Hit & Run in a parking lot.

[Ravant]

Well, everyone, I'm going to have to take a break from the world of retrogaming to cater to my first love, cars. Last thursday, my 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo was involved in a hit & run at my college's main parking lot. The culprit damaged my car while I was in class. The tail-light assembly was shattered, the bumper was torn off of its mounts, and the rear driver's side quarter panel was dented in a section of 1/8 inch thick steel... not to mention the entire 1/4 panel was scratched beyond repair and needs replacing.

When all was said and done, it's about $2400 in damage. Because he ran, and even though I wasn't in the vehicle at the time, I'm screwed. Either I pay for the repairs entirely on my own, or claim it on insurance and pay through my nose until I'm 25. Thankfully, my friend's mother works in a forensics lab, and she brought the paint left on my car to the lab to find out that it was either a Hyundai Santa Fe or a GMC Yukon that did the damage. Now all I have to do is find the car with the damage and confront the spineless scumbag who destroyed this car. What makes it even easier to find him, is that my car's paint color is 1 in 9,000 in the United States to be painted with it from the factory. Shouldn't be that hard to narrow down whodunnit.

[HaRuMaN]

Keep your eye out for a damaged vehicle that matches the description.  Man that sucks...  same thing happened to my brother's truck in a college parking lot.  They sideswiped his truck all the way down the driver side.  I hope you find the culprit!

[stevejt]

Put up a reward sign.  Then see who takes it down...  Either way, it would be worth a hundred or two to have him pay for the damage.  You wouldn't have to
pay anything if the person wasn't found.

Steve

[RetroJames]

When you find his car take a chainsaw to it and when he objects tell him you just want your paint back...




Disclaimer: Seriously, don't do that...

[Ravant]

Disclaimer: Seriously, don't do that...

Damn, and I was going to start the chainsaw and have a little fun.  j/k. Though I was, and still am pissed that someone who's going to such an esteemed teaching school such as St. Joseph's college of New York, someone who's going to be teaching our young people, is so disrespectful towards another person's property. I guess I'm more mad that my idea that the human race has some hope to it was shattered, more than I am that the tail-light was shattered. *shrug*

[ChadTower]

Would that really bump up your insurance?  That's a no fault... I don't know what state you're in, but I don't think that happens in this situation in MA.

[HaRuMaN]

Any claim you make on your insurance causes it to go up.

[RetroJames]

Disclaimer: Seriously, don't do that...

Damn, and I was going to start the chainsaw and have a little fun.

[Samstag]

Any claim you make on your insurance causes it to go up.

Not true!

Talk to your insurance agent.  You'll probably need to file a police report, but something like this should not affect your rates at all.  When my first 97 Monte Carlo was totalled by someone running a red light, my insurance paid the entire bill (and had to deal with trying to get the uninsured idiot to pay) and my rates went down the next year (on another 97 Monte Carlo).

I'd have to admit that it was a very profitable collision.  I got such a great deal on the car that after the insurance paid what it was really worth, I made over $4000 on that car.   

[GGKoul]

Any claim you make on your insurance causes it to go up.

No, it depends on if your at fault or not.

[Chris]

Even if you find the guy, nothing's likely to happen without witnesses.  A friend of mine got hit in a similar fashion while in a McDonalds.  A witness in the parking lot saw what happened and came inside to tell her that her car got hit.  Cops were there having lunch, and they went to the nearby shopping center and found the car, but the driver was in the store.  Since the witness only saw the car and not the driver, and since the driver wasn't available, the cops did nothing since they couldn't prove who was driving.

With mentalities like that, I can't imagine how hit and runs ever get prosecuted.

[Ravant]

Unfortunately, because I'm a guy, I'm in New York, am only 20, and only have a part time job with full-time student status, I'm stuck with the stigma that I'm an irresponsible driver, and that my insurance should be skyrocketed. Allstate will screw you over if you even have a no-fault claim. That's why I'd rather not go through them. I want, so badly, to switch to Geico, but I'm trying to figure out what their catch is, and how they can save me so much money. If I claim the hit&run, my insurance climbs to $2600 a year. It's $2100 a year with no tickets, and one accident caused by someone who ran a red light that I just barely clipped. (Only did $630 worth of damage. My deductable was almost as much as the damage itself.) I've even got all the applicable discounts... anti-theft devices galore, saftey devices galore, and I take a defensive driving course every June.

