Is this extortion?

[Rebasxer]

Driving home the other night, I had an incident of road rage. I was driving in the 2ndmost left hand lane, and my lane was supposed to merge with the far left lane. I kept my speed while this bitch in the left lane sped up to try and get around me. I didn't feel like breaking for some speeding asshat, so because she was trying to pass and I didn't let her she had to break hard.

So she speeds up, passes me and proceeds to dump glass bottles out the window in what I can only guess would be an attempt to puncture my tires. I sped up and got her license plate number and used some connections to get her name and adress.

My tires had bits of glass in the tred but no punctures, glass dinged up my bumper/hood and also chipped my windshield. I was thinking of sending her a letter saying that I will go to the police if she does not reimburse me for damages, which I will have fairly apraised. Is this extortion?

 

[DeadByDawn]

Hmmm good question. But if it's your word against hers, i don't see the police doing anything. She'll probably just laugh it off.

 

[dirtboy]

Can you prove that she was the cause of the glass in your tires?

 

[Rebasxer]

Oh yea, I had a witness in the car that saw her drop the bottles.

 

[DeadByDawn]

I'd probably send her an anonymous letter without fingerprints etc. saying some nice things about the incident. Then forget about it. Her paranoia will be your revenge.

 

[Corporate Thug]

extortion, n. 1. The offense committed by a public official who illegally obtains property under the color of office

You are not a public official in this case...

Edit: definition from blacks law dictionary

 

[Whisper]

I'd file the report directly rather than trying to get her to reimburse damages. I'd imagine that should she decide not to take you up on your offer, she could show your letter to the police...and that, if nothing else, would likely not reflect well on your character.

 

[dirtboy]

I don't think you have much, but I can say this, let people have their way with their car... it's not worth proving your manhood.

 

[Ronstang]

Don't say a word to anyone and simply burn her house down. No one will connect you to her. Teach that biatch a lesson about Karma.



I am joking of course.....but is sounds good to get rid of your rage. Sometimes just imagining the revenge gets rid of the urge to actually do anything. Remember that somewhere in her life Karma will catch up to her.

 

[Ronstang]

BTW...if what you are talking about is actually extortion then most lawyers should be in jail already.

 

[Corporate Thug]

Originally posted by: Ronstang
BTW...if what you are talking about is actually extortion then most lawyers should be in jail already.

no, they wouldnt (unless they are employeed as a public official)

 

[AgentJean]

Originally posted by: Corporate Thug

extortion, n. 1. The offense committed by a public official who illegally obtains property under the color of office

You are not a public official in this case...

Edit: definition from blacks law dictionary

So the IRS is guilty of millions of counts of extortion

 

[chambersc]

Originally posted by: AgentJean

Originally posted by: Corporate Thug

extortion, n. 1. The offense committed by a public official who illegally obtains property under the color of office

You are not a public official in this case...

Edit: definition from blacks law dictionary

So the IRS is guilty of millions of counts of extortion

They got the law crafted around them. Therefore, they're legal because they (Congress) said so.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Whisper
I'd file the report directly rather than trying to get her to reimburse damages. I'd imagine that should she decide not to take you up on your offer, she could show your letter to the police...and that, if nothing else, would likely not reflect well on your character.

Unfortunately the police will probably do nothing about it.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Mail her a poo-poo platter. Large breeds are good. :evil:

 

[SmoochyTX]

Originally posted by: Whisper
I'd file the report directly rather than trying to get her to reimburse damages. I'd imagine that should she decide not to take you up on your offer, she could show your letter to the police...and that, if nothing else, would likely not reflect well on your character.

And then I would file a claim with your insurance company with the information you have.

 

[everman]

File a claim with your insurance company, their high dollar attorneys can go after her. Worst thing that happens to you is that you and the other witness need to testify at the criminal trial, not a big deal. I'd do it, might get her ass in jail for a little while

 

[herbiehancock]

Originally posted by: Corporate Thug

extortion, n. 1. The offense committed by a public official who illegally obtains property under the color of office

You are not a public official in this case...

Edit: definition from blacks law dictionary

Since the definition you provided had a #1 before the definition, one could rightly assume there were other definitions to the word, other than the public official version.

Another definition of extortion is to obtain from another by means of coercion or intimidation. Remember, extortion is a crime and is sometimes associated with other groups other than public officals....the Mafia comes to mind in that vein. So, one can be charged with extortion offenses and not be a public official.

 

[DrPizza]

Yeah, file the claim with your insurance company, and file a complaint with the local police department.

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Yeah, file the claim with your insurance company, and file a complaint with the local police department.

Best suggestion IMO... Yuo are totally in the clear this way, and is your best chance of getting a result.

If you have to ask if its extortion, it probably is, on some level

 

[compuwiz1]

Originally posted by: akshatp

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Yeah, file the claim with your insurance company, and file a complaint with the local police department.

Best suggestion IMO... Yuo are totally in the clear this way, and is your best chance of getting a result.

If you have to ask if its extortion, it probably is, on some level

Don't forget to give the authorities and insurance company her info too.

 

[Trikat]

If you send her to jail i'll PayPal you $5.

 

[2Xtreme21]

You'd probably get more retribution by taking a sledgehammer to her car while it's parked in her driveway, really.

I'm not advocating this, obviously, but you have pretty much nothing and she will just "laugh her ass off" as previously stated.

 

[SmoochyTX]

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
You'd probably get more retribution by taking a sledgehammer to her car while it's parked in her driveway, really.

I'm not advocating this, obviously, but you have pretty much nothing and she will just "laugh her ass off" as previously stated.

And maybe you should egg her car. It's at night. Is it 32 degrees there? :roll:

 

[Mermaidman]

Mail a box of broken glass bottles to her.

I assume you backed off after she reciprocated your stunt? And out of curiosity, what vehicles were she and you driving?

BTW, what you want to do is not extortion, but probably more like menacing, which is also against the law.