One of my co-workers (Don) was selling an all original 1964 Nova SS, V8 car. The car is about a 8.5 on a 1-10 scale (very nice). A guy (Matt) from Oregon sees the car is for sale online, calls and and they agree on a price (I won't post the price, but it was not cheap). The deal is agreed on and Matt takes the Greyhound bus from Oregon to Vacaville, CA to get the car. Sees the car and is very impressed that it was even in better condition than it was described. Doesn't even test drive the car, hands over the funds, gets the paper work (minus the original black plates, part of the deal). Matt takes off in the car stops at the gas station fills the tank, moves the car to a parking spot so he can run in and get his change. He parked next to a older lifted Ford pick up, and noticed the wheels were turned, hesitates, but goes in to get his change and the lady driving the truck is coming out, she hops in the truck throws it in reverse (with the wheels turned), proceeds to back out and the front tire/wheel drives up the Nova's door and down the 1/4 panel. Matt sees what's going on and runs out of the store yelling for her to stop, see drives off like nothing happened, he runs after her to a red light yelling for her to stop, the light turns green and she takes off. Many witnesses and her windows were down. Not one person got even a partial plate. The police come and they look at the video and they see that she sat in the truck for 30 minutes before ever going into the store, when she went in she just asked a question, didn't buy anything and walked out. They have video of the truck and the female driver, but no plate. The cop said there's nothing they can do, she could have just been driving through on the highway (the station is right off the freeway I-80). Obviously Matt was devistated, been looking for this exact car for a long time, was big on the fact that it was original. According to Don (seller) the door and 1/4 panel were smashed up pretty good, but the gaps were all still good, the windows would still roll up (door window and 1/4 window). That had to be a long drive back to Oregon after that happened. He didn't own the car 10 minutes yet. He was less than 2 miles from Don's house.

You would like to think in a situation like that you would think fast enough to get a plate (or one of the witnesses would). Hard to say what you would do in that situation, but I sure hope I could have jumped in my car and followed her long enough to get a plate. Hard to think straight when you're in shock I suppose.

In any case I feel bad for Matt, that stinks. I don't even know the guy, but I feel for him.

Wow, that just really blows. Tough break.

at least he got that first ding out of the way really fast..

Royce...

That just plain stinks! These days nobody cares and seem to think that is the right way. There is no way she didn't feel the truck going into that car. A car is only original once but a$$ holes are original forever!!


Kev

That sucks

Wow, that really stinks. Hope they catch her. Lesson learned: be extremely careful where you park if you are going to leave a car like that unattended. Can you say accident waiting to happen? I've parked out on the end of a row, no cars anywhere near and some idiot with a car load of kids will park next to my car, doors flying open kids flying out.:( This is with me 10 ft. away watching. Got real nervous one time at a local burger joint when a vehicle parked kind close to my driver's side with a very large guy in the psgr. seat 400 lbs. plus. He said don't worry, I'm not getting out, then started asking me questions about my car. What a relief.

That makes me sick to my stomach.

Man that sucks! I feel sorry for the guys as well, imagine the feeling of picking up your dream car, then 10 minutes later the feeling of seeing it smashed, that would be just brutal.
Sounds like the lady had some serious problems, mental or substance abuse, or both. What amazes me is nobody got the plate! I can imagine in the sheer disbelief the new owner could miss it, but if I was rolling down the street and saw a guy trying to get a vehicle to stop like that I would get the plate.
I actually saw a girl back out of a parking spot in a Mercedes and just slam a car next to her. I watched in disbelief as she kept backing out and started driving away. I had my wife in the car but followed her to a spot they stopped (to change drivers, the girl was young that was driving) and I asked if they were just going to leave after hitting the car? They played stupid (it looked like a natural role..) but eventually said they knew but then made up a BS story and said older lady was driving. I called BS, and my wife went to talk to the lady who's car got hit and she called the cops.
Then before the cops got there, these idiots got in and drove away. It was all I could do not to block them in but getting older has made me think these things through I guess and I decided it would be best not to. I got the plates so they probably caught up to them but I never heard back.
Some people just suck as human beings I guess, maybe the lady that hit the Nova was messed up one way or another, or maybe she was just one of these losers that can't own up to what they do.
Either way, that just sucks and I feel for the guy. Hopefully it works out for him.

