How to report somone who has knocked over your Buddy?

winslow81 · Post by **winslow81** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 3:08 pm

My poor scooter has been smacked around pretty good this year. Two lights, cracks, broken fender and brake levers. Last week, after working on my Buddy to make it look a bit more respectable, I found the tell-tale knocked over signs. Spongy brake, mirror twisted, up on different kickstand. No note.

Well, today as I parked him down the street a woman told me she had written down a description of the truck and the license plate number. She said she heard a bang, and wrote down the number as he screeched away.

Now, does anyone know how I go about finding this person, or ever have to deal with this before?

Thanks

Post by **jmazza** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 3:14 pm

I think local police is your only legal avenue.

Lovelandstella · Post by **Lovelandstella** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 4:16 pm

jmazza wrote:I think local police is your only legal avenue.

+1.
that's a hit and run accident- pure and simple. the lady is a witness, all of that.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 4:32 pm

As well as filing a police report, turn the information over to your insurance company. Assuming you have insurance, they will attempt to recover damages from the driver or his insurance company.

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 5:12 pm

I bought a Xena disc alarm for this very same reason. My dead lights have been broken twice. My top headset is cracked again. I've got crash bars so luckily my brake levers only get scratched rather than snapped. But it sucks to come out and discover your scoot's been screwed with. The Xena will SCREAM so more than just 1 person will notice, hopefully, and do like your lady did: write down the info.

you've got everything you need: description, license plate and a witness. +1 on calling it in to the police and +1 on calling your insurance if only to ask what's possible. In the case of calling your insurance make it clear UPFRONT you're not opening a case you just want to know what to do should you chose to proceed.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 5:24 pm

Yeah, call the police. This was absolutely a hit and run. Your scooter is a legal motor vehicle, this is the same as if someone smashed into your car then drove off.

BootScootin'FireFighter · Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:25 pm

jmazza wrote:I think local police is your only legal avenue.

Agreed on calling the police, but be prepared for some Dr. Doolittle with a badge not willing to take it seriously. Be persistent and look up the legal definitions of hit-and-run for your jurisdiction and don't them the cops treat you like a 3rd class citizen. If need be, ask for a supervisor, and if they continue to be unhelpful, follow up at the magistrates office. Most cops will be by the book, but there are several out there who still don't take us or our scooters seriously.... although I'm assuming you'd have much better odds in San Francisco then just about anywhere else in America.

On another note, there are services online that for a small nominal fee ($30 or so), will give you vehicle information related to that vehicle, including address it's registered to. Just incase you want to go the street justice route

... *disclaimer* I do not condone any sort of vigilante justice.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:28 pm

Did you get the lady's contact info? You could need a witness. Always helps, even with insurance claims.

winslow81 · Post by **winslow81** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:57 pm

Sound advice. Just worried about the guy. I know it is silly, but I don't like to get anyone in trouble. I feel terrible calling the cops on someone. I do wish I could just find him first, but then again, it will be easier to go through insurance or the police. I do hope the woman who gave me the info would be willing to stand up for me. Thanks so much for all your help.

BootScootin'FireFighter · Wed Jun 02, 2010 10:10 pm

winslow81 wrote:Just worried about the guy. I know it is silly, but I don't like to get anyone in trouble. I feel terrible calling the cops on someone.

Dude, it's not like someone just rubbed up against and smudged it a little. It apparently was knocked over, and the dirtbag had no decency to leave a note. Ignore my suggestion about looking his info up online, but at least file a police report. Don't let some chode in a pickup truck intimidate you and treat your whip like garbage.

pcbikedude · Post by **pcbikedude** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 10:12 pm

winslow81 wrote:Sound advice. Just worried about the guy. I know it is silly, but I don't like to get anyone in trouble. I feel terrible calling the cops on someone. I do wish I could just find him first, but then again, it will be easier to go through insurance or the police. I do hope the woman who gave me the info would be willing to stand up for me. Thanks so much for all your help.

