Just this morning I had an 2 year old run out from between parked cars in the Best Buy parking lot right in front of me in my six.

I was only doing about 5mph, but I managed to miss the kid. Instead I clipped a parking log with the right hand rocker panel.

The woman immediately grabbed the kid and ran in the store. I followed her. She told the store security I was stalking her and wanted them to call the cops. Get this... I got told to leave the store or I would be charged with harassment and tresspassing....

I have no way to get this stupid woman to pay for the damages!!!!


I took the car to my favorite body shop immediately. They need 450.00 to fix it correctly.

This has been a day.

Didn't you tell security what happened?

With ever dark cloud there is a ray of sunshine. If you would have hit the kid you'd be blamed regardless of fault. Man that sux though!

The lawyers will probably chime in, but police have told me (after the fact) that you need to report it to the store/business establishment owner immediately. I'd then call the police and file a report (even if you can't get the name of the woman + kid). There's no way you can get the store owner's insurance to compensate you without a report being filed.

$450 they might just do it to make you get out of their faces....

Some idiots started fighting (actually the most effeminate display I've seen of MEN SLAPPING each other.....) in the parking lot of a restaurant where I was attending with the family. The kids were asleep in the Honda Odyssey with me while wife was still inside saying her goodbyes. I had a few and was enjoying the spectacle with these two fat out of shape pigs. At some point, one pulls the shirt off the other (I told you it was an EFFEMINATE fight!) and grabs the other around the neck and runs his head into the drivers door of my minivan.

I'm really pissed off and want to get out and kick BOTH of their asses at that point. Someone yells cop and they all run off somewhere... I'm steaming mad and don't think to talk to the restaurant manager.

Next morning, I find a 5 inch wide dent below the door handle where the idiots head made contact, right through a body accent fold (won't pop out)..........
Good old Honda aluminum foil bodywork......

Too bad it wasn't my 914,, it would have knocked out at least one of those losers silly..

I tried. But these days they believe a 20 something hispanic woman with a kid before they believe me.


Note.. it was not Best Buy that she went into. I had just come out of there. She went into the store next to it. They had not seen me before.




So now I look like a stalker....


And you are right. I could have hit the kid. But it pisses me off that she should have made sure that the kid didn't run in front of moving cars, and when he did, she was able to successfully dodge responsiblity.

Glad you missed the kid.

I would have called the cops.

If the lady leaves before they get there I would have gotten her license plate number.

Talk to an attorney and see if you can sue them for aiding and abetting a criminal act. She obviously should be charged for child endangerment for letting her kid run around in an unsafe matter without adult supervision. Also, since they immediately took her side of the story and threatened you with arrest without just cause could that be slander ?

Try to check out if she is an illegal alien because that's a scam they like to pull by immmediately making false charges against an individual so they can muddy the situation and split the scene before the cops show up and find out that shey may be an illegal alien.

As to you 914, that really sucks dude. All you can do right now is live and learn. Try filing a report with that store or Best Buy or even the owners of the Mall/Shopping Center that you were in. Maybe they have security cameras.

QUOTE (Headrage @ Feb 10 2006, 04:34 PM)

Glad you missed the kid. I would have called the cops. If the lady leaves before they get there I would have gotten her license plate number.

that's BSdid you get her plate? anything?only other thing is claim it on your insurance as a hit and run in the parking lot, give the description of the vehicle and lady...

There is not much I can do now. She is long gone from the store.


Thanks for the support everyone. I really needed it.

Damn Clay that is really too bad. Unfortunately, I doubt there is much you can do about it. Getting into a your word, her word with the store or her probably will just open you up to more problems. She isn't honest but she holds all the cards. Best just have a few and put it behind you. Not fair but, everyone knows the old saying about that.

Dave

What parts do you need? Ill see what I have.

I'm sure the store or the one next to it or the building itself has some sort of security camera that could have filmed your incident. I would file a claim with the police and tell them you want to view the video recordings from that date and time.
Then have a claim filed against the store. The store will have file of who was manager on duty that day. And the store probably has video of him talking with the lady.

Good luck!

Sorry about your sex.










I mean six.

