Traffic accident - pickup truck rolls backwards and hits me

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I

Icepick

Diamond Member
Nov 1, 2004
3,663
4
81
I was sitting in my car stopped at a red traffic light. It was 7:45 AM at a busy four-way intersection. There's a older small pickup truck in front of me. So, I'm just sitting there looking around and waiting for the light to turn. Then I see movement ahead of me. The pickup truck was slowly rolling backwards toward my car! Now, I had at least 10 feet between me and the pickup truck. After about 2 seconds I layed on my horn and continued to do so until the truck hit me! It actually hit me. So I get out and the guy in the pickup gets out.

I was like "wtf"? All he could say was "I thought you hit me". Now this guy didn't exactly appear to be the brightest bulb on the tree. He was kind of slurring his words a bit and didn't quite look like he was all there (I'm wondering if he was a bit inebriated but, have no proof). He came back and looked at the car and said "there's no damage". Then he got into his truck and took off. I at least had the presence of mind to jot down his license plate number as he was leaving. There was no damage to his truck of course. On my car there was a scratch on the bumper about an inch long and the plastic strip around the bumber was slightly knocked ajar.

I decided not to bother calling the cops to file a report because
a. I didn't have any witnesses and it would be his word against mine as to who hit who.
b. There really wasn't much damage, only a couple of scratches on the plastic bumper.
c. The car is 10 years old anyway. (Good thing I didn't buy a new car yet)

Did I do the right thing in letting this go and moving on with my life? Should I have reported this to the police/insurance co anyway?

--------------------------------------

Cliff's notes:
1. Stopped at an intersection
2. Pickup truck rolls at least 10 feet backwards and hits me
3. Very minor damage to my 10 year old car
4. Didn't report the incident
5. Don't know if I did the right thing. What would you have done?
 
A

Amplifier

Banned
Dec 25, 2004
3,143
0
0
Reported would be the best thing to do.

But I won't fault you for letting him go. If you had no damage then whatever.
 
MrDudeMan

MrDudeMan

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
15,069
94
91
you are an idiot. where are the pics?

edit: oh, and yes, id say you did the right thing by letting it go. who cares if its just a small scratch? i dont get why people get all uptight about their cars...i would have done what you did unless something was actually broken.
 
R

Rent

Diamond Member
Aug 8, 2000
7,127
1
81
It sounds like you don't care too much about your car, so let it go.
 
O

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
Depends how pissed you were. It would have been a hassle, but he was probably drunk. Cops would have tracked him down, and if they caught him in the vehicle, he'd have been screwed. Otherwise, he would have been in trouble fro leaving an accident. Cops would have been able to find paint from your car on his truck. I suppose that would have been a ticket for him, etc. You could still do that if you want.
 
B

BobDaMenkey

Diamond Member
Jan 27, 2005
3,057
2
0
I'd say you did about what I would have done. It really wouldn't be worth it to try and do anything for a minor scratch like that.
 
M

myusername

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2003
5,046
0
0
If I can possibly skate the line between the "You used mouthwash don't drive for 2 hours" crowd and the "I finished a case on the way home crowd" ...

If the guy really rolled a whole 10 feet and neglected to hit the brakes even when honked at, you have an obligation to get him off the road so he doesn't T-bone a car full of kids at a 4 way stop he blows through. If you are slurring words, you are too drunk to drive.

also, if he had *asked* me if I thought there was any damage, or gave me insurance info, I might let a couple scratches slide. The fact that the mofo assumed for himself there was no damage and promptly drove off would have me on the phone ASAP.
 
AreaCode707

AreaCode707

Lifer
Sep 21, 2001
18,447
133
106
A friend of mine was "front ended" by a truck that backed up into him and he got the several hundred dollar ticket for "rear ending" the guy. :|
 
brigden

brigden

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 2002
8,702
2
81
Lie in bed at night, stewing over what you could have done differently. Post on the Internet in a poor attempt to justify your impotence.
 
M

myusername

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2003
5,046
0
0
Originally posted by: brigden
Lie in bed at night, stewing over what you could have done differently. Post on the Internet in a poor attempt to justify your impotence.
Click to expand...

This after berating Nik for being useless on this forum in the car-paint thread? :confused:
 
Zenmervolt

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
44
91
Originally posted by: HotChic
A friend of mine was "front ended" by a truck that backed up into him and he got the several hundred dollar ticket for "rear ending" the guy. :|
Click to expand...
Sadly, this is probably what would have happened to the OP as well if he'd called the police. Without other people to corroborate the OP's story, all it would take would be for the guy in the truck to claim that he was rear-ended and then the OP gets a ticket.

To the OP: Yes, you did the right thing. There are times when it's just not worth the hassle and I think this was one of them. I was very gently rear-ended about a week ago at a stoplight (the guy behind me stopped, then crept forward into me). No damage so we both just let it go.

ZV
 
N

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
I wouldn't have called the cops to report the accident, but I'd have called to report a possible drunk driver.
 
I

Icepick

Diamond Member
Nov 1, 2004
3,663
4
81
Originally posted by: HotChic
A friend of mine was "front ended" by a truck that backed up into him and he got the several hundred dollar ticket for "rear ending" the guy. :|
Click to expand...

See, that's the worst case scenario I didn't want to get into.

Originally posted by: brigden
Lie in bed at night, stewing over what you could have done differently. Post on the Internet in a poor attempt to justify your impotence.
Click to expand...

HA HA. Interesting spin you put on it. Unfortunately, that's the story of my life :D

OK. That's it. You talked me into it. I'm Taking her209's advice and having sex with his wife. I'll be sure to post pics...
 
BurnItDwn

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,368
1,879
126
Sounds like the guy is a dick .... so no, I wouldn't have let him go.

It's not that I'm uptight about my car, if someone did that, and they apologized and accepted responsibillity for their actions, then I'd tell em no big deal, it's just a scratch ... but if the guy is gonna be a dick about it ... that's another story.
 
skyking

skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
22,843
6,010
146
Originally posted by: loki8481
I wouldn't have called the cops to report the accident, but I'd have called to report a possible drunk driver.
Click to expand...

winner!
 
JulesMaximus

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,599
1,001
126
I would report it anyway. Hit and run is not a small infraction.

You should report it if for no other reason than to have it on file in case he tries to sue you for soft tissue damage claiming you hit him.
 
E

EyeMWing

Banned
Jun 13, 2003
15,670
1
0
The guy was obviously wasted.

But anyway, in Maryland, YOU would've been at fault if you had reported it (all rear-end collisions are the guy in back's fault. No exceptions. "You shouldn't have stopped so close."). Always know your state laws.
 
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