Rear-ended, hit and run...need advice
01-11-2011, 06:37 PM
#11
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You should show pics of the damage for us to see how bad it is.Probably not worth the effort to go through insurance since you got no police report,your deductible might cost you more and the other car could be hot(stolen) meaning possibly no insurance.Like someone else mentioned here,bumpers get chipped,scratched,dented and scraped all the time in the 5 boroughs and Long Island when parking gets tight.
Go to a good body shop or detailer,maybe they can buff it out for you-you be amazed at some of the stuff they can take out.
Gotta hate the jealous haters out there who can't handle someone else having a nice ride and need to play games.As I always do,expect the unexpected as anything can happen at any time.
01-11-2011, 07:02 PM
#12
Sorry for the long post, but I was hoping for some advice here.
Last week I leave my house at about 8:10am to go into work. I'm less than 1 mile from home when I get to a light at an intersection and stop for the red. In front of me is a black, probably 7-10 year old Infiniti G35 Sedan. The light turns green and the cars to the right of me begin to drive off (the road is two lanes in each direction), but I'm sitting behind this Infiniti and the guy's not moving. I wait maybe 5 seconds before giving a quick beep. Nothing. I wait a few more seconds, there's cars behind me but the next lane is now clear. I give another "beep beep" with quick thumps to the steering wheel and the guy finally drives off, albeit VERY slowly. I'm now driving behind this guy and he's going about 20mph, which is a bit slow considering it's a 45mph road. I stay behind him for maybe 5-10 seconds before putting on my blinker, changing to the right lane, and passing this guy. No big deal, right? Well, I pass him (at a normal speed I might add...no gunning it around him or anything like that), and once I'm a few car lenghts ahead I put my left blinker on a go back into that lane as I have to make a left at the next light, which is about a 1/4 mile ahead. I'm now going 45-50mph so this guy quickly falls behind as he continues along well under the speed limit.
So, I'm now approaching the next light to make my left turn. I get into the turn lane and come to a stop. I'm looking in my rearview mirror and the Infiniti is slowing making his way up to me. He slows down, coming to a stop, and then gives it gas and hits right into me at a few miles per hour. WTF!? I wait a few moments, then open my door to get out thinking I'm going to have to share license and insurance information with this guy. I look right at him, he looks back at me. I start to walk toward his car, but he then throws it into reverse for a few feet, puts it back in gear and floors it screeching his tires and shooting around me and flying up the turn I was about to take. I ran out into the intersection and managed to catch his plate, so I then run back to my car and dial 9-1-1. I told the dispatch the license plate and that I had just been involved in a hit and run. They told me to move out of the way of traffic and just wait for an officer to arrive.
Well, I wait about 15 minutes and an officer finally arrives (I actually called my local police station to see if someone was actually coming, and as the PD picks up I see the officer arriving at my car). In the meantime while waiting for the officer I had pulled over up and off the main road, then gotten out of my car to inspect the damage. Luckily, the damage was very mild, limited to just some scracthing along the bumper and two small dents in the grey "diffuser" where the guy's license plate bolts likely were. Anyway, so the cop gets there and I explain what happened. We both carefully inspect my bumper and he tell me that, unfortunately, there's not much we can do. He said that since the damage was so minor, hit and run or not, this guy is basically going to walk from this. He said that there's officers looking for his car, but when (and if) they pull him over the guy will likely say that he doesn't know what they're talking about and that he didn't hit anybody. Since there's no witnesses there's not much they can do. The officer said that even if I tried to pursue this and they issued a warrant for the guy's arrest that it would go to the DA, they would look at pictures of the damage, and since it's so mild the case would likely be thrown out. The cop was actually a real nice guy and seemed to be a car fan so we talked for a good 20-30 minutes, in the end with the guy just re-iterating that there's likely nothing that will come out of this but that if I wanted to pursue it to give him a call.
Anyway, I guess I'm wondering two things here:
1) Should I have the damage repaired? Right now there's litterally the two small dents in the grey diffuser right where it meets the bumper and there's two areas, one on top of the other, that are about 8-12" wide of slight scratching through the paint. I washed my car this weekend and went over the bumper several times with wax, and a lot of what was there before actually cleaned away. I'm now left with slight scratching to my paint and the dents, which you have to get right up to the car to notice. If I have it re-painted am I just going to have a more noticeable differnce now between the factory paint and the new paint, basically making it worse then if just left it?
2) Should I call back the cop to go after this idiot!? Maybe it's just me, but I think this guy purposely hit me just to f*#k with me cause he was mad I honked at him and then drove around him? In principal I'm really pissed that there's douchebags out there that will do that $hit and then think they can just tear off and not have to ever worry about it again. Especially considering how he peeled out when I got out of the car but was driving just 20mph before that, I think the f%$ker was baiting me knowing I would pass him and that he would do this. I feel like I should have him called in to the PD at least so I can waste a day of his and make him have to pay something, if not with money to fix my car then at least with his time.
What do you guys think? Go after him or let it go? Have the car repaired or just live with the slight damage that is only noticeable upon very careful inspection? Thanks in advance for the replies.