QUOTE (ClayPerrine @ Feb 10 2006, 02:22 PM)

She told the store security I was stalking her and wanted them to call the cops. Get this... I got told to leave the store or I would be charged with harassment and tresspassing....

It's history now but when they said anything about calling the cops or pressing charges you should've said call them PLEASE or, pull out your cell & dial 911. But, like I said.. it's history

....b

Clay, No offence but this is gonna sound crappy but who would you sue? Kids bolt in parking lots all the time.

I think traffic law requires the driver to maintain control of their car at all times. I'm not breaking your balls, I'm just sayin'...

Would you sue her home owners insurance, or her car insurance while the keys are in her purse...?

If you have comprehensive, your company would pay the diff between the cost and your deductable.

This is one of those shitty things that happen once in a while. Better to wreck your car than to have the image of a two-year-old's head bouncing off your hood to hound your mind's eye for the rest of your life. Imagine how much it would cost if you put him on a feeding tube.

Any word on Lawrence's Pistons and cylinders? I did drive to Rochester to meet you, an email would be nice either way.
Thanks
Dave

Shit!

Shoulda Woulda Coulda...

Shoulda told the guy "I am a stalker... and I'm not leaving... call the cops asshole" When officer Friendly gets there, show him your car and the idiot who doesn't watch her kids.

Dave's probably right but... man, both my wife and I watch our kids like hawks, especially in parking lots etc. They 'have' to hold hands with one of us or we don't move.

Gots ta take care of kids...

melba's right about the video cams...they all have 'em nowadays.

QUOTE (ClayPerrine @ Feb 10 2006, 01:32 PM)

I tried. But these days they believe a 20 something hispanic woman with a kid before they believe me.

Sue the store for harboring a fugitive. They have more money anyway. Do it. You might have a case - they prevented you from confronting her and IMHO took the liability upon themseves at that point. IANAL

-Ben M.

I would have parked my ass outside of the store and called my wife to bring supplies for the long haul. The next call would have been to the store to inform them I was calling the police. The next call (if necessary) would have been to the police.

Clay,
did you consider grabbing whomever told you to leave the store,
running them outside,
and SLAMMING their head into/onto the same parking log that
damaged your 914?
No? Prolly a good idea you didn't do THAT!



NOTE to tat2dphreak:

GREAT Avatar, seriously, well done

QUOTE (airsix @ Feb 11 2006, 12:58 AM)

Sue the store for harboring a fugitive. They have more money anyway. Do it. You might have a case - they prevented you from confronting her and IMHO took the liability upon themseves at that point. IANAL

tear those morons a new one!

Who here can say that they haven't done something that may be considered by a learned adult as inappropriate when they were two years old? And has anyone here ever taken charge of a young one and, even momentarily, has not had COMPLETE CONTROL of that child...in any circumstance? If there is such a person, then perhaps he/she can offer the wisdom needed in addressing this topic.
Perhaps one should consider the value of human life and be thankful that in this instance one has been spared, instead of considering the value of materialistic matter consisting of steel, rubber, plastic and so forth...and restitution for it!
We all appreciate our cars and hobbies, but they should be kept in proper perspective...and in this we as a family cannot offer support or indulgence to you for your petty loss and attitude towards this incident considering what the outcome could have been.
TJC...Tom, Jeannie & Christina

Good reality/sanity check Tom... sometimes the big picture gets lost.

thank God the child wasn't hurt...

but it I think it's the Cowardly accusation the mother made that has Clay up in arms.... she should have at LEAST extended him an apology...

I'm betting if she hadn't made that accusation, he would probably have been bummed but would have dropped it at that....

just guessing...

AND YES.. I've ALWAYS kept my children in COMPLETE control..... my 8 year old went to school for the first time this week without my, or his mother's escort. He's riding hi scooter with his cousin and a classmate, but both are being "tailed" by one of his classmates' mom up to the crossing guard at the busy street his school is located on. My 5 year old is still waiting for his "brains to come to him" to steal a quote from the "Gods must be Crazy" and his hand is in a vice-like grip in mine ANY time we are near public parking lots or streets.....

You can bet on my 2 year olds have always been kept contained... 'cause I know they WILL dart.. and I decided to be a responsible parent, or not a parent at all...

I'm sure Clay was pretty rattled by the scare of almost hitting a kid.. ..

