Wow. Are YOU KIDDING?!

[QuadShot]

 :mad2:
Ok, sorry for the rant but I have to get this off my chest. About two weeks ago, Joyce and I stopped at our local supermarket. I stayed in the Escape with our dog, while Joyce went in to pick up a few things. Well, about 30 minutes after she went in, I felt someone hit the back of our vehicle. I got out and a young boy (16) gets out of a Honda Pilot and is visibly upset and apologizing. I tell him not to worry, and he calls his mom. I spoke with her for a bit and informed her that I was parked, not moving, and her son hit me. Didn't do a great deal of damage, just a 6-8 inch scrape down to the bare plastic. She accepted responsibility and I told her that if she wanted, we can just settle this without going through insurance. She agreed. So, Joyce and I got the estimate ($500 plus a 3 day rental car) and this woman flipped! She wanted us to just buy paint and paint it ourselves. So, we decided to just do the insurance thing. Our insurance guy got her info and I spoke with hers (Statefarm). They accepted liability and said they'd fix it. BUT...the mother decided that she was going to file a claim against US! Our insurance agency denied their claim for obvious reasons....Well today, their estimator called and will come out Wed to write it up so we can have it fixed. Happy ending? Nope. I JUST got off the phone with Statefarm and the mother (and yes, I use that word with multiple definitions) decided to change her story and is now fighting it! Can you believe this crap?! I TRY to do something nice by not having the cops come out and file a report, by NOT getting insurance information right off the bat because as a teen, their insurance will go up $3,000 a year for a while...and what do I get? BLAM. Ok, chest is vented...

[Pyrovile]

I learned the hard way that rule number one is never try to be a nice guy where an auto accident is concerned.  Always call the police and file the report. 

[ElfManDan]

It's a lot harder to be a nice guy in a world where people are so frequently trying to take advantage of you. It's a respectable trait to be nice and it's not the easy way to go. I'd say you did the best you could to do right and that's a lot in my book. Even if it ends up not working out, you did try and it's not your fault they brought it all on themselves.

[turtlesrock]

hmm. i can see both sides. i think she should have just paid the 500 instead of going through all this trouble.

[wraith1701]

I learned the hard way that rule number one is never try to be a nice guy where an auto accident is concerned.  Always call the police and file the report. 

^THIS.

I little old lady rear-ended my car at an intersection a few years ago.  Teary-eyed, she pleaded with me not to call the police, as a claim would jack up her insurance rate. She gave me her phone number and said to call her with an estimate, and she'd pay to have the work done.

Flash forward 2 days:

"  ♪ doo-doo-deeeet ♪ ... We're sorry, but the number you have dialed has been disconnected, or is no longer working. Please hang up and try your call again."

The moral of the story: Trust is nice, but first and foremost, C.Y.A.

[M-5]

It's sad, but you know the old saying; No good deed goes unpunished.

[Feathers]

Slightly off track but...you need to call the police for that? The differences between countries never cease to surprise me.

Fortunately I've never had that problem - the one time someone shunted my car in a supermarket car park I was standing 12ft away watching them. They didn't run and did give me valid name and address details and, of course, I had the registration number so it all got sorted out quietly.

[Pyrovile]

Yep.  Legal obligation in some situations.  http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/drivers/traffic/accident.htm

[Feathers]

Yep.  Legal obligation in some situations.  http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/drivers/traffic/accident.htm

Oh, I'm sure you have to in some circumstances, I'm just surprised that that's one of them. Over here you only need to report it to the police if someone is injured or leaves the scene without providing name, address and insurance details.

Apparently you also need to report it if you hit a horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog!

[Meds]

Oh that sucks. She doesn't stand a chance. Hope it all gets sorted Al. I sense a Because Podcast coming up.

[Bromptonboy]

I have had similar things happen to me - I took a picture of both cars - including the license plate.  I have heard of too many getting burned.  

[Bryancd]

Yeah, it's such a hassle, but you always need to get that police report. Thanks insurance companies and lawyers.

[billybob476]

My brother was in a multi car pileup over five years ago when he was living in California. One person involved decided to sue everyone else involved in the accident.

His insurance company took care of everything but the case dragged on for 3 or 4 years. She didn't get a thing. Some people will try and take advantage of any situations. Any of the minor accidents I've been involved in have generally been resolved quickly.

[QuadShot]

Yeah, this is just completely baffling. Feathers, usually for something minor here, the police frown on calling them, but have no choice in coming out when called. I'd have thought something this minor, and so obvious, shouldn't have needed police intervention, but I guess I was wrong. Now, because I didn't file a report, I stand to lose this thing, which shouldn't be so flipping complicated! I just begin fuming every time I think about this~! Yep, no good deed goes unpunished for certain!
Hey Meds, excellent idea! I think Joyce and I WILL record a Just Because podcast about this!! :)

[X]

Quatshot, if you were in a parking lot, there is a pretty good chance that the incident was caught on camera. If I were you, I'd contact the store. If they aren't using digital recording, they usually only keep the tapes a few weeks. If I could or couldn't get the tapes, I'd inform the other party that I was getting the tapes and would file a civil case to recoup my time and expenses because of their change of story.

If the tapes don't work, the bluff might.