Scratch & run this morning; found culprit but DC police won't help. Am I S.O.L.? (long)
02-19-2003, 05:42 PM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Scratch & run this morning; found culprit but DC police won't help. Am I S.O.L.? (long)
So I checked on my car at 7AM this morning in the garage of my apartment. At that time, the PT Cruiser next to me was in place and there was no damage to my car.
When I left at 8:15, I found the Cruiser gone and this scratch (along with some red paint) on my driver-side front fender:
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/3779/dcp_0071.jpg">
Based on the position of our cars (we both park head out -- the Cruiser to the right), the only possibility was that the Cruiser had clipped my car while pulling out (my car would be to the left in this pic):
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/3779/dcp_0073.jpg">
Surely enough, when the Cruiser came back in the evening, I found this on its passenger side rear fender:
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/3779/dcp_0072.jpg">
The Washington DC police won't issue a damage report because it's private property, and the garage owner of course is not responsible for damage done by other users of the garage. I met with the owner of the Cruiser and he refuses to pay for the damage.
Am I S.O.L.? Does anyone have any creative ideas? The damage is minor and probably will cost around $100 to fix, but I shouldn't have to pay for it. Then again, it's not worth filing a claim in small claims court or reporting it to insurance.
Thanks for reading all this and for any input!
When I left at 8:15, I found the Cruiser gone and this scratch (along with some red paint) on my driver-side front fender:
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/3779/dcp_0071.jpg">
Based on the position of our cars (we both park head out -- the Cruiser to the right), the only possibility was that the Cruiser had clipped my car while pulling out (my car would be to the left in this pic):
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/3779/dcp_0073.jpg">
Surely enough, when the Cruiser came back in the evening, I found this on its passenger side rear fender:
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/3779/dcp_0072.jpg">
The Washington DC police won't issue a damage report because it's private property, and the garage owner of course is not responsible for damage done by other users of the garage. I met with the owner of the Cruiser and he refuses to pay for the damage.
Am I S.O.L.? Does anyone have any creative ideas? The damage is minor and probably will cost around $100 to fix, but I shouldn't have to pay for it. Then again, it's not worth filing a claim in small claims court or reporting it to insurance.
Thanks for reading all this and for any input!
02-19-2003, 05:47 PM
#5
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Suck it up for now, and plan revenge for when you move. That stuff is inexcusable in my mind and
*******s like the PT driver should be shot for having no regard for others' property. It seriously doesn't look that bad, and it doesn't look like any sharp edges contacted your paint. I can probably get 99% of that out for you. I live in Alexandria, but I work in DC. Let me know if you want some help.
02-19-2003, 05:48 PM
#6
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What a ********.
I'd say you probably are SOL... 
Though, if you don't park next to that guy on a daily basis, I know of a lot of fun pranks to pull on his PrettyTerrible Cruiser. :-P
Though, if you don't park next to that guy on a daily basis, I know of a lot of fun pranks to pull on his PrettyTerrible Cruiser. :-P
02-19-2003, 05:48 PM
#7
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
His lame-*** excuse: "There are other red cars in the garage." But spaces are ASSIGNED...
and his space is, admittedly, difficult to enter and exit (but all the more probable that he scratched my car). So nobody would've had any reason to squeeze into that space in the hour interval in the morning when everyone was LEAVING for work.
