Fender bender....uh, make that fender scratcher

[east_tx]

I pulled into a Texaco station on my way home last night and stopped my car next to a set of gas pumps. At that moment, my girlfriend yelled "look out" and I look up to see a car about 4 feet in front of me, backing my way. I laid down on the horn and yelled as loud as I could, but it was too late......bump. A group of Harley Riders were on the other side of the pumps and I heard one of them say "that sucks"----the same thing I was thinking. The car that bumped me was put into drive and took advantage of the gear it was in and started driving away. I don't really remember getting out of my car, but the next thing I do remember is running across the parking lot yelling for the lady driving the car to stop (I seemed to have gotten everyone's attention but hers, because she was not stopping. She finally stopped due to one of the five kids in the car yelling at the driver saying "that man is yelling at you". I informed her that she had bumped into me back at the pumps and I asked her to come back over to my car so I may call an officer to write up a report. The lady stated that she did not realize she had hit me and apologized, stating she would never drive away after hitting someone. I called the police and asked to have an officer sent out. The lady driving the car had apparently had a family reunion going on at the Texaco station, because "Uncle George" drove up and asked the lady if she wanted him to take the kids with him......let the circus begin!!!!! Apparently some of the kids were more fond of Uncle George than the others......enter kicking, screaming, and running around the parking lot of kids. The lady got out of the vehicle and let it be known to the kids that the police were going to be there shortly and they needed to go with Uncle George. This did the trick----kids in the car with Uncle George in a matter of seconds. At this moment, the lady's son walks up and states that he does not see any dents in my car and asked why someone was calling the police. I was in my car, but was about to get out of my car to discuss things with the son, when my girlfriend asked me to please just get all of my paperwork together and wait for the police. My girlfriend exited the vehicle and told the son that when there was an accident, to protect both parties, the police needed to be called and a report written. The son did not really like her comment and stated that he could not see any dents on my car. This is when I exited the car and started explaining that fiberglass did not dent, it usually breaks, and just because we could not see any damage, other than scratches across my bumper, does not mean there is not more damage within. He apparently did not like my answer either, but at that time the police showed up and the son made his way back into the Texaco station. Paperwork was filled out, I filled up my car with gas, and we were on our way home. I chalked it up to "could have been worse and glad nobody got hurt". What a great way to end a Saturday night. Sorry about the long post, but I had to get that little story off my chest.

[guitarbug]

To quote the Harley rider "That sucks! ".

[babybluetx23]

hehehe I went to walmart with my BRAND NEW car that I had for a little over 4 months. When I came out of walmart my front bumper was cracked. ARG!!!! If I claim it on my insurance it would cost me a 500 dollar deductable, the bumper cover replacement.......(Insert Drumroll) 500 bucks! I never got it fixed. im just living with a cracked bumper. I HATE parking at walmart now.

[chenology]

my friend got into a big fender bender last year with a girl who was 16 (most likely driving under temp license in a new civic full of her friends past curfew) it was one of those changing into the same lane things.. he called the police to send a unit out, but they said that if both vehicles are still mobile, they would not send a unit and told him to just get the information and take care of it with the insurance... i was there and in disbelief that the police would not come out. he ended up having to pay everything. this was in west plano.

[Duffy Pratt]

There was no need to call the police. You could have just exchanged insurance information and licenses and saved everyone a bunch of time. Did the damage amount to anything more than scratches? The truly criminal thing is that it seems like every minor little thing now results in damages over $1K.

Duffy

[JohnRushing]

Being a car nut I can understand your concern. I hear people say all the time "it's just a scratch" but to me a scratch is just as bad as a dent. When you take pride in your car and give it a name and talk to it, Ok maybe thats just me doing that, but to some of use our cars are almost like a family member. Afyer reading your post it made me think of a (little) fender bender I was in while in Longview way back in the 80's. I was leaving a store parking ot and had just gotten into my vehicle, a 78 ramcharger lifted with 40'' tires. When I was getting in the truck I looked at the parking space next to me and nobody was parked in it. I sat there a few minutes unwrapping my new VanHalen cassette (see how long ago it was) and then started to back out. All of a sudden my right front tire ran over something lifting the whole truck up. I got out and found I had ran over a Triumph spitfire! My right front tire was in the drivers seat and the door was crushed down into the seat. I went in the store and they anounced it over the speaker but nobody came up front. I went back out to the car and there were a few people checking it out but nobody owned up to it being theirs. I went back in the store and they called the police (no cell phone way back then). The police ran a check on it and the car wasn't registered and showed it had been writen off as totaled a few years before. I never did find out who the owner was and didn't recieve a ticket. The car wasn't in that great of shape before I hit it from what I could tell and definently wasn't after my Ramcharger got through with it. It was a wierd thing. Just something your stary made me remember.

