Hit and Run

[Ben Ruset]

I was sitting in the parking lot of the Wawa at the intersection of 539 and 70 today waiting to meet up with someone from the NJPineBarrens.com Facebook page when all of a sudden I hear a loud *thump* from the back of my truck.

I see a car behind mine. I'm like "did that guy just hit me?" I got out and checked and as soon as he saw me get out of my truck he took off. Sure enough, he clipped my rear bumper, scraping off a whole bunch of paint off of it.

Since I was meeting someone (who just came out of the Wawa) I figured that I'd be fine just calling my insurance company when I got home. Nope - I needed to have filed a police report right then to have been able to do anything. It also turns out that Wawa's security cameras don't cover the area that I was parked in, so I have no proof that someone actually hit me.

I'm so annoyed!

 

[Teegate]

Sorry to hear that. You nned to back in and get a video camera mounted in your car. I have been thinking about doing that.

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

I know the feeling Ben. Twice I've been hurt by other people's negligence, and I never followed up on it.

I saw a guy do that with his truck to a ford escort in Forked River at A's hardware. He backed into it while the owner was in the store. Lifted the ford up a few inches and scraped it all up. He looked around sheepishly and just took off. I went back in the store and told the guy. He was in shock that someone would actually do that to him.

PS: did you see that documentary about the meteor that hit Russia recently? They have fantastic photo's only because people in Russia hit each other with cars (and then split) so often that a good portion of the people now have video cams in their cars.

 

[Boyd]

That sucks Ben. I hope the damage isn't too expensive. With the car I had before my present one, it was less than a week old when I came out of the Acme in Mays landing to find a very big scrape on the door. There had been a truck parked next to me that must have done it when pulling out. Same kind of thing. It really is annoying.

 

[Boyd]

They have fantastic photo's only because people in Russia hit each other with cars (and then split) so often that a good portion of the people now have video cams in their cars.

They make GPS'es with driving recorders now but only sell them in the EU market. The same models also often receive TV broadcasts. Maybe that is one of the reasons they have so many accidents?

 

[46er]

If it should ever happen again, or you witness it to someone else, get the plate # and report it as a hit and run. The authorities will find him for you; you will have to go to court. Might not be worth the effort. Probably uninsured, but you will have his name and info.

 

[joc]

Sorry Ben ! I feel for you .My car was a whopping 2 months old when someone keyed it .By coincidence , I was out there on Mon . of this week, same WAWA .Place was mobbed .Seems to be exacerbated since they re-did that intersection .All the dump trucks and construction on 539 / Pasadena don't help either . As far as your insurance goes , I would not give up @ this point .Not sure policies carry an "immediate " notification clause .You generally have @ least 48 hrs ....
Joe

 

[Gibby]

Ben, don't think for a moment that you are the only person that this has been involved in a hit and run. I would contact the local PD and explain what happened in the parking lot. Also explain to them what you have been through in the last few months from the storm and that the accident didn't seem like a problem until you found what was required to file an insurance claim. What is Wawa's policy with accidents in the parking lot? Does the company have a blanket policy that you could put a claim in? I was side swiped in TD bank's drive up and if the other driver wasn't insured the bank had insurance that would have helped me partially cover my costs. I would call the police this morning and make a report.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Yeah. It is what it is. I just hate driving around in a vehicle that's all banged up.

 

[noboat]

Sorry about that ben

 

[NJChileHead]

I hate hit and runners. Sorry to hear that. If you and I ever meet I'll buy you a beer and tell you just about the funniest hit and run story that you've ever heard (which happened to me).

 

[woodjin]

Yeah. It is what it is. I just hate driving around in a vehicle that's all banged up.

Me too....well, unless it's an '88 bronco and I'm 5 miles from pavement. Seriously Ben, that sucks. Hopefully it can be repaired at a reasonable cost.

Jeff

 

[Ben Ruset]

It's okay. I'm over it now.

Given that I've given the truck more than it's fair share of scrapes in the woods and a dent or two while living in Princeton, it's really not that big of a deal.

I'm probably one of the few people who actually bring their Honda Ridgeline off-road.

 

[46er]

I'm probably one of the few people who actually bring their Honda Ridgeline off-road.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Ok, I'll take that back.