So, what should you do in this situation?

"As Du Volant" (skuhnphoto)
05/19/2015 at 12:11 • Filed to: None

A little while ago I watched someone hit another car in a parking lot. An older woman in a Jetta turned too wide going into a parking space and smacked a brand new Escape, HARD. Caused probably $1000 damage. She walked off like nothing happened, came back out of the store 5 minutes later and got in her car and drove away. I got a photo of the car and left a note describing what happened, the car’s license plate number, and my phone number.

In retrospect I realize it probably won’t accomplish much if anything. So... what SHOULD someone do in this circumstance?

DISCUSSION (25)

SaveTheIntegras > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:13

called the cops?

CB > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:15

I think what you did was right. As SaveTheIntegras mentioned, call the cops as well, just in case. Because the lady driving off has to stick around, otherwise it’s a crime (leaving the scene of an accident).

Snuze: Needs another Swede > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:16

I think you did the right thing, and I’m not sure there’s much more you could have done. Did the owner of the Escape ever contact you?

As Du Volant > Snuze: Needs another Swede
05/19/2015 at 12:17

No, but it’s only been 45 minutes or so.

Agrajag > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:18

You did probably all you could.

The culprit could have at least left a note.

Kinja'd!!!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:20

Oh, when you said a little while ago I wasn’t sure what the timeframe was, like a few minutes, or a few days ago.

deekster_caddy > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:20

You did exactly the right thing. You have no idea how cuckoo somebody might be, especially somebody who drives away knowingly like that, so you should not engage them.

You saw somebody cause damage to somebody else’s property and took record of it. The person with the damage will thank you profusely, but you might also have to explain what you saw to their insurance company or the police. At some point somebody will need ‘proof’ that the cookoo lady actually did what she is being accused of.

Jcarr > CB
05/19/2015 at 12:21

This ^. I definitely would call the cops.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:21

Perfect.

JGrabowMSt > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:22

If possible get the offender to stay, but outside of what you did, not much.

There’s plenty of times when the offending driver may not be someone anyone would want to confront, and in those situations, getting a photo, plate number and leaving a note, that’s about it. In most stores, there’s security footage of the parking lot, you can inquire with the store about whether they do, because you witnessed a hit and run in the parking lot, and I’m sure many stores would be happy to make sure that is made available for the victim.

OPPOsaurus WRX > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:22

i certainly wouldn;t have stayed next to the car i just hit. o you mean a person in your position, be happy it wasn;t you getting hit. you probably did all you could do. Did she even realize she hit the car?

505Turbeaux > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:24

I think you did everything right. Wait for a call or forget about it. Good on you, you did more than most other people would have in that situation

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:24

That’s exactly what I would have done. You witnessed the event and left your contact info. The Escape owner will likely call the police, who will track down and question the old lady, who will likely just confess.

As Du Volant > OPPOsaurus WRX
05/19/2015 at 12:32

Totally. She stopped when she hit it, backed up, then pulled the rest of the way in. After that she just acted like it never happened.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:38

call da po-po

They can do more with that info and escape owner is going to have to call them anyhow.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:44

Exactly that.

ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:46

I agree you did exactly what needed to be done. The owner can file a police report on their own if need be, or just take that info to their insurance company and let them hash it out.

Textured Soy Protein > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 12:55

I’m sure the owner of the Escape will probably get the note and contact you. Not much else you could’ve done. Maybe call the cops but even what you have is going to be a huge help to them.

Brickman > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 13:01

I’d shoot the front fender, flipping the car and remove the driver like one of those Bollywood movies :D

Nah, get the license plate #, car color model etc, and call the police.

Sam > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 13:15

I think you did as much as you needed to. Odds are they can find the person who hit them easily. I’ve only ever been in this situation once, when I slightly tapped a minivan turning to sharply into a spot. Then I go out and saw that the van looked like it belonged in Mad Max and didn’t fret. I literally scraped it on top of an existing Camry corner.

Rainbow > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 13:39

If it was a well-lit, safe area, I would have approached the culprit before she had a chance to drive off. “Hey, did you notice that you bumped that car? You might want to make sure there’s no damage.” If they get angry and try to drive off, get in their way (even assholes who hit and run are nearly always smart enough to avoid an attempted murder charge) and call the cops. Also try to enlist the help of passersby to keep everything under control.

If it was in a dark lot with no cameras and very few people, or if the culprit was just terrifying, though, then just taking photos and staying out of it is perfect.

Klaus Schmoll > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 14:16

I called the cops when I witnessed a hit and run like this. Those two young cops trying to get pictures of the damage were funny as hell.

cornerslide > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 14:19

I hope someone like you is around if this ever happens to me.

Rico > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 14:26

As long as the owner calls the cops they can file the report and the cops / insurance company will go after the offender. You did the right thing, the only other thing you could’ve done was wait to tell the person or hand them the note but don’t confront the driver.

Also if the store has a camera out front that may have caught the incident that will help. Also the make/model of the car helps too.

boxrocket > As Du Volant
05/19/2015 at 14:39

Good taking the photos and leaving what info you could. You should have also called the police, since technically she was leaving the scene of an accident, and caused property damage, plus then they could present the Escape owner a report to submit to their insurance.