Got smacked today

[normanvin]

I had dog class today. So I had to stop to break a twenty. I pulled into a mini mart. As I was going across this lot to park I notice this mini van go into reverse. I hit the brakes and toot the horn twice. this mini van then slams into my brush guard.push bar. The guy stops. Gets out, music blaring from the van. He says in broken English that it was my fault. I tell him no way, as a guy that was pumping gas yells over that it was mini van guys fault. I tell mini van guy that I want his license and insurance card. He says ok and goes o his van to get it. I run into the store to ask them to call the police.

I come out of the store and the guy is trying to jockey his van around my explorer. I run over to the drivers window and yell at him " where do you think you are going?" He says he is going for his paper work. Now I have my left hand on the door jam. He accelerates as I am still hanging on. I take a few steps and realize that I should let go. As the van is passing me I see the back wing window is open. I start to grab for it, thinking I could snap it off. It pass to late.
I yell at my son to get his plate number. Of course the son says "what". Fortunately another customer got the plate number.


The officer shows and calls the number in so another cruiser could try to snag the guy. He then takes all the info from me and the guy who got the plate number.

he then tells me that he wouldn't bet that the mini van guy had insurance.

He told me he would call me later in the day.

The convenience store manager brought out some pics of the guy and his car, from the security camera.

I manged to get to the agility class about an hour late.

The damage to my vehicle was only the brush guard is bent. less than my deductible I am sure.

All the while I kept my cool. Even though I almost got run over.

[shefearsnothing]

What a shame that people have to act like assholes. Good thing you got his plate number and that there were witnesses who acted fast and on your behalf. Also, glad to hear that no one was injured.

[knighthawk06699]

You did good, but I bet the LEO is right. More than likely the guy has no insurance, I would even put money on that the van was not even registered. At least no one was hurt.

[LittleRedToyota]

i carry a little pocket notebook and pen around with me. the *first* thing i do in situations like this is write down the plate number of the other vehicle.

just an idea.

nice job on keeping your cool, though.

[normanvin]

i carry a little pocket notebook and pen around with me. the *first* thing i do in situations like this is write down the plate number of the other vehicle.

just an idea.

nice job on keeping your cool, though.

I also carry a pen and paper. i just never thought the guy would take off.

Once we were done with the cop, and were back on our way is when I got pissed.

[LittleRedToyota]

Once we were done with the cop, and were back on our way is when I got pissed.

that's a good time to get pissed.

at that point, you can't do anything rash as a result of being pissed.

so, keeping your head until the situation is over and getting pissed afterward sounds like a good strategy to me...

[adymond]

What kind of music was coming out of the minivan? I have to laugh at the minivans in north Philly that are thumping the Hip-Hop music with the thug behind the wheel. I always want to ask "Do you know what minivans are meant to do? Drive kids around not pimp out!" Minivan drivers are a different breed in my mind. You see the middle aged guys driving them like they are race cars. Doesn't matter who drives them I just don't get it. If I need more space I will get a bigger SUV.

[625]

I thought this thread was going to be about getting smacked by some woman you may or may not have insulted.

I run into the store to ask them to call the police.

These days we all need cell phones with us at all times even if we rarely use them. Never good to have to count on someone else.

Minivan drivers are a different breed in my mind. You see the middle aged guys driving them like they are race cars. Doesn't matter who drives them I just don't get it.

They are better known as loser cruisers. They make me look James Dean cool by comparison when I drive my Civic. I'd rather be castrated than drive one of those things.

[normanvin]

What kind of music was coming out of the minivan?

Truth be told it was just noise to me.

I have a question, now that I think back on this incident.

How much force can be used to stop someone from fleeing as this guy did?

While I was speaking to the officer, I told him that I had thoughts of grabbing the open wing window and snapping it off. He asked me why I didn't.

[625]

How much force can be used to stop someone from fleeing as this guy did?

Zero, as far as I know. The clown that pissed on my car would have gotten away with it had he walked away or if the bus stopped for him sooner.

If the crime were a felony, you may be able to restrain the person.

I would strongly advise against grabbing a moving piece of glass.