So basically “I couldn’t be arsed going around so I punched his mirror off” wouldn’t be a valid defense?
First thing I do is look in the windscreen to see if he’s left a mobile number there. If he has, I call it. Usually he comes straight down and moves with apologies, which adds maybe 5 minutes to my travel time. Big deal.
If he says he’s away at XXXXX place and isn’t coming back, I tell him I’m calling the tow truck as soon as I hang up on him. That usually does the trick.
If there’s no number, and I saw him enter a building, I’ll first ring all the bells on that building and let them know about the situation. Then I get back in my car and lean on the horn.
When I was younger and more stupid (about 10 years ago) I punched the window of a van whose driver knew I was there yet still kept moving closer and closer to the kerb, so that I was eventually trapped on my bike, unable to move in either direction. Unfortunately, I was wearing a heavy ring which by some fluke caught the window in exactly the right place for the window to shatter completely.
He was a little bloke, so he didn’t try to start anything, but he called the cops and I ended up having to pay for the window. Can’t remember how much, but it took hours and was certainly not worth it.
Not really. You’d have to think of something better than that.
Sandmans advice is sound - people often leave their mobile numbers in the window.
I’ve heard that if someone is parked on a red line and you run into the back of their parked car, that they are at fault. I’ve mentioned this once before, but there was an instance of a guy on a scooter taking a corner fast and hitting a parked car on the corner. Of course there was a red line on the corner and the guy who the car belonged to was sleeping at the time had to pay huge money…because the man on the scooter died.
Anyone want to confirm or deny this law in Taiwan? Lots of cars parked on red lines that are willing to pay for your new paint job, if it’s true.
Last night some woman hit me on the sidewalk with her motorcycle, so I hit her back. Am I a bad person ?
[quote=“Mordeth”]I’ve heard that if someone is parked on a red line and you run into the back of their parked car, that they are at fault.[/quote]A guy tried that line on me once after backing out of an alley, across the street and then into the one straight panel left on my ugly battle tank of a Ford Granada. He then parked on the red on the other side of the street and I went over to talk to him. I was told it was my fault for parking on the red line, and when I started arguing about that he called his two buddies over to back him up. I was outside a foreigner hang out and told his friends to piss off or face my 20-30 bignose pals. 
He was still insisting that he was perfectly entitled to back across a street and into a parked car without looking, so I offered to back into his car in return. Then he decided to pay for the damage to my door and leave quietly… 
Anyway, it’s a question of the contribution to the accident. If some johnny on a scooter is pretending to be Mick Doohan around a corner and hits your illegally parked car, he’s also to blame. Same for some dork who’s reversing around without looking. The cops will apportion blame to both of you and it’s up to you or your insurance companies to sort it out. If you put your car in a place where people who are driving within the law have no choice but to hit your car, you’re paying the bills.
Yes, you’re a bad person. You should just take her keys and toss them down a storm drain. 
[quote] [quote] Francis wrote:
Last night some woman hit me on the sidewalk with her motorcycle, so I hit her back. Am I a bad person ? [/quote]
Yes, you’re a bad person. You should just take her keys and toss them down a storm drain. [/quote]
I had two kids (maybe 14ish) come out of a side alley causing me to swerve to miss them. I then started to pull up beside them to yell at them, but they were swerving around so erractically that I couldn’t get beside them. I followed them home (it wasn’t far). I asked if they had a license they said no…I asked them if they hit me would they have any money to compensate me…they laughed and said no. I told them they if they don’t have a license they shouldn’t be driving and took their keys and threw them over a roof. They just stood in open mouthed surprise.
I think taking peoples keys and chucking them is good. Even if the police do come…it wouldn’t be much of a charge.
Sandman,
You were in my dreams last night. I was sitting on the sidewalk and you pulled up in what looked like a cutoff 1950’s Studebacker. The amazing thing about the car and something I could see you were quite chuffed about was that it could change color, and was doing so while you gave me the run down. Just thought I’d pass that on and let you know I’m still dreaming about you.
PM me if you need any kind of help…
would like a car able to change colors, though.