The Awesome Power of Not Being a Dick

Working Locations for the movie biz can be a harrowing job. If something goes wrong on location while production is in full swing the owners/ managers/ people in charge can be very short on forgiveness. It’s a sensitive job requiring sometimes super-human finesse.

That wasn’t the case this time. My first time as the production rep for a location went well. We broke a sprinkler head and scratched the lobby door with an exacto knife while applying a black mat cover to update the look from twenty-yr old engineer office to high-tech government lab. And a bucket-worth of rubber glass scattered in the garden. It’s hard to get every last crumbly bit.

Anyway, these were minor issues that the liaison might have flipped over, but because of certain effort in the smooth flow of information it was a very positive experience for all. I think they’d be happy to have us back. This from a 24/7 manufacturer of sensitive electro-chemical equipment. My boss’ boss seemed very happy with the outcome as well. A jorb well done, if I do so say.

On my way out I stopped at an intersection behind a pickup and checked a text message (Maigen wanted to know what kind of cake I want for my b-day). I looked up just in time to see the pickup rolling back toward me. Too late for anything but, “aww, nuts.”

We got off the road and jumped out to have a look, me hoping it would only be the plastic grill and the other driver undoubtedly hoping something similar. She was all apologies and, me being me, I did my best to calm her down. She unreservedly said it was her fault and we traded info. My “bumper” is a little bashed and her trailer hitch is… well, perfectly fine, thanks. She was on her way in less than five minutes. I took an extra minute to record the details I figured ICBC might be interested in, like the location and circumstances. It was a wholey pleasant exchange, insofar as the situation could be. She was terrified I was going to be Godzilla and I was happy to not be that guy. Accidents happen. I should know.

My guy at Mazda referred me to a good autobody shop and the guy there was very helpful. He walked me through the whole claims procedure and laid out what I could expect. We discussed the loaner details and how in the world we could make it all work with my insane schedule. He said he would keep the shop open til I could come by for the switch. Even if that weren’t until nine, nine-thirty? Sure, sometimes I’m here that late anyway.

I called ICBC and told them the whole story. The claims guy was matter-of-fact and told me that ICBC policy says that without witnesses the guy in back is automatically at fault… unless the guy in front accepts responsibility. He was inclined to believe my story (we had a good talk), but policy is a mighty thing.

The short of it is that if the driver of the truck decided to refuse responsibility I would be stuck with the $500 deductible and fault would be at least partially assigned to me. I’m sure my particular experience is in the minority, and that generally speaking the guy behind is following too damn close and deserves to take the blame, but dammit, I didn’t do anything wrong. I was at least six feet away, which is my own insurance in case some clown comes barreling up from behind. The simple truth is that she didn’t check her mirrors. But ICBC is ICBC, and percentages are what they are.

So. Suddenly it comes down to this: she was a sweetheart during our initial talk, and she was a sweetheart again when I called her with the ICBC claim info. But all she had to do was call them and deny responsibility. An investigation would have to be done, and with no witnesses it would just be my word versus hers, and percentages being percentages…

ICBC called a couple hours ago to let me know that she had, in fact, called them and accepted full responsibility. They said that she had said it was such a relief that I had been such a nice guy about it.

I suppose dicks will read this and file away the tidbit that the guy behind is automatically at fault, barring witnesses. But to Nice Guys I say this: we do not always finish last. Sometimes we finish just fine.