Car hit by "elderly" driver - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Motor Fish · 08-09-2005, 09:17 PM

Sunday night I'm packing up and notice . . . the dent. No note, letter, nothing... I look around and see a car the same color as the paint on my door with a huge dent in the real quarter panel. I walk up to the house to ask the homeowner if he happened to back into my car. "Yup" he says. My Jeep was parked in Marshfield in a perfectly legal spot, off the road. The "elderly" driver backed out of his driveway, clear across the street, into the yard I was parked in and smacked into my Jeep. I asked to get his info and he can't seem to find his registration.

Ohh, he also asked me to not go through the insurance company. Probably doesn't want to get his license taken away. "He knows a guy that can fix it." Which I wouldn't mind doing as long as it gets fixed right.

So now what do I do? I got his name, license plate, address and phone number. The damage wasn't too bad, but it is noticable. The only reason I want to get if fixed is because I may have to sell the Jeep. I just don't want to get screwed.

Good thing there were no kids playing in the yard.

bassmaster · 08-09-2005, 10:09 PM

take it to a shop with him and have him pay right then and there
if not go file a claim
that way Your being nice Yet covering Your butt if he renegs

hunan · 08-09-2005, 10:20 PM

All i have to say is, what if there are kids playing in the yard next time?

BigFish · 08-10-2005, 05:39 AM

If you do not report the accident inside of 7 days......you could wind up screwed if he keeps putting you off! Get the name of his insurance company and file a claim......if you don't want to screw the guy and he is willing to pay for the damage....go get an estimate and give him an ultamatum......pay me in cash by such a day...(inside of the 7 days) or you will file a claim with his insurance company. Do not go to "his guy"! Personally....you owe the guy nothing....he hit your vehicle and was willing to see if you would not notice it and maybe he would get away with it......so I say file the claim and screw him! My .02 cents!

Raven · 08-10-2005, 06:45 AM

find out "who" his guy is.....and drive over there to see if thats that type car repair person you want to do the job right and if so get an immediate estimate thats written in stone... get a slip...hand it to the old guy who backs up all the way across a street ..

.... and say here's the bill from your guy....pay it now and we have a deal.

likwid · 08-10-2005, 06:58 AM

shoulda called the cops right there and then

Van · 08-10-2005, 07:30 AM

Same happened to me a few years ago. Elderly woman came out of ther driveway and took out the whole passenger side of my pick-up.

Of course she left, cause she didn't realize what happened. Talked to her son and he offered the same deal, I said the damage is very bad and I'm going through insurance. Sorry..

This is why I trying to get my own mother out from behind the wheel..BUt she will hear none of that...

Raven · 08-10-2005, 07:39 AM

when the elderly hit a car they get totally consumed by fear and denial simutaneously and want to believe it didnt happen fearing they'll now loose their privledge to drive.... and are having an anxiety attack about it afterwards.

Uncle Matt · 08-10-2005, 08:21 AM

Likwid is right. Head to the police department where the incident occurred and report the accident. Tell the officer who you spoke with and what he said to you. At least get the incident officially on file. Your a victim here and to be honest, who cares what the elderly man wanted. That's why we all carry insurance. Stuff happens. What if you never approached this man? He would of never come forward and you would have a damaged vehicle. Plus as other above have mentioned, next time it may not be a car he hits. Not a dilema at all to me.

PaulS · 08-10-2005, 09:11 AM

Go to the police. The man already demonstrated his honesty when he took off after damaging your care, which he later admited to knowing he did.

Gloucester2 · 08-10-2005, 09:37 AM

It's called "Leaving the scene of an accident with property damage" . . . if you don't report it how will you feel if he does hit a kid the next time? The whole 'getting paid for the damage to your vehicle' is secondary in my mind . . .

vineyardblues · 08-10-2005, 09:43 AM

POLICE ALL THE WAY.
My wife passed on the right side of a old lady who was taking a left but made a right !#@$@% Any how she cracked the tail light on the other car. they both pulled over and the grand old lady said she forgot what she was doing and was very sorry, and off they both went. WRONG , she the old lady took the license number and called the police and claimed a hit and run and went to the hospital

Then sued the crap out of our insurance. Nice old lady!

VB

Iwannakeeper · 08-10-2005, 10:03 AM

Go to the police.

Look at it this way.

1. you go to his guy
2. his guy does a perfect job
3. he pays his guy
4. you go off happy
.
.
.
5. He backs out of his driveway, across the street into the yard and kills some kid.....

imagine how you would feel now.....

do the right thing and report it. It is unfortunate for the old timer if he looses his license, but at least it is before someone is hurt.

Skip N · 08-10-2005, 01:09 PM

He's totally trying to screw you with the "his guy" thing. Do what your supposed to do in an accident. Report it to the police and the insurance company. Who cares if he loses his licence. Thats not your problem. Your gonna get screwed if you dont do it the right way.

Karl F · 08-10-2005, 03:18 PM

911, then your agent, right away, NO exceptions. If he has a "guy" lined up, sounds like he's a regular, probably has fenders in stock for the old boy. If he loses his liscense, you probably helped stop another, possibly worse, accident.
I live here in God's waiting room,(oldest population, in the state), downright scary watching some of the real old birds bump around, can't tell you how many back up,, using the "feel" method

Squid kids Dad · 08-10-2005, 03:32 PM

As an insurance appraiser I see this all the time and I am asked the same question....Report it to the police and your insurance agent 1st..Have the insurance company come out and do the appraisal then bring it to YOUR shop and see if they agree..Then you can bring that to old guy..You can always drop the claim if you wish...Good luck

Diamond Tackle · 08-10-2005, 04:54 PM

My bro got hit by an 83 year old gent(and he was a nice enough old guy). The cops came and questioned him, he says "what accident"?.The cop just shook his head.The guys kids then tried to defend him claiming that it was not really "all his fault", the accident report said differently. Old people are great,god bless them, but when it comes to something as serious as an accident and possibly preventing future accidents, dont be the nice guy that gets hosed.
Ive had several of my cars hit while parked,nothing real serious, but I NEVER got paid on any of them.
The fact that your car was legally parked (100% not your fault) & they did not reach out to U first, says it all.

Backbeach Jake · 08-10-2005, 04:58 PM

I'm with Squid kid's dad. You get an estimate, he pays it, so far so good right? Not hardly! They open it up and find more damage and write a supplimentery appraisel. Who's gonna pay that without a fight? Get YOUR insurance Company involved,that's what you pay the big bucks for. This "I gotta guy" stuff is BS.

basswipe · 08-11-2005, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by likwid

shoulda called the cops right there and then

Yup.

You've waited to long now.The "old guy" knew what he was doing.

Redsoxticket · 08-11-2005, 05:09 PM

Treat him the way you would want to be treated. Love thy neighboor.

CAL · 08-11-2005, 05:30 PM

Always do things by the book or ya gonna get hosed.

Wouldn't it suck if he fixed his car then stiffed you? No evidence.

Motor Fish · 08-12-2005, 10:21 PM

Wow! I never would have thought I'd get so much feedback! Thanks everyone! Anyway, I've already called the insurance company, they are going to take care of everything. They also told me there was no reason to include the police if there was less than $1000 damage to my car (and I don't "think" there is). So I'm going by the book and letting the insurance company take care of everything. After all, that is what I've been paying for all these years.

Thanks again.