Last week I leave my house at about 8:10am to go into work. I'm less than 1 mile from home when I get to a light at an intersection and stop for the red. In front of me is a black, probably 7-10 year old Infiniti G35 Sedan. The light turns green and the cars to the right of me begin to drive off (the road is two lanes in each direction), but I'm sitting behind this Infiniti and the guy's not moving. I wait maybe 5 seconds before giving a quick beep. Nothing. I wait a few more seconds, there's cars behind me but the next lane is now clear. I give another "beep beep" with quick thumps to the steering wheel and the guy finally drives off, albeit VERY slowly. I'm now driving behind this guy and he's going about 20mph, which is a bit slow considering it's a 45mph road. I stay behind him for maybe 5-10 seconds before putting on my blinker, changing to the right lane, and passing this guy. No big deal, right? Well, I pass him (at a normal speed I might add...no gunning it around him or anything like that), and once I'm a few car lenghts ahead I put my left blinker on a go back into that lane as I have to make a left at the next light, which is about a 1/4 mile ahead. I'm now going 45-50mph so this guy quickly falls behind as he continues along well under the speed limit.
So, I'm now approaching the next light to make my left turn. I get into the turn lane and come to a stop. I'm looking in my rearview mirror and the Infiniti is slowing making his way up to me. He slows down, coming to a stop, and then gives it gas and hits right into me at a few miles per hour. WTF!? I wait a few moments, then open my door to get out thinking I'm going to have to share license and insurance information with this guy. I look right at him, he looks back at me. I start to walk toward his car, but he then throws it into reverse for a few feet, puts it back in gear and floors it screeching his tires and shooting around me and flying up the turn I was about to take. I ran out into the intersection and managed to catch his plate, so I then run back to my car and dial 9-1-1. I told the dispatch the license plate and that I had just been involved in a hit and run. They told me to move out of the way of traffic and just wait for an officer to arrive.
Well, I wait about 15 minutes and an officer finally arrives (I actually called my local police station to see if someone was actually coming, and as the PD picks up I see the officer arriving at my car). In the meantime while waiting for the officer I had pulled over up and off the main road, then gotten out of my car to inspect the damage. Luckily, the damage was very mild, limited to just some scracthing along the bumper and two small dents in the grey "diffuser" where the guy's license plate bolts likely were. Anyway, so the cop gets there and I explain what happened. We both carefully inspect my bumper and he tell me that, unfortunately, there's not much we can do. He said that since the damage was so minor, hit and run or not, this guy is basically going to walk from this. He said that there's officers looking for his car, but when (and if) they pull him over the guy will likely say that he doesn't know what they're talking about and that he didn't hit anybody. Since there's no witnesses there's not much they can do. The officer said that even if I tried to pursue this and they issued a warrant for the guy's arrest that it would go to the DA, they would look at pictures of the damage, and since it's so mild the case would likely be thrown out. The cop was actually a real nice guy and seemed to be a car fan so we talked for a good 20-30 minutes, in the end with the guy just re-iterating that there's likely nothing that will come out of this but that if I wanted to pursue it to give him a call.
Anyway, I guess I'm wondering two things here:
1) Should I have the damage repaired? Right now there's litterally the two small dents in the grey diffuser right where it meets the bumper and there's two areas, one on top of the other, that are about 8-12" wide of slight scratching through the paint. I washed my car this weekend and went over the bumper several times with wax, and a lot of what was there before actually cleaned away. I'm now left with slight scratching to my paint and the dents, which you have to get right up to the car to notice. If I have it re-painted am I just going to have a more noticeable differnce now between the factory paint and the new paint, basically making it worse then if just left it?
2) Should I call back the cop to go after this idiot!? Maybe it's just me, but I think this guy purposely hit me just to f*#k with me cause he was mad I honked at him and then drove around him? In principal I'm really pissed that there's douchebags out there that will do that $hit and then think they can just tear off and not have to ever worry about it again. Especially considering how he peeled out when I got out of the car but was driving just 20mph before that, I think the f%$ker was baiting me knowing I would pass him and that he would do this. I feel like I should have him called in to the PD at least so I can waste a day of his and make him have to pay something, if not with money to fix my car then at least with his time.
What do you guys think? Go after him or let it go? Have the car repaired or just live with the slight damage that is only noticeable upon very careful inspection? Thanks in advance for the replies.
As far as the repair, if I were you I would demand a new bumper and have that painted to match by an Audi certified repair center. Ask to keep the old bumper and if the new one doesn't meet your satisfaction, just re-install the old one. I have a feeling you'll be more than satisfied, however, and your car will be made to look as good as new.
Last edited by helix139; 01-11-2011 at 07:05 PM.
01-11-2011, 08:01 PM
#13
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I would have the warrant issued for insurance purposes so that everything would be documented. Be sure pictures are taken of his front end and if it shows no damage, investigate local shops and keep an eye on his carfax to find out if he has had work done. That way, even if there are no criminal charges, action can be pursued in civil court, especially should you develop a sore neck or anything similar over the next few days. Additionally, you will be able to pursue compensation through his insurance company not only for the repair but for a diminished value claim, rather than having to go through your own uninsured motorist coverage and pay a deductible. Plus, I'd want to be spiteful and make him waste his time in court
As far as the repair, if I were you I would demand a new bumper and have that painted to match by an Audi certified repair center. Ask to keep the old bumper and if the new one doesn't meet your satisfaction, just re-install the old one. I have a feeling you'll be more than satisfied, however, and your car will be made to look as good as new.