Guys and Gals,

Now a days we need to watch out for this kind of stuff and thank you for pointing this out Royce... But we need to remember that people are at there wits end right now and feel like they have been lied to from whatever is going on in there lives... Its a shame it didn't happen to a daily driver 2000 and newer but man thats why i cant see myself with a numbers matching or original classic/muscle car.... People just don't care anymore.

There is no excuse for hit and run. Unless some one is dying, you stay and take your medicine.

Man what a horrible story.

On failbog.org:

http://failblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/fail-owned-accident-note-fail.jpg?w=375&h=500

I wish I lived in the good 'ole days. Now, most people are rude, inconsiderate, and could careless about others and their things. You NEVER leave a Classic Car unattended these days, not even at a car show.

Major mistake # 1. He parked close enough to another car to even let this happen. I still feel his pain.

Did he have insurance on it yet?

I bet that happens quite a bit. :mad:

On failbog.org:

http://failblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/fail-owned-accident-note-fail.jpg?w=375&h=500

Did he have insurance on it yet?

Most policys have a clause to cover you when driving someone elses car as well to give you a few days coverage after buying a car... It's written in to both my Mercury (daily driver) and Hagerty policys and I didn't have to request it.

I had my sports car for one week, I was in a parking lot and this guy backed into me, hit me pretty hard and I was dazed. Anyway he says it is his moms car and she is right there (points to a beauty salon), he says he is going to park it. I start dialing my phone and look up and the guy was gone. I felt like such an idiot for not getting his plate right away. Waited over an hour for the CHP to show up and of course they could do nothing. My car was cheap and my brother gave it to me for a couple grand but I only had liability on it. Still drive it everyday with the back all smashed up, hoping I see that punk in the black Dodge Pacifica at the shopping center again one day :)

Did he have insurance on it yet?


As Dennis mentioned insurance will automatically cover a car for 15 days from the date of purchase (I think it's the law). They tried to deny him at first, because the car didn't have plates on it, but my co-worker talked to them and explained everything. The insurance is going to cover it.

This "accident" (more of a crime in my book) happened last Weds. I was hoping to get video of the truck and lady to post on the internet.

While car will be fixed it's not the same. Anyway you cut it, it's wrong and hard to swallow. I'm willing to bet she was under the influence and was driving someone elses truck (boyfriend), of course with no insurance or license, isn't that always the story when things like this happen. I am also willing to bet she is from here in town. Bad thing is the rim and tire did all the damage so there is no paint transfer or damage to the body of the truck.

That does suck big time...

Tonite I had my car out and was at a dunkin donuts, and this ford crew cab duely comes to the drive thru...doesn't swing wide enough and takes out the trash can, runs into the order sign, then orders, then as she goes up to the window, takes out another trash can!

All this while not missing a beat on her cell phone!

It's like she either didn't care or is really unaware of what she did...what an idiot...i was scared she might come over to where I was!

was at a gas station and 2 punks going way too fast swirved to miss something and creamed the car next to mine getting gas. They were going about 20 mph, it was a big crash. they took off but 2 or 3 people got their tag number. The cops found them right away. I've often wondered what would have happened if that car wasn't there and those idiots hit a gas pump going that fast? I know they have safety features but that could have been bad.

I would bet that truck is local to Vacaville Who would want to drive that gas guzzler on a trip so I would bet it is in that area.I bet the truck is in hiding and it will catch up to her soon.My grandparents live there out in the country next time I drive thruogh I will keep my eyes out.

That absolutely sucks Royce :angry:
This wasn't a Black/white one was it ???

This must be why I feel it's necessary to write the license number of the cars parked next to me (if I can't find a spot 'way-the-he11-out-away-from-everyone-else) in my notes before I go into a building ...
I have even been known to take a cell-phone photo :o
It's a habit that drives my wife nuts - but has worked out quite well for me at least twice now :thumbsup:

On a related note, someone backed into our new (@month old) car a few weeks a go - no note ...
Luckily not really much damamge, but I found it while washing it last week :sad:
With the number of older drivers around our area I'm sure it was just a case of "Helen Keller" parking skills :mad:

With the number of older drivers around our area I'm sure it was just a case of "Helen Keller" parking skills :mad:


OK I can't help it, one of my fave HK jokes:

Why couldn't Helen Keller Drive?