[Chris]

I want, so badly, to switch to Geico, but I'm trying to figure out what their catch is, and how they can save me so much money.

Their catch is that they won't insure anyone who has the slightest issue.  They probably won't insure you if you're under 25.

[Ravant]

Just did an online quote from their website, and based on my vehicle, age, status, and the one accident, they'll give me, not basic, but one step up from basic for $1029.40 per six months. I'm switching... assuming they'd accept me. Still sucks that anyone over 25 can get that 1029 significantly reduced, and they don't even have to mature or become a better driver, all they have to do is age.

[abrannan]

You might try Liberty Mutual for insurance.  They had the lowest rates for me and my wife (lower than Geico or Progressive), and have always been very responsive to claims.

[DrewKaree]

Still sucks that anyone over 25 can get that 1029 significantly reduced, and they don't even have to mature or become a better driver, all they have to do is age.

It's not considered aging by insurance agencies.  It's called "moving into a different statistical category".

How about the older you get the more your insurance goes down, and some of the worst drivers I've seen are the little old ladies who can barely see over the dashboard and have a knack for being able to best a friggen NASCAR driver at blocking you from going around due to their "OHMYGOD OHMYGOD WHADOIDONOW!" behavior at how this newfangled horseless carriage moves WAAAAAY too fast for them....I've seen 20 year old's I'd be more comfortable driving with than some 60 year olds - yet the 60 year old is prolly gonna pay TONS less than you!

Did you, at the very least, call the cops?  I've never heard you answer that directly.

[Ravant]

I did call the police. Was my first reaction in the incident. Figured if the car was still in the parking lot, (*Bang*... oops? Better move away to a different spot so they don't think I did it.), that they'd find the car, and the owner of the vehicle, who would technically be liable according to NY State law. I figured, find a vehicle, you've got the culprit. Unfortunately, the jerk's car was nowhere to be found, and it was deemed by the police a hit & run at that point.

[SirPeale]

It's not considered aging by insurance agencies.  It's called "moving into a different statistical category".

How about the older you get the more your insurance goes down, and some of the worst drivers I've seen are the little old ladies who can barely see over the dashboard and have a knack for being able to best a friggen NASCAR driver at blocking you from going around due to their "OHMYGOD OHMYGOD WHADOIDONOW!" behavior at how this newfangled horseless carriage moves WAAAAAY too fast for them....I've seen 20 year old's I'd be more comfortable driving with than some 60 year olds - yet the 60 year old is prolly gonna pay TONS less than you!

Well...no.  It's almost like a bell curve.

When you first get your license, you're a liability.  You're inexperienced, and the chances are good that you'll get into an accident, either due to doing something stupid (which I think most youth do) or from something that you didn't do that you should have done.

As you get older, not only do you get more experience driving, but you're less likely to take chances when you do.  After a while, you figure out that you're *not* immortal.  You have responsibilities (kids!) and hence your rates go down.  For most insurance companies, that magic age is 25.

When you get *much* older, your reaction time is crap, your vision not as good as it used to be, your hearing isn't as sharp either.  I *think* your rates start to go back up after a certain point, but since I won't be in that category for another 29 years, I haven't checked into it.

[GGKoul]

I want, so badly, to switch to Geico, but I'm trying to figure out what their catch is, and how they can save me so much money.

Their catch is that they won't insure anyone who has the slightest issue.

[GGKoul]

one accident caused by someone who ran a red light that I just barely clipped. (Only did $630 worth of damage. My deductable was almost as much as the damage itself.) I've even got all the applicable discounts... anti-theft devices galore, saftey devices galore, and I take a defensive driving course every June.

If the damage was so little, I would have paid the damage on the other car myself.

My wife in her 2005 Xtrail hit my car in the driveway.  Cause $1600 damage to her car and $200 on mine.  Paying for the damage out of packet because our insurance would go up if we claimed the accident.

Short term pain for long term gain.

[SirPeale]

Isn't that sad?  I mean, isn't that *why* we have insurance?

[GGKoul]

Just did an online quote from their website, and based on my vehicle, age, status, and the one accident, they'll give me, not basic, but one step up from basic for $1029.40 per six months. I'm switching... assuming they'd accept me. Still sucks that anyone over 25 can get that 1029 significantly reduced, and they don't even have to mature or become a better driver, all they have to do is age.

Not to rain on your parade, but you are 20 and you are driving a 1999 Monte Carlo.

[GGKoul]

Isn't that sad?