QUOTE (TJC @ Feb 10 2006, 06:26 PM)

Who here can say that they haven't done something that may be considered by a learned adult as inappropriate when they were two years old? And has anyone here ever taken charge of a young one and, even momentarily, has not had COMPLETE CONTROL of that child...in any circumstance? If there is such a person, then perhaps he/she can offer the wisdom needed in addressing this topic. Perhaps one should consider the value of human life and be thankful that in this instance one has been spared, instead of considering the value of materialistic matter consisting of steel, rubber, plastic and so forth...and restitution for it! We all appreciate our cars and hobbies, but they should be kept in proper perspective...and in this we as a family cannot offer support or indulgence to you for your petty loss and attitude towards this incident considering what the outcome could have been. TJC...Tom, Jeannie & Christina

I guess all that makes it appropriate for her to LIE!

QUOTE (Scott Carlberg @ Feb 10 2006, 07:36 PM)

NOTE to tat2dphreak: GREAT Avatar, seriously, well done

glad I could be of service

airsix - thats brilliant!

QUOTE (Brian Mifsud @ Feb 11 2006, 02:45 AM)

Good reality/sanity check Tom... sometimes the big picture gets lost. thank God the child wasn't hurt...

well, personally, I think the mother should thank Clay for avoiding hitting the kid
like by paying for the damages

AFAIK, Clay is a nice guy but calling him God is a little over the top IMHO

Hey Gint...well respected long time member of this forum...is it possible that perhaps this person was scared for what may have happened to her child, and perhaps poor Clay may have "over-reacted" a bit?
None of us were there except for Clay and this woman and child and we can all play arm chair quarterbacks...but we must consider that each party who is involved has their own perspective and by our statement we are not condoning LYING...if that is what happened, but to consider instead the values and lessons gained from the circumstance itself.

QUOTE (TJC @ Feb 10 2006, 07:32 PM)

Hey Gint...well respected long time member of this forum...is it possible that perhaps this person was scared for what may have happened to her child, and perhaps poor Clay may have "over-reacted" a bit? None of us were there except for Clay and this woman and child and we can all play arm chair quarterbacks...but we must consider that each party who is involved has their own perspective and by our statement we are not condoning LYING...if that is what happened, but to consider instead the values and lessons gained from the circumstance itself.

I never said anything to the contrary. And I'm also thankful an innocent child wasn't hurt. I suppose it's entirely possible she was concerned for her and her child's well being. But I doubt that was the case. I've seen more and more lately, people just don't care about anything or anyone but themselves. Over and over again (every day in fact) I see examples of today's society's refusal to act in a responsible, even well mannered fashion. I just lectured my kids about showing common courtesy to others so this post hit a current "live" nerve.

Gint, you are right on the money here! People now a days are not willing to take any personal responsibility for their actions. I would say more than 50% of people these days will slither away from any responsibility if they can get away with it....like ducking into a store and creating a godamn lie to create the illusion that this guy was stalking her. If this same scene unfolded back in say...1955...You'd have a lady standing next to you in the parking lot apologizing for the situation and willing to open her purse to help pay for the damages! Not to say everyone in 1955 were perfect angels...I'm just saying the likelyhood of a decent outcome would have been much higher back then. Where have morals and values gone?

my 2 cents

If she had not run off, and had apologized for it, I would have let it go. The damage is so minor that it won't take that much to fix it.


But her running off in the store and calling me a stalker to get out of the responsibility pissed me off.....

QUOTE (TJC @ Feb 10 2006, 06:32 PM)

Hey Gint...well respected long time member of this forum...is it possible that perhaps this person was scared for what may have happened to her child, and perhaps poor Clay may have "over-reacted" a bit? None of us were there except for Clay and this woman and child and we can all play arm chair quarterbacks...but we must consider that each party who is involved has their own perspective and by our statement we are not condoning LYING...if that is what happened, but to consider instead the values and lessons gained from the circumstance itself.

I think that she was "using the system" to avoid responsibility.
An all to familiar senario in my neck of the woods.

Screw hitting the kid, next time bulleye the Mom.

Clay, do a 'Letter to the Editor' to your local paper and include naming the store. You'll get to vent and I bet they publish it.