Hit-and-run today

[Jared Strube]

Hi everyone,



I had to come whine. Someone hit my Trac today, then ran away, and I am sad. They were trying to parallel park on top of me or something while I was in robotics class and tore up the left rear a bit, along with cracking the tail light, and I can't afford to fix it. GRRRRR.... Some people. Anyway, I think I will try and get a light and remove all of their stupid white paint and live with the rest of it.



I am fairly handy but have definitely never done any sort of buffing or body work, so if any of you have any suggestions, it is greatly appreciated. I put a driver's tail light wanted post in swap and sell, so if any of you have one you may want to sell, please let me know. I may just live with the cracked one, but if I can afford to replace it I certainly will. Thanks!



[Broken External Image]:



Oh, on a lighter note, I finally got a couple pictures of the Trac posted from a recent bicycling trip.



strube

 

[Tom Schindler]

Get an estimate. If the cost is more then you want to pay for, turn it in to your insurance. That could fall into comprehensive coverage. If it honestly was not your fault, and in yo way am I insuating it was, buy why should you fix it. Isn't that what you got insurance for?



Make a police report while you are at it...if you haven't already done so.





Tom

 

[Mike Wilson]

Caymen gave good advice.

In most states, if you have a police report, and can, in any way, prove that your

vehicle was parked, and that you were not in it, your insurance may waive your

deductible, and should not hold it against your driving or claims record.

Get a police report as soon as possible, and also, contact your insurance company

to provide them with details!

And to play C.S.I., might they have not had a surveillance or parking lot or security

camera that could have captured the footage?

Good Luck, strube!, Let us know what happens...

 

[walter clark]

robotics ? Where are you going?? and is that your major ? I work with industrial robots and it's nice to here from someone possably going into a similar carrier field.. Robotics and a sport trac man you must be one real cool dude

 

[Ryan Schaecher]

Robotics is A1!



That sux. I've been hit-an-run on as well, did $3500 damage to my 1992 Buick Century, New nose, fender, straighten unibody, new lights, antenna, etc.



Best part was at the time I had Liability only.... I was able to get parts from a Pick-and-Pull yard. Fixed 'er up near as good as it was before for under $200. Paint was a close match, close enough anyway.

 

[michael larkin 2]

I have a set of tailights, make an offer on the one you need, they are about a year old, they are in excellant shape.



Duece

 

[Matt Day]

That could fall into comprehensive coverage

It would actually be collision or uninsured motorist coverage. The UM requirement vary depending on what state you are in, but typically the deductible is going to be less than collision (usually $200 or less).



In additon, A good number of states have statutes that prohibit insurance carriers raising your rates due to a UM claim.



And yeah, file a police report if you haven't done so already. Usually have to have one to get it covered as UM.

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

sorry to hear (and see). Hope you can get it straightened out. Good luck and good advice already posted.

 

[CountyMounty]

File the police report, check with your insurance company on deductible and penalties etc, and do check into the possibility of a surveilence camera of some sort. Also, if you really want to play detective, if this is someplace you frequent keep an eye out for white vehicles in the area and just make it a point to look for one with red paint on it. It is quite likely that the same vehicle may be in the same place again. Of course even if you find one it might be hard to prove but you never know you can certainly try. When at the scene think about the way in which the vehicle likely was moving when it hit you, that will help you determine where to look on the vehicle for the paint. Are there any businesses there that have a good view of where it happened, if so it doesn't hurt to ask. Some type of outside newstand of coffee shop would be just great but thats probably just wishful thinking. These are things that a police officer could do as well but likely will not. I am a police officer and have found hit & run violators by doing some of the above things. The last one I covered the suspect actually returned and parked in the same place the very next day. What a genius.



The first thing I would do to the trac is to buy a go paint/scratch remover polish (you can by a small bottle of scratch out at Walmart for a bout $2) and try to rub the paint off to see how much you can get off. You may be surprised what a little of that stuff and a lot of rubbing and buffing can do. Make sure you use a good quality wax over the area afterward.

 

[Mike Wilson]

Adam had a good, yet opposite, point:

Most people that do the hit-n-run thing don't care about their own vehicles. They may

have done this several times in the past. Go look for your color paint on any other

vehicle that you may deem as suspicious! We know that you may not be able to

devote all of your waking hours to this endeavour, but it's worth a shot! I have known

people who have found the "culprit" in same or similiar circumstances!

The offender may not think anything about hitting your 'Trac, and then, park close to

you the next day?! Not to get your hopes up, but we are just trying to help!!!

Good Luck, strube!..

 

[Jared Strube]

Hey everyone,



Thanks for all of the encouragement and advise. First thing I did when I saw it was file the police report, but I have yet to do the insurance thing, because pPogressive can be a pain, and I am really busy with school.



I park around there every day, and yesterday I saw an older, white honda civic that had a suspicious dent on the rear pass. quarter panel, and some white spray-paint over spray on the tail light, and the dent is just about the right height. I tried to meet with the police but it didn't fit the schedule too well. Anyway, I have the civic's license plate, so I will see what happens.



strube