Society & Culture Hit and Run Drivers

[TheStinger]

As some of you may have read in the Rate Your Day thread, my motorbike was knocked over on friday whilst parked in a shopping mall car park. A nice man got the licence plate and make of the car and Westfield security have it on CCTV tape.

I reported it to police and with the info and footage that we have, the guy is screwed. Only problem is I have to wait until he either fesses up that he did it and then arranges to get his insurance company to pay to fix my bike or if he plays hardball, I have to take him to court which can take a while.

My bikes locking pin is bent from when it landed on the handlebar and it will need a entire new ignition assembly to fix it. The rest is just superficial cosmetic damage. It still works fine but it is annoying nonetheless.

My question to the GD brethren is this, have any of you had to deal with this sort of situation before and how long should I wait before ringing the police back and finding out when I will be contacted by this fiend?

 

[r dub 19]

I reckon don't wait around at all, gives the guy more opportunity to get out of paying up.

 

[Sweaty]

Ive got a 10cm dent on one side of my car from a carpark.

w***er didnt leave their details or anything

 

[TheStinger]

I reckon don't wait around at all, gives the guy more opportunity to get out of paying up.

I see what you mean but I don't want to be seen as being a pest to the police for a matter that would be fairly low on their totem pole of things to do. If someone had been hurt or there was major damage then they would get right on it, but this is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things.

I'm thinking of waiting until Tuesday before enquiring. Or am I being too lenient and need to jump on it before they forget about it?

 

[indieswan96]

I see what you mean but I don't want to be seen as being a pest to the police for a matter that would be fairly low on their totem pole of things to do. If someone had been hurt or there was major damage then they would get right on it, but this is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things.

I'm thinking of waiting until Tuesday before enquiring. Or am I being too lenient and need to jump on it before they forget about it?

Just think, WWMLD?

 

[TheStinger]

Just think, WWMLD?

He would fire a puck into their mouth, shove a hockey stick up their arse and when they tried to run away he would get the police to charge them with stealing his stuff.

If only I could do that to this w***er...

 

[royboy2]

If your bike is insured, you can pass on the rego details to them and they will chase him up for you

 

[r dub 19]

I reckon you should be relentless about it, only because I think cops are lazy when it comes to these things.

 

[TheStinger]

If your bike is insured, you can pass on the rego details to them and they will chase him up for you

I think I have to wait for the police to contact him first. I'm happy to be proved wrong though and will gladly get him chased down.

 

[TheStinger]

I reckon you should be relentless about it, only because I think cops are lazy when it comes to these things.

I hear that. Might call tomorrow after work. That's three days plus a weekday to boot. Should be ample time to give someone a phone call.

 

[r dub 19]

I hear that. Might call tomorrow after work. That's three days plus a weekday to boot. Should be ample time to give someone a phone call.

Fair call, if nothing happens just post his details on GD

 

[CAS79]

Go to the cops.

even if they only make notes a police report at the start makes it look less likely your fabricating your own evidence.

 

[TheStinger]

Go to the cops.

even if they only make notes a police report at the start makes it look less likely your fabricating your own evidence.

I reported it to police and with the info and footage that we have, the guy is screwed. Only problem is I have to wait until he either fesses up that he did it and then arranges to get his insurance company to pay to fix my bike or if he plays hardball, I have to take him to court which can take a while.

Already done. Just waiting for them to put their donut down and find this guy.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

It'll be a long way down the police priority list. At least a couple of weeks down.

As someone else said, contact your insurance company and tell them what's happened. Then you can get the bike fixed and they will chase the other guy for you.

 

[Lazarus]

Ive got a 10cm dent on one side of my car from a carpark.

w***er didnt leave their details or anything

Whilst you should always leave your phone number, I think some people don't because they're scared if it's a small dent the person whose car it is will get them for more than it's worth.
Having said that, a 10cm dent is fairly big and some people are just bastards.

 

[royboy2]

Could have been this bloke

 

[BarneyBent]

I got my right tail light damaged a while back. Looks like somebody misjudged getting out of a tight park. I didn't notice it at first, so I have no idea when it happened, but I certainly didn't receive any details. Not like it matters for such minor damage, but still, would have been a nice gesture.

I'm also pretty anal about leaving plenty of room in front and behind my car, and I'm not a good enough parallel-parker to get into spaces that are already so tight that it's difficult for others around me, so it's pretty bewildering.

Oh, also, this girl I know got hit by a car one night and ended up in hospital for a few days. She was drunk but the car ran a red. The car didn't stop, nobody was aware (read, sober) enough to grab the license plate. Scum.

 

[HarryTiger]

Low priority and yet they encourage drivers to dob in other drivers doing the wrong thing e.g. "dob in a hoon", or a cigarette chucker. Tell the cops the motorbike is female and the driver was a AFL player they'll send the major crimes squad in to investigate.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Low priority and yet they encourage drivers to dob in other drivers doing the wrong thing e.g. "dob in a hoon", or a cigarette chucker.

The cops who have to actually go and do the work following up this stuff are not the same ones who are running the marketing campaign.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

My brothers good friend died after being hit and having the driver take off. Scum.

 

[TheStinger]

UPDATE - The police finally put down their donuts long enough to find the guy who hit my bike and then contacted me to give me his details. Rang him up and he was apologetic about the incident which, and I believe him when he says it, was a complete accident and he was unaware that he had knocked it over.

With it being dark he did not see it and just the lightest of bumps could have sent it tumbling. I settled with him for $300 to fix my steering lock that was damaged.

All in all, a fair result.

 

[Invigoration]

The cops just give you his details and let you follow it up? That seems sorta strange to me, would have thought it'd result in potential shit fight breaking out between the two parties.

Seriously doubt he didn't know that he had hit it either. Shit bloke, glad you tracked him down.

What do you ride anyway Stinger?

 

[TheStinger]

The cops just give you his details and let you follow it up? That seems sorta strange to me, would have thought it'd result in potential shit fight breaking out between the two parties.

Seriously doubt he didn't know that he had hit it either. Shit bloke, glad you tracked him down.

What do you ride anyway Stinger?

I started with an Agility 125 scooter but I've now got an Aprilia RS 125. I was pretty lucky really that it was not damaged hardly at all and even the locking pin is only slightly bent so it's not worth worrying about.

The police giving me the details to follow it up did seem a little strange. Didn't even tell the bloke to ring me or anything and if I don't follow it up he gets off scott free. If he really wanted to be a prick he could have disputed it and I would have to take him to court.

Lucky that with the eye witness and the footage he probably thought it was better to just settle straight up and not push his luck any further.

Can't believe he doesn't lose any points on his licence or get a fine for it though, even if it was an accident.

 

[r dub 19]

UPDATE - The police finally put down their donuts long enough to find the guy who hit my bike and then contacted me to give me his details. Rang him up and he was apologetic about the incident which, and I believe him when he says it, was a complete accident and he was unaware that he had knocked it over.

With it being dark he did not see it and just the lightest of bumps could have sent it tumbling. I settled with him for $300 to fix my steering lock that was damaged.

All in all, a fair result.

lol'd