I'm hate myself and I think I'm going to be ill

[scaeagles]

That sucks.

You know what I want? Ever see the James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only? He has....Lotus, I believe....parked in an almond grove. He is running from bad guys and gets back to his car, and some thugs are looking at it, about to steal it. One of them look at the window and there is a sticker that reads "theft proof". He laughs and takes a large hammer to smash the window. When he does, the car explodes, killing him and his fellow thugs.

I really want one of those.

[Betty]

Parked in the driveway last night and left the upstairs windows open with a light on in one of the rooms. No damage visable this morning - at least none that I was able to see by the porch light. Leaked a bit of oil on the driveway so I'm going to have to get an ugly oil tray thing for our driveway but that's better then an ugly dent thing. Damn hooligans!

[mistyisjafo]

I had my Honda Civic for less than six months when this stupid teenager hit my car. I just about died! I ended up having to pay the deductible because guess what?? The lame ass girl didn't have a license and it wasn't even her car. My insurance company tried to track her down, and her family, but they won't cough up any insurance info and the info they gave me is no longer in use. Oh well, I went and got my car fixed and I'm happy cuz it's beautiful.

I still know exactly where she hit me tho. Pisses me off still!

[Morrigoon]

Is it just me, or are hit-and-runs on the rise?

[Matterhorn Fan]

My car was rear-ended twice, in one day, on one very short drive from work to home.

Oh, and the car was exactly one month old.

That sucked. I didn't have to pay for it, but still.

Though the good thing was that, for the 6 months or so before I took it in to be fixed, it was really easy to identify in the parking lot--grey, dented bumper, hole in bumper, blue paint transfer.

Yep, that's my car.

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Is it just me, or are hit-and-runs on the rise?

I've rear ended 4 times. One of those, I was going about 65 on the 91 freeway returning from PS. I was hit by someone going about 100. I was in the SUV (thank god) but the guy took off and there were no witnesses (at least helpful ones). It still baffles me that someone would do that.

[alphabassettgrrl]

LA county seems to be too busy to care about hit-and-runs. If you run, you'll likely get away. Nobody has the time or energy to care about tracking you down.

My husband and I have tried to report hit-and-runs a couple of times. Part of the problem is 911 on a cell phone goes to CHP and the accident report should get to LAPD but still. Something should be in place for this but they don't seem to care.

Bah.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by alphabassettgrrl

LA county seems to be too busy to care about hit-and-runs.<snip> Something should be in place for this but they don't seem to care.

Bah.

I don't think that it an issue of "caring", rather one of resources. Without witnesses, a license plate or something definitive, it is going to be next to impossible to find the culprit. I am a firm believer that the majority of law enforcement officials do a damned fine and far under-appreciated job.

If you ever travel the 57 freeway north of the 91, this is the Donald J. Burt Memorial Highway. You can see the sign going Northbound right at the 91. Southbound, the sign is just past Imperial Highway. I see those signs most every day. Don was a friend of Susan and I. Granted, not a close friend, but a friend none-the-less. A few years back, he was pulling someone over on the 57 for a minor infraction. They pulled off the freeway and stopped in the parking lot of the Chevron Station on Nutwood and Placentia, right next to what was then a CoCo's (now Denny's). There was a scuffle and the suspect got ahold of Don's gun. Don was shot six times, but his vest saved him. But while Don was lying on the ground, the suspect stood over Don and shot him in the face. Don died in the hospital a couple of hours later. He left behind a pregnant wife.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Kevy, I am sorry to hear the story of losing your friend, and I agree that most officers are doing their best.

I've just been frustrated at trying to report these things- one time I followed the guy who ran, called it in, I had his license plate number and everything; nobody would listen to me. Another time a guy hit three cars and took off driving crazy. They didn't even want to listen to reporting a reckless driver.

This gives the impression of not caring. Maybe the 911 operators were having a rough day or something. I was just annoyed, though I would have been more annoyed if it had been my car that was hit.

[Prudence]

There's just too much of it happening. Up here, they won't even take a police report if the damage is under some specified dollar amount. I was sideswiped on the freeway by a pickup truck going goodness only knows how fast. At that time, the threshold was $350. The state patrol officer was very nice and came out to make sure the damage wasn't over the limit, but as it wasn't he wasn't permitted to make a report. I did have the license plate number of the other driver and he did make it a point to give them a lecture (they'd been driving while smoking pot), but beyond that there wasn't much he was allowed to do.

Heck, my dad's newish car was nearly totalled by a hit and run the happened right in front of a bus shelter with dozens of witnesses. Partial plate, other car info was readily available and offered, but since he wasn't injured the officers couldn't even interview witnesses to follow-up.