put his car in reverse and attempted to drive backwards into a parking space. Unfortunately, I was in the lane behind him and he didn't see me.

-hit by a landscaping truck cutting a corner too closely on a narrow street

-hit by someone running through a stop sign--thankfully only the back 1/3 of my car was hit.

-hit on 95N by the bumper flying OFF the car in front of me. I tried to swerve by the traffic was dense. My side airbags all deployed because the impact with the loose bumper was pretty intense.

I drove in a place overseas worse than NYC for 10 years and NEVER had an accident. Here in the US I got in 4 accidents in 3 years. I'm embarrassed to admit.

Twice I hit cars parked illegally off sight in a culdesac. Once I was backing up to park and someone was "adjusting" their car in the parking spot and we rear ended each other. The 4th time I scratched my side on a column in an indoor parking garage. I feel awful! Thanks God I didn't have the kids with me in any episode!

I relate. Let's see in the past 5 years...

-rear ended twice by people on cell phones

-backed into by an oblivious truck driver who then took of so fast I could not see if he was on cell phone let alone get his info. He smashed my car up pretty badly.

-My parked car was smashed into by a teen who sucked at driving. He tried to take off and flee, but someone got his license plate number for me

-Woman opened her parallel parked car door into ongoing traffic and nocked off my rear view mirror among other things. She tried to blame me because she didn't know you need to look before you open car doors near busy streets. Her insurance adjuster was so honest and great about paying for everything and giving me a rental.

Was the driver illegal, this had happened to many people that I knew

Cell phones.

I know exactly how he feels - I've been rear ended 3 times, luckily no totals.

My husband was stopped at a light and just got rear-ended. Thankfully he is okay, but this is the 4th time it has happened in 3 years! What is it with distracted drivers in Northern Virginia? We got this car after our previous car was totalled (which was a replacement for the first car which was totalled). It is only a car but seriously.... Grey Nissaan Sentra (totalled), Red Nissan Sentra (rearended and repaired, then totalled 6 months later), black Nissan Altima (damage to be determined).