Don't park next to Range Rovers

I spent 3.5 hours this morning washing and waxing my new PIII and went to run some errands with my wife.

I was parked at the end of a row with a Range Rover on the passenger side. I purposely parked there as there was a small tree providing shade and I was also able to cheat to the far left of the space. I'm standing next to on the driver's side checking email on my BB. The owner of the Range Rover puts his groceries in the car, as he walks by I look up and we momentarily make eye contact. He then eyeballs the Prius and bends down to take a quick peek inside. I go back to looking at my BB, and I hear a distinct metal to metal thud. I look up and see he's putting his car into gear. I walk around the backside of car to inspect for damage and say "Hey, did you just hit my car?". He replied in a very rude tone, "Yea, but I only tapped it.". I pointed out that there was plenty of space and couldn't he have been more careful. He replied, "Do you want me get out and wash and buff it for you? I said I was sorry." To which I said, "I didn't hear your apology. This is a brand new car. How about a little respect?" And his lost comment was before he took off "How's this for respect? A__hole!". As he left, I could see that he was glaring at me the whole time as he made his way through the parking lot.

I told my wife (somewhat jokingly) that I'm never going to stay with the car again. If someone hits the car again, I don't want to be around. It took all that I could to bite my tongue.

The guy just didn't give a damn. He never got out to check if there was any damage. Also, there was ample space between our two cars as my wife acutally pushed a full-size shopping cart between them with at least 3-4 inches of room on each side of the cart.

Thanks for letting me rant.

AAAKKKK!! What is with people??? You were admirably cool. So, was there any damage? Ugh....what a horrible story. I'm sorry. :Cry:

Thankfully, no damage was done. And thank you for your kind words.

In hindsight, I'm actually surprised that I was able to hold my temper. Silly things like this could escalate to something very ugly rather quickly. I had to look down, breath deeply, and watch him from my peripheral vision without making direct eye contact. At that point, I felt like he was looking for a reason to jump out of his vehicle and start a fight.

It was a jerk driving a Ranger Rover. The Range Rover was innocent.

What an ars! I'm still trying to park out in the boonies of lots to avoid my first ding. Also, I notice I get cut off by alot of SUV's now and Mustangs love revving their engines as they go by.

Some people just have a hard time with other people's joy. Spelled: curmudgeon.

If that guy hits your car with his car, that is a collision which he is liable for damages.

If he takes off from the scene, that is hit and run. There is no "I just 'tapped' your car, no biggie". He either hit it or did not.

Guess the best can do is get the license plate and pursue for damages if any.

You're absolutely right. I know some folks that used to own a Range Rover. They are some of kindest people I have ever known.

Sorry to hear about your experience. Some but not all SUV drivers are very self centered, they think the whole world evoles around them and is there to serve their needs. I noticed he drives a big car yet he is the only passenger in it. He was probably just jealous that you have cool new car that is super fuel efficient and he has to pay almost $100 to fill up when gas prices go up.

What cycledrum said is correct and you have legal grounds to file a hit and run report with the police if you want to pursue this. It will be an sure win for you both in court and with his insurance agency. His premium will definitely go up after this claim.
He hit you, he admitted hitting you and then he drove off when you confronted him and he did not to provide his insurance info to you. It doesn't matter how hard he 'tapped' your car. A hit is a hit if there was contact between the 2 cars.

This likely varies among states. In mine, a hit-and-run charge requires an injury, or property damage above some dollar level.

I keep a disposable camera in my car for just such occasions.

Next tim eyou hear a thud just walk out,snap a few pics with them standing next to your car with their car, as well as their license plate. Then confront them in a polite manner. If It starts to run sour then simply get back in your car and call the local police.

As many roadside fights as I've been in I am sure I would take my own advice but the camera is a good idea.

I'd have taken his number and reported it to the insurance company and the police. I'd then have had the damage professionally dealt with, even if it could easily been buffed out.

If this happens to anyone please grab a pen and write down the registration number and description of the car and driver. The driver left the scene of an accident without leaving his details which is an offence here and having to put his hand in his pocket to pay the deductible on his insurance might have made him a little more careful in future. You should expect the repair on your car to not just be have the mark buffed out but you should be compensated for the reduction of the thickness of clear coat on the panel.

The man is a pig and should be made to pay.

Since there was no damage, there is nothing to claim.

We also own a SUV (Sequioa) and I'm always reminding (nagging) the kids to be very careful when opening the truck doors. Sometimes, when things are a bit tight, I even get out and open the door for them.

Come to think about it, given his attitude, I wouldn't be a bit surprised that it wasn't intentional -- some sort of message. It's the same jelousy that causes people to key other people's cars.

This is totally off topic... One day I was shopping a retail store, and a gentlemen came rushing frantically into the store. He was looking for anyone who may have witnessed the person who threw a shopping cart on the hood of his Porsche. What posesses someone to act in such a manner?

Aren't these the same wholesale generalizations that Prius owners hate when they are called righteous tree huggers?

A great many people are mentally unstable even without drugs. Add in drugs and alcohol and that number rises steeply. There are sooo many YouTube type videos out there of people doing absolutely amazing (bad) things to other people or personal property. It really makes you wonder what the hell is wrong with people. These behavioral traits would not last long in a small village but our large cities allow such things to go on without any real consequences. It is a terrible effect of large anonymous populations IMO.

It isn't generalization when I said some but not all SUV drivers. It isn't the size of their car that made them rude, It is their attitude that they have a bigger car and they don't have to respect others on the roads.

I would not be offended if I was called a Tree Hugger, and there are some self righteous people that drives Prius, and also self righteous people that drives SUVs. This Range Rover driver who hit his Prius was just an ass, and he will still be an ass if you give him a Prius to drive.

congrats for keeping your cool. that guy wa sway out of line. if there was any damage he'd still be liable.

If you got his plate, you file against the asshole's insurance. That will get more than even. Might even get their insurance canceled since they drove off.

Had a similar experience with a truck backing into my truck...except I wasn't in the vehicle. Someone got the plate and after I did some detective work I tracked the driver down to a town 90 miles away. Turns out she was a business owner. While I had a police report and plate, I had to do the work of getting her insurance info, the city police didn't seem to be able to do anything. She just blew the out of town notices off...so I called insurers in her area until one recognized who she was.

HANG HIM BY HIS TESTICLES AND send him to the gallows!

with that said and done, that's an obvious hit and run. thank goodness you didn't sustain any damage. how i wish i could have been around for the new 3 dents i recently acquired on my poor prius. had i been around it would have gotten ugly.

this is an obvious claim for the insurance company - make sure you get a.........

#1) year make and model of the vehicle
#2) license plate.