As far as the repair, if I were you I would demand a new bumper and have that painted to match by an Audi certified repair center. Ask to keep the old bumper and if the new one doesn't meet your satisfaction, just re-install the old one. I have a feeling you'll be more than satisfied, however, and your car will be made to look as good as new.
You can really screw him over if you play your cards right.
01-11-2011, 08:07 PM
#14
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I would have the warrant issued for insurance purposes so that everything would be documented. Be sure pictures are taken of his front end and if it shows no damage, investigate local shops and keep an eye on his carfax to find out if he has had work done. That way, even if there are no criminal charges, action can be pursued in civil court, especially should you develop a sore neck or anything similar over the next few days. Additionally, you will be able to pursue compensation through his insurance company not only for the repair but for a diminished value claim, rather than having to go through your own uninsured motorist coverage and pay a deductible. Plus, I'd want to be spiteful and make him waste his time in court
As far as the repair, if I were you I would demand a new bumper and have that painted to match by an Audi certified repair center. Ask to keep the old bumper and if the new one doesn't meet your satisfaction, just re-install the old one. I have a feeling you'll be more than satisfied, however, and your car will be made to look as good as new.
As far as the repair, if I were you I would demand a new bumper and have that painted to match by an Audi certified repair center. Ask to keep the old bumper and if the new one doesn't meet your satisfaction, just re-install the old one. I have a feeling you'll be more than satisfied, however, and your car will be made to look as good as new.
Last month ,I got an estimate from Amatos in Sorento Valley for a tiny scratch on my front bumper .
They are certified Audi ,Porsche ....and are the best around here .
Quote was $750 ,they do not do touch up ,they remove the bumper, fix the scrach and repaint the entire bumper .
I got also a quote from bumper medic $230 for touch up .
01-12-2011, 04:55 AM
#15
Absolutely. Regardless of the evidence, if you get a contingency attorney involved, his insurance will want to settle, especially if there is any sort of injury and pain and suffering involved (OP, watch out for this very closely over the next couple of days, if you catch my drift), and these lawyers can usually refer you to a doctor who will document this. He'll then have 5 years of higher premiums to look forward to. I've mentioned before, but I was fraudulently sued by some white trash a couple years back who claimed I hit her (I didn't), and despite no damage to either car, she managed to get my insurance company to roll over to the tune of $3000 and I basically got stuck with the bill. Hope is not lost for the OP as long as he is prepared to pursue this aggressively (and if it were me I would be).
01-12-2011, 07:00 AM
#16
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Thanks to everyone for the replies. It seems that most people are suggesting what I have been thinking from the beginning, which is to go after this guy. My only concern is that it's going to cost me a lot of time and money, which I want to try and avoid. Getting a lawyer involved, I would imagine, would be very expensive. I think I'm going to sit on this for 24 more hours and then finally pull the trigger on some sort of decision. Just want to weigh all of my options carefully and I really appreciate everyone's responses.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
01-12-2011, 07:22 AM
#17
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Thanks to everyone for the replies. It seems that most people are suggesting what I have been thinking from the beginning, which is to go after this guy. My only concern is that it's going to cost me a lot of time and money, which I want to try and avoid. Getting a lawyer involved, I would imagine, would be very expensive. I think I'm going to sit on this for 24 more hours and then finally pull the trigger on some sort of decision. Just want to weigh all of my options carefully and I really appreciate everyone's responses.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Does not cost anything .
01-12-2011, 07:26 AM
#18
Thanks to everyone for the replies. It seems that most people are suggesting what I have been thinking from the beginning, which is to go after this guy. My only concern is that it's going to cost me a lot of time and money, which I want to try and avoid. Getting a lawyer involved, I would imagine, would be very expensive. I think I'm going to sit on this for 24 more hours and then finally pull the trigger on some sort of decision. Just want to weigh all of my options carefully and I really appreciate everyone's responses.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
01-13-2011, 07:11 PM
#20
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**** this mother****er.
file the report - fail to leave i.d. (exchange information after an accident)
this is borderline aggravated assault w/ deadly weapon if you can prove his intent, by the sound of the story you can.
you can goto jail for the first (f.l.i.d) and definately for the second, although that would probably be reduced or dismissed and just be charged with f.l.i.d.
you have to file the police report then I would take it to your insurance company and have them fix the damges to your vehicle proving that there was an accident where he failed to leave his identification.
file the report - fail to leave i.d. (exchange information after an accident)
this is borderline aggravated assault w/ deadly weapon if you can prove his intent, by the sound of the story you can.
you can goto jail for the first (f.l.i.d) and definately for the second, although that would probably be reduced or dismissed and just be charged with f.l.i.d.
you have to file the police report then I would take it to your insurance company and have them fix the damges to your vehicle proving that there was an accident where he failed to leave his identification.