Because she was a woman!

One of my kids actually told me that one..

:)

I don't park anywhere near people. They don't care about what you worked hard for.
My insurance company covers anything I drive. Even if I just bought it. Allstate.

There is no excuse for hit and run. Unless some one is dying, you stay and take your medicine. Well said Brian I agree totally. She just ignored him ,,that dumbass heard him yelling. she just kept going. he shouldve follwed her dumb ***

This sux,but believe it or not,it could have been worse.He could have walked out after the incedent to find all this damage and find that all the damaged metal was really bondo and duct tape.Glass half empty/full I guess

why couldn't Helen Keller drive? Because she was a woman.

(I know that joke was told earlier. I just wanted to make sure a joke that good isn't overlooked
by anyone)

Hard to believe that wasn't on purpose.


Once a long time ago, I was driving my Camaro and got gas, I noticed some dudes looking at me in an odd way. At first I thought they maybe just liked the car. But there was a different look in their eye.
I paid right at the pump with a credit card and when I turned around, they were gone.
When I pulled out onto the road, I was starting to cruise away, a woman walked out in front of me and stood there not looking at me. She walked out like a mechanical doll, blocking my path.
I came to a stop and was LUCKY I wasn't too close to her. I had room to maneuver. Something caught my eye and the dudes were approaching from my left and one of them had a pipe or a bar of some sort. I think they were going to hit me with it, drag me out of the car and take the car.
I felt adrenalin and just knee jerk reaction, I hit the gas. The wheels broke loose loudly and I fish tailed. She got out of the way in a big effin hurry and in a split second I was clear of her, I floored it and shifted.
I did a full 1/4 run out of there.
I was trying to draw attention and escape at the same time.

To this day, when I drive the baby, I pack. I have it on a ankle rig. I can get to that faster than a waste band holster in those bucket seats.

That all being said: I think it would be hard for me to not shoot out the tires of a big 4X4 that just purposely ran into my car.
Not that I'm saying it would be the thing to do but I'm just not sure I could resist.
I mostly carry because if someone was willing to hit me with a bar or a pipe, what would they NOT be willing to hit me with? The next time I might be blocked in by something like a car and unable to maneuver around it or scare it out of the way with a smoke show.

Its better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. When I pack, its for the event that I have to save me. The car I can replace.

Good call Mike!

This sux,but believe it or not,it could have been worse.He could have walked out after the incedent to find all this damage and find that all the damaged metal was really bondo and duct tape.Glass half empty/full I guess

Actually that would have been better, that way he could get the car fixed right via insurance. In this case the car was REALLY nice and it will never be original again. The key here is the car was an original car that didn't need any bodywork.

That absolutely sucks Royce :angry:
This wasn't a Black/white one was it ???

This must be why I feel it's necessary to write the license number of the cars parked next to me (if I can't find a spot 'way-the-he11-out-away-from-everyone-else) in my notes before I go into a building ...
I have even been known to take a cell-phone photo :o
It's a habit that drives my wife nuts - but has worked out quite well for me at least twice now :thumbsup:

On a related note, someone backed into our new (@month old) car a few weeks a go - no note ...
Luckily not really much damamge, but I found it while washing it last week :sad:
With the number of older drivers around our area I'm sure it was just a case of "Helen Keller" parking skills :mad:


The Nova was/is an all white SS.

I had a bad experience last month. We have a car show on saturday nights with about 300 cars cruisin thru. When I got back to the garage I found 5 deep scratches on my passenger quarter panel. Looks like maybe a purse or someones keys might have done it. I tried untra fine sanding it and went down to the base. No I am really pissed and just before going to a show in Kentucky. My wife is pissed because she told me not to touch it. So now I am talking to a painter friend about touching it up before Cruisin the Coast.

Mike,
That stinks, hopefully you can get it touched up. For future scratches if it looks like it's just in the clear you can try to fill the scratches with clear and then wet sand and buff. If the basecoats is damaged not much you can do. Depending on the size of the damage/scratch/chip sometimes mising up some base and clear together will hide the mark pretty well.