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Car Accident Question
So today in a parking lot my friend and I were wrestling over a bottle of sprayable febreeze in my car. I wanted to spray it to freshen the vehicle, he wanted it to be a dick. Eventually, he shot me in the eye with it (though he didn't mean to, I turned in to it) and I couldn't see for shit.
As I opened my door, I let go, not able to find a hold on it (being fuckin' blind and all) and I hit a vehicle beside me. I looked after I'd washed my eye, and tried to inform the elderly woman inside that I had chipped off a paint chip about the size of a nickel (sp?) - She glared and me, grunted, and rolled up her windows.
To me, this says "Fuck You"
I washed my eye out again, and she stayed in her vehicle. As I backed up, she got out and slowly walked to the front of her car and glared.
Should I have stayed? Was I right to leave? While it was 100% my fault, I offered apology, and waited for her to exit the vehicle to inspect it, but rolling up the windows *this was NOT to exit the vehicle. This was as I approached. She stayed IN the vehicle looking at me.* seems like a "fuck you" to me... I even waited again, then when I pulled away, she got out.
What's up members? Am I a douche, or should I worry about it? I mean if I get a call from the insurance agency (provided she took my plate) I'll explain my story/ pay the damage if need be, but otherwise...
As I opened my door, I let go, not able to find a hold on it (being fuckin' blind and all) and I hit a vehicle beside me. I looked after I'd washed my eye, and tried to inform the elderly woman inside that I had chipped off a paint chip about the size of a nickel (sp?) - She glared and me, grunted, and rolled up her windows.
To me, this says "Fuck You"
I washed my eye out again, and she stayed in her vehicle. As I backed up, she got out and slowly walked to the front of her car and glared.
Should I have stayed? Was I right to leave? While it was 100% my fault, I offered apology, and waited for her to exit the vehicle to inspect it, but rolling up the windows *this was NOT to exit the vehicle. This was as I approached. She stayed IN the vehicle looking at me.* seems like a "fuck you" to me... I even waited again, then when I pulled away, she got out.
What's up members? Am I a douche, or should I worry about it? I mean if I get a call from the insurance agency (provided she took my plate) I'll explain my story/ pay the damage if need be, but otherwise...
Comments
I tried to get her to examine the damage, but she just stayed in the car, not until I was DRIVING AWAY did she get out. I don't even think she went to check the damage. If she got my plate, good for her. I'll pay for the damage if I need to, but her refusing to come look until I was gone (if she even looked, I didn't see, I would imagine she did) makes me wonder....
I know now that I SHOULD have just waited, but I was pissed, which is no excuse.
Regarding going to the police station, the station nearest here is a joke, those clowns wouldn't do anything, and believe me when I say that. This happened in "the city" about an hour outside my small town.
Oh, also, not sure if I made it clear, but the hit and run reference reminded me - I was parked the whole time. The vehicle was off. This aside, that is exactly what this was, even though I tried to talk to her about it.
She's going to have a pretty difficult time proving injury/damages proximately caused by you, unless you happen to live somewhere that has some sort of horribly draconian hit-and-run statute.
DO NOT talk to her, the cops, or any insurance agency before you talk to a local attorney. Many attorneys will allow you a free initial consultation.
In the future, always get a police report, no matter how trivial it may seem. Police reports save many headaches.
If something worse than this happens... what the fuck do I do?
Seriously, you've already confessed and made statements against interest on this board. Don't talk to anyone else until you talk to your attorney. Your attorney will help you.
Until then, calm down. Worry will not solve anything. The best thing you can do right now is stop confessing to it, stop telling people you'll pay, and find an attorney.
I took this advice one time. I was in a car pileup on the freeway in San Diego County. Luckily, nothing happened to my car or the car in front of me. She game me her name & number and took off. I was hit from behind, but after talking to the others who pulled over, it appears the truck had taken off. I waited for the police to show up to provide a report. I told them I hit someone in front of me and someone hit me from behind, but no visible damage from us. The officer stared at me with a quizzical look like "why are you even here, then", then says, "I don't need anything from you, you can take off"
Now in my opinion with your situation, I think you were OK. You confronted the owner of the victimized vehicle without receiving a response. Obviously, from the indifferent reaction she gave you when you described what happened, the next step in the accident process appears to have been denied by the victim. Other than that, it is a testament to the importance of proper social skills and the effect of indifference in the world. If someone scuzzed me off, I wouldn't bend over backwards for them. I would have to get away from them to keep myself from picking a (verbal)fight with them.