[GGKoul]

Still sucks that anyone over 25 can get that 1029 significantly reduced, and they don't even have to mature or become a better driver, all they have to do is age.

It's not considered aging by insurance agencies.

[GGKoul]

As you get older, not only do you get more experience driving, but you're less likely to take chances when you do.

[Shape D.]

If ou find out who this guy is let me know. we can pull the old flaming dog poo trick on him.














(only it wil be mine not a dogs)

[Ravant]

Just did an online quote from their website, and based on my vehicle, age, status, and the one accident, they'll give me, not basic, but one step up from basic for $1029.40 per six months. I'm switching... assuming they'd accept me. Still sucks that anyone over 25 can get that 1029 significantly reduced, and they don't even have to mature or become a better driver, all they have to do is age.

Not to rain on your parade, but you are 20 and you are driving a 1999 Monte Carlo.

[ChadTower]

If ou find out who this guy is let me know. we can pull the old flaming dog poo trick on him.

Will it be light or dark poo?

[GGKoul]

Just did an online quote from their website, and based on my vehicle, age, status, and the one accident, they'll give me, not basic, but one step up from basic for $1029.40 per six months. I'm switching... assuming they'd accept me. Still sucks that anyone over 25 can get that 1029 significantly reduced, and they don't even have to mature or become a better driver, all they have to do is age.

Not to rain on your parade, but you are 20 and you are driving a 1999 Monte Carlo.

[Shape D.]

If ou find out who this guy is let me know. we can pull the old flaming dog poo trick on him.

Will it be light or dark poo?

Is that relevent? 

[Ravant]

Well, I've got some great news! They found the car, found the culprit, I'm getting my money, and within the next two weeks, my car is going to be brought to the court as evidence in the case to convict the hit & run driver on multiple issues. He hit & ran. 3-6 months by NY State law. He provided falsified information, 2-3 months by NY State law. If convicted, he's looking at 5-9 months in jail, as well as paying Hertz $2925.50 in damages, and me $2,229.73 in damages.  (The Santa Fe is poorly constructed in comparison to the Monte Carlo.  The Monte effin' wins.) Guess I can use the $1800 I saved up for my arcade cabinet for my arcade cabinet, after all! 

[cdbrown]

Hooray - glad it has worked out for you so far.  Now get working on the new machine 

[Bones]

Bugger the cash.

Now you have identified the driver there can be no excuse for not kicking the snot out of the low life.

It's your duty.

[nipsmg]

Bugger the cash.

Now you have identified the driver there can be no excuse for not kicking the snot out of the low life.

It's your duty.

Actually, if you kicked the snot out of the low life, I'd kick the snot out of you for doing it.
YOU WIN, he goes to jail.  It's the stupid mother$&^#*&^$ that go and do crap like that and ruin it for themselves.

Like the guy who gets out of jail on probation, then can't swallow his pride so he beats the crap out of some guy for looking at him funny, then has to go back to jail to finish his sentence.

---goshdarn--- morons.

lol

[meenie]

actually, the same thing happened to me yesterday.  someone hit my car in the parking lot while i was at work.  unfortunately i don't have friends in forensics.  i'm hesitent about filing a report; will the police  really be able to do something?

how did you catch the lowlife that stole your car?  what was the story?  thanks!

[RetroJames]

Well, I've got some great news! They found the car, found the culprit, I'm getting my money, and within the next two weeks, my car is going to be brought to the court as evidence in the case to convict the hit & run driver on multiple issues. He hit & ran. 3-6 months by NY State law. He provided falsified information, 2-3 months by NY State law. If convicted, he's looking at 5-9 months in jail, as well as paying Hertz $2925.50 in damages, and me $2,229.73 in damages.

[Shape D.]

Well, I've got some great news! They found the car, found the culprit.

Do you need that poo?

[fredster]

How did they put the finger on him/her?

He called CSI:BYOAC

[lucindrea]

well glad you got the guy , but i was going to say in a collage parking lot as well as the guy who was hit at work , go visit the security office , it's a rare thing now a days to NOT have a security camera on a parking lot ... one thing if it's the lot at your apt complex , a whole other thing for work and campus. ( FYI , this would also be the case in most major malls )

[Bones]

Bugger the cash.

Now you have identified the driver there can be no excuse for not kicking the snot out of the low life.

It's your duty.

Actually, if you kicked the snot out of the low life, I'd kick the snot out of you for doing it.
YOU WIN, he goes to jail.