[darktiger]

that sucks...

[Firegirl]

Originally Posted by chenology

he called the police to send a unit out, but they said that if both vehicles are still mobile, they would not send a unit and told him to just get the information and take care of it with the insurance....

The big thing about minor accidents is that 1) if the cars are able to move, get them out of traffic...it's the law. 2) unless somebody is hurt (and that's a relative thing because many people have insurancitis) the PD won't come. Don't need to. Move your cars, swap info and be on your way.Let your insurance agents squabble, it's their job. These minor incidents use valuable time and police resources. I'd rather have a cop patrolling my street than working a minor incident that the people can handle themselves.
Now, if the other party doesn't have insurance and or a license and can't produce any proof even if they say they have it I'd call em. Seeings how your in violation of the law without atleast liabiity and a proper license. We disregard PD all the time. For some reason the general public can't get past "needing the PD and DON"T MOVE THE CARS"
It's just not so.

[mobilezen]

Last year on the way to Austin, my friend (driving) got rear ended while on the way through pfuggerville. Lady fell asleep at the wheel, and she profusely apologized. The damage didn't look bad. I thought a bumper buff and paint was all he needed which wouldn't have cost anything. Turns out they had to replace a lot of the parts inside like that piece of foam and some other things...came out to about $1700.

Like someone said earlier, it may not look like much but once a shop inspects it, the repairable damage is worse.

[east_tx]

on the whole exchange of insurance thing, so I learned from his mistake. He got into an accident that resulted in missing paint and a fairly large dent in his right fender, but did not do any damage to the chrome bumber of the truck that hit him. Insurance information was exchanged, but upon contact by his insurance company, the guy acted ignorant of the whole accident and my friend was stuck with fixing the car on his own.

The car that hit me had a few warwounds on it already. The police in the small town I was in during my incident were not very busy and didn't seem to mind taking the call. Besides that, I am glad the officer was there when the lady's son got involved----he and I would have not gotten along very well during the whole transaction. My girlfriend is a wonderful person that really understands me and my desire to take care of the things that I pay hard-earned money for, such as my car. The good thing is, nobody was hurt in the ordeal (one of the children could have easily been hurt due to their not being in seatbelts).

[babybluetx23]

here in the DFW area, the cops wont come out unless the cars are unmovable or there are people injured or dead.

[east_tx]

Life is a little slower in Natchitoches, so the officers are looking for things to do most of the time. By the way, there is a Jazz festival in Natchitoches next weekend for anyone interested.

[Jeff_Green]

Originally Posted by babybluetx23

here in the DFW area, the cops wont come out unless the cars are unmovable or there are people injured or dead.

I don't understand the above or the people who say "don't contact police if your cars are drivable." My boss was in a wreck in a company vehicle on Friday. No one was injured. Police came out. While waiting on the towtruck after the cop left the towtruck finally showed up and proceeded to back into a car. The police showed up again... in fact the same guy. I can't understand why you would not call the police and at least try and get them to show up. I want official documentation that the police were there and their conclusion as to what happened. It is better for MY insurance if I have it that way. It may take a little while longer since there aren't injuries, but I'd rather wait than for my insurance to go up because they found me to be at fault for some reason. Also, if you are in a minor wreck and you exchange information and you leave, but the other person had called the police, when they show up and you aren't there you get a ticket for "leaving the scene of an accident".

Jeff

[JohnRushing]

Once you exchange the insurance information what to keep the other person from saying you hit them instead of the other way around ? If your rearended the other person could very easily just say you backed into them or it could work the other way around. Without an official police report you have no defense. If it does go to court the judgment would mostlikely come down to who could provide the most wittnesses, even ones that were not actually there but say they were. Most companies I have worked for require you to call the police no matter how small the damage. This is to protect them from a law suit in the future. If a person backs into you at a gas station they could come back in a few weeks with a law suit saying you ran into them while they were parked and that you caused them a neck injury, which is very hard to disprove medically. I say wait for the police so they can file an offical report. I know the police are busy but it is there job. We all get busy sometimes but we still have to complete our job and for a police oficer to say they have more important things to do than protect your finacial well being from a lawsuit is not right.

[studiocygnet]

Here in Austin, I've been told by the police that if it's on private property, like in a parking lot or gas station, they don't get involved. And it's true, that if you just exchange info and drive away to let the insurance companies handle it, the next thing you know the person will tell their insurance company that you hit them. Happened to my wife in a liquor store parking lot. She was stopped, engine off, and a guy backed into her with his tow ball. She said his car already had lots of dents. Next thing you know his insurance company is telling us that she hit him, on the side door of her car? But even if you are lucky enough to get the police to show up, if you've got a dishonest person, they can tell the police the same thing, and it your word against theirs, unless you have a witness. Always try to get a name and number or two. Then, and only then, are you covered.