Got hit by a shady kid in a BMW

Take pictures with your cellphone...his car, your car, him, everything.

 

Sorry to hear the bad news.

Are we sure there is no real damage such as energy absorbing foam got crushed behind the bumper cover?

 

Had this happen on a public street, long ago where a guy rear ended me and refused to show (didn't have) a drivers license or insurance info. All I got was license plate number which didn't do any good. Had to buy a new bumper for my truck because he was considered uninsured and I didn't have uninsured motorist coverage at that time.

If I had it to do over, I would have reported it as a hit and run as soon as he left the scene without providing any ID.

 

If you have no meaningful damage, drop it. If the guy is really a sleaze, he can make your life misrable if he knows who you are and where you live. Since you have no monetary losses, you have no legal claim. Since the damage is low, you are not legally required to file a accident report with DMV. I don't know what it is in California, but usually if it is under $500 you are not required to file. If you think the BMW had more than $500 in damage, you might file a DMV report, just in case he decideds to sue you. There is no need to file with your insurance company, and doing so could and up costing you in raised rates and/ or dropped coverage. Some of these insurance companies are sleazy as well. Filing the DMV report will not trigger any action by the Police, the insurance company or the DMV, however, it will keep you on the up an up just incase.

 

Moderately related, but figure it'll give you a good laugh on a somewhat down day.

Wealthy Teen Nearly Experiences Consequence | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

 

I saw we get a Prius posse together and teach his little behind a lesson. I'll be there in a couple days.

 

Hopefully he won't file his own police report falsely stating that it was all your fault and he has lots of physical and personal damages. Without you filing a report you won't have anything to show otherwise.

 

Always take pictures of the accident, both cars front, side and back and the drivers and passengers, and the surroundings. If he refuse to be in the pictures then explain to him that it's a public domain, and he's subject to being photographed. There's no violations of privacy. Instead of writing down the insurance and license info, take pictures of it too because you can review them later and also determine if the documents are real or fake. At the time of accident, call 911 even if there's no injury. It'll get the incident recorded on their phone system. In your case, request an officer present and explain to the operator that the driver refuse to provide license, registration and insurance. It could be a stolen car. He could be an escaped felon. Contact the insurance company too, even if you didn't want to go through with the claim. You can always cancel the claim later. Don't wait til he contact you.

As for the damage, visually check the bumper seem and alignment. Check and see if the car drives differently than before. You mention that the bumper dent popped back out. Did it create any crease? Are the scratches deep and can they be buffed out?

 

I have to agree with FreydNot on this one. I would at least file a police report. It won't cost you anything if you file the report, but without it, it might cost you later on.

If the other guy tries to come back at you in way shape or form, he could do whatever he pleases with the right lawyer if you did not cross your T's and dot your I's.

I know that here in Texas you have to exchange information ie: driver license #, insurance info and so forth. I am not sure about the laws in your area, but I think the laws will be similar. If the other guy does not want to exchange the info then that is a red flag. You never know who you are dealing with.

It is a good idea to always cover your back. You never know what the future might bring. Good luck to you, I am sorry to hear what happened. Folks can be mighty careless out there in the real world.

 

It's best if you didn't reply or say anything. Remember that next time you get into an accident.

 

Police can't determine who's at fault. That's the insurance company's job. 2 cars backed into eachother? The insurance will most likely find it no fault and each party pays for their own repairs.

 

Mac....everything at this point is basically should have would have could have...remember hindsight is 20/20...

you should've taken pictures, should've called the cops if the other driver denied having insurance or a license to show you, etc...

but since you didn't and your car isn't really damaged as you say you can't cry foul hours or days later....the police just won't buy it, especially without a non-interested witness (a witness that isn't related to or doesn't know you from Adam)

In NY the insurance law is no-fault unless a driver specifically admits fault.

 

My wife had nearly the same thing happen to her. The guy refused to exchange information and said he was leaving. She told him to that if he left without handing over his license and insurance, she'd call 911. I was on the phone with her at the time. That stopped him from leaving. However, it was night and raining and my 6 year old daughter was with her. I was very uncomfortable so I dialed 911 on another phone. II got no flack over it at all. They sent the local police which arrived in probably 2 minutes after my call.

It's a good thing we did to because later on, the kid(18 year old driving his dad's minivan) later decided it wasn't his fault after all. He claimed she was on the left side of the road in the parking lot and should have been on the right side. It wasn't the case. She was waiting to make a left turn into the parking spot to his right. He backed into her driver door. He insisted she was on the left side and not the right. I then asked him "Riddle me this then, if she was about to pull into a spot on *her* right, which side would she have to be on in order to make a right turn into a parking spot?". He gave in then but several days later changed his mind again and still decided it was her fault.

The thing is, since both cars where stopped in place after the accident, when the cop showed up and took the report, he had already placed blame on the other guy. When I got a copy of the report and called the kid again and read it to him, he agreed absolutely that it was his fault and that he'd take care of it which he did by writing a big fat personal check because he did not want to go through insurance.

If we hadn't called 911, we'd have been screwed. We only have liability and would have had to make a claim directly with his insurance and they would have of course denied it. Then we'd have to sue in small claims and probably would have won since it was his bumper on her driver door, it's pretty clear cut. But it would have been a much bigger pain to deal with.

Obviously if you can call the department that is going to actually show up i.e. the local police without dialing 911, that's best, but I was in a rush.

 

My response to not dial 911 was because it was hours after the incident. If he were still on scene at the incident, I would say your advice is sound as well. I'm glad the person who hit your wife's car "realized" the truth of the matter as a result.

 

Now, why would you assume this is bullshit? There are LOTS of irresponsible people driving around with neither a license, current registration, or insurance. They are part of the reason YOU need good coverage in place.