Hit and run...

[Trinity]

Ok...long rant, so sorry in advance. Earlier this week, while pulling out of a gas station, a complete idiot in a little Mitsubishi Eclipse decided that he wants to pass me up leaving the parking lot to merge into traffic. Mind you that he tried to fit between my passenger side front tire and the 2 foot curb, which is a space of about 4 feet. Needless to say, he didn't make it.

He gets stuck behind my front passenger tire and removable running board. I hear the crunch, look over into my passenger side mirror, and can see the top of his car only.

I get out, instruct him to back up slowly, and then I back up and inspect the damage. My front removable running board is now removed, the plastic trim piece above the rock rails is squashed and scraped, and there is some paint on the very bottom of the H2 just above the rock rail, but thankfully, no dents. I asked him what the heck was he thinking, and that is when he tells me that it is my fault for running over his car.


Ummm, I don't think so, and I ask for his insurance card. He tells me he doesn't have insurance, and then jumps back into the car and speeds out of the parking lot, across 3 lanes of traffic, nearly causing about 3 other wrecks. Believe me, if it was remotely my fault, he would have started yelling 'whiplash' and would not have fled the scene.

I wrote down the license plate and called the cops. No, I didn't chase him. The way he took off out of the lot, he is lucky that he didn't kill someone. Anyway, I don't need that on my conscience.

The cops came, wrote the report, took a witness statement, and ran the plate. Since it came back to a woman out of state (I think she was the passenger and it was her boyfriend driving), they told me that the chances of catching the guy are pretty slim. But if they do, they will drop fleeing an accident and failure to report an accident charges on him, and a few others as well.

I went to the dealer later that day and ordered a new plastic trim piece ($110) and the parts manager found an old step which was a take off from a trade-in and gave it to me for free. I took it home, cleaned it up, and spray painted it, and now you can't even tell the difference. The trim part came in today and I just replaced it. I was able to rub the paint mark off of the lower panel with some wax, and believe it or not, you can't even tell that I was ever hit. Talk about lucky.

Mind you, this was on a vehicle that is not even a month old yet. Moral of the story: calmer head prevailed, always be nice to the parts guy, and patronize you local dealer. I pay a little more for basic service and parts, but they just saved me $200 on a new step, so you can bet that they will make that back and then some from me on some other accessories that I am considering buying.

[GLBLWARMR]

You know the thing that pisses me off the most about things like this. It never is about the damage to the vehicle that is why we have insurance. It is the lack of respect people have for others. I wouldn't have chased the guy either but when they throw attitude like that when it is their fault just drives me nuts. I would have had a hard time not shoving my wife's softball bat up his ass.

Glad to hear that everything worked out for the best. Hell yeah drop a case of beer off with the service guys and watch what happens.

[RandyP]

Contact the State Division of motor vehicle that the tag came back to and have a chat with them. They should be able to tell you the owner of the vehicle and what insurance company was listed for that vehicle. If not they can at least send out an insurance motoring form to the owner requesting the name and policy number of her insurance company. Once you obtain that information you can contact her insurance company and make a claim.

[mdoyle]

Hindsight is 20/20 but next time don't move the vehicles (keep his car pinned under there ) until the cops arrive.

[Trinity]

Hindsight tells me that I should have put it in 4 wheel low, cranked my wheel all the way left, and then backed up over the freaking hood and windshield!
Can't wait to get a copy of the police report for my files. Hopefully they'll get this idiot someday or I'll see him on a episode of COPS.

[Hummer Aficionado_VT]

That sucks big time! That was nice of the dealer though to give you a new running board!