Worry about the guy? About what? He broke the CA Vehicle Code (the law). He didn't care enough about you to even leave a note.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 10:22 pm

pcbikedude wrote:
winslow81 wrote:Sound advice. Just worried about the guy. I know it is silly, but I don't like to get anyone in trouble. I feel terrible calling the cops on someone. I do wish I could just find him first, but then again, it will be easier to go through insurance or the police. I do hope the woman who gave me the info would be willing to stand up for me. Thanks so much for all your help.
Worry about the guy? About what? He broke the CA Vehicle Code (the law). He didn't care enough about you to even leave a note.

I'd be more worried that that person will run someone over and flee next. They committed a serious crime. In Oregon if they cause more than $3000 in damage(Totalling your Buddy) its a felony!

Don't be nice to a criminal, they need to be held accountable for the damage they did to your vehicle.

Ray Knobs · Post by **Ray Knobs** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 1:07 pm

same thing happened to my truck, came back to find a note from the witnesses. They left the plate # of the hitter and their own phone numbers.

I called the cops, they came out, took a report. They gave me the guys name and insurance company. I called his insurance company directly and told them what happened. They stalled and stalled. Every time i called them they said they haven't been able to get a hold of their driver. I finally talked to a supervisor. He called the two witnesses and called me back 30 minutes later to tell me my check was in the mail. They never talked to their own driver.

The truck that hit me was from a local produce company. I called them before i called insurance and gave them a chance to pay for the damage before i turned in the claim. Of course they denied even being in that part of the city. (next to the public market)

There shouldn't be any difference between a truck and a scooter. You have a plate and are insured.

jmkjr72 · Post by **jmkjr72** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 12:05 am

you have a witness and you have the plate number get in touch with law enforcement
depending upone what is going on and the persons driving record law enforcement may give you the guys contact info and give hime a chance to make it right before they issue hime a citation

or they may find there is a reason why other then being an a*& h(*& that the guy left and put him where he belongs

bigbropgo · Post by **bigbropgo** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 1:56 am

winslow81 wrote:Sound advice. Just worried about the guy. I know it is silly, but I don't like to get anyone in trouble. I feel terrible calling the cops on someone. I do wish I could just find him first, but then again, it will be easier to go through insurance or the police. I do hope the woman who gave me the info would be willing to stand up for me. Thanks so much for all your help.

You definitely shouldn't feel bad. The guy/girl who hit your scoot sure didn't. Point A is were you are right know. Point B is you scoot returned to the way it was. But anything between A and B is not your fault nor your wrong doing. You are the victim of a hit and run. If you hit me and took off I'd call the cops. Nothing personal, I just don't have the money to fix some other Jack asses mistake.

ScootLemont · Post by **ScootLemont** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:42 pm

sounds like a job for.......
SCOOTER ARMOR

topic15449.html

Elm Creek Smith · Post by **Elm Creek Smith** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 2:50 am

winslow81 wrote:Sound advice. Just worried about the guy. I know it is silly, but I don't like to get anyone in trouble. I feel terrible calling the cops on someone. I do wish I could just find him first, but then again, it will be easier to go through insurance or the police. I do hope the woman who gave me the info would be willing to stand up for me. Thanks so much for all your help.

Report it to the police. Your concern for the dirtbag who hit your scoot and ran away is perplexing. HE/SHE/IT didn't give a d%#& about you and your property. HE/SHE/IT deserves to get in trouble. In fact, if I saw someone run over my scoot and start to drive away, what I would have to do is call the police and tell them where to find the body.

ECS

UnionZac · Post by **UnionZac** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 9:40 pm

if you don't give the police a chance to do their job, someone might do it for them!

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v356/ ... 9_0211.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v356/ ... 9_0211.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

*please don't read this as my endorsement for vigilante justice

Endoran · Post by **Endoran** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:04 am

+1 on reporting it and talking to your insurance. I'd be livid if someone hit my scooter and ran. Any news????