My bike was hit in a parking lot

[slowbird]

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To make a long story short, Thursday Morning I had moved my bike briefly into a visitors spot on my property. I had it there while I stuck the luggage on it, I went inside my place to get my gear. (Less than 50ft away and I was inside for maybe 5 minutes) I came out and the XL Crew cab pickup that was parked beside my bike was gone and my bike was knocked over. There was only 2 visitors spots and the truck had one of them. It was parked next to the curb so it had to turn towards my bike but I left him TONS of room and my bike was super visible.

Anyways. The bastard took off without leaving a note.

My property management has cameras that face the spots where it happened but they can't get the footage till Tuesday and I can't get them to hurry it up!

Toronto Police basically told me to gather up all the evidence and email it to them. When I used to work for Peel Police, Failure to Remain calls with suspect info (or the potential for that info) always had an office sent out that same day to gather that information. (i.e. video surveillance) So I'm super disappointed in their lack of hustle. It seems like neither the property management or the Police give a ****.

So anyways, I found the truck this morning. It always parks in my visitors parking lot but for obvious reasons he has parked 2 streets over on the street. ****er thought he could hide there.
So I got his marker and his VIN and forwarded it to the police via e-mail. I took pics of his stupid truck, plate and VIN.
I also left him a note letting him know that I found him and he should pay for damages before it gets to insurance.

I guess until I get the footage showing he knocked my bike over I'm out of luck for the damages? I should keep the insurance out of this unless I get the footage showing he's 100% at fault?

 

[Megamaniac]

Sorry to hear.. flipping scumbag.. if you get pumped by insurance roast him if possible. I would be preparing a retaliation like a nice brake fluid bath the first night then escalate appropriately it will drive him nuts not knowing whats next and or having to park at mommys house.. lol. He will surely regret his actions, you have the advantage he cannot hide lol and has no idea who you are.

Sic him slowbird and good luck going through insurance

 

[boyoboy]

Sorry to hear.. flipping scumbag.. if you get pumped by insurance roast him if possible. I would be preparing a retaliation like a nice brake fluid bath the first night then escalate appropriately it will drive him nuts not knowing whats next and or having to park at mommys house.. lol. He will surely regret his actions, you have the advantage he cannot hide lol and has no idea who you are.

Sic him slowbird and good luck going through insurance

not a good idea to lower yourself to his level and you could find yourself in cuffs.
get the video and let the police do their job..I would insist on leaving the scene charges.
I wouldn't have left him a note and gave him the opportunity to fess up and pay out of pocket. Hardball karma...best luck

 

[Green Meenie]

You probably need to get the video footage of him doing the deed to have any hope of restitution without cost to you. I had a similar incident happen to me years ago but at least dude hung around and fessed up. Insurance treated me decent in my circumstance. I was still a PIA though.

I would refrain from vigilante justice. Your situation could worsen dramatically!

 

[slowbird]

Thanks for the replies. I am not looking into vigilante justice. <---I wanna make that clear.
...and even if he does fess up I will still take it to insurance. (if I get the camera footage) I just wanted the owner to know I know who he is and to have a word with him. I'd be crazy surprised if he (or she) doesn't just crumple up my note and throw it away.

 

[GreyGhost]

Sorry to hear slowbird. Hit and run scumbags can join the list of people that should immediately lose their licenses and start again at G1 with a 1 year waiting period.

I wouldn't have left the note either. I would be concerned that the truck drivers boyfriend/girlfriend had a better relationship with property management than I do.

 

[slowbird]

Sorry to hear slowbird. Hit and run scumbags can join the list of people that should immediately lose their licenses and start again at G1 with a 1 year waiting period.

I wouldn't have left the note either. I would be concerned that the truck drivers boyfriend/girlfriend had a better relationship with property management than I do.

Thanks!

Though property management knows the owner of the truck already. When I called them asking for the footage for the parking lot they said they know who the driver is and who the resident is that they are staying with because they night before the accident the resident called in the plate for permission to park overnight.
So note or no note, property management knows the culprit.

However I am very worried that they are dragging their heels on purpose in regards to getting me the footage. They can't get into the video room till Tuesday and there is nothing I can do to expedite them it seems.

 

[Trials]

Kinda what I was thinking :/ property manager drives a pickup truck and surveillance tapes will be over-written after 48 hours.

Could be worse; I had my parked bike pushed over intentionally once, the Harley guys didn't like my Honda parked in 'their' parking lot. They not only fessed up to it they challenged me to do anything about it.

 

[smergy]

Wait until you have the footage. All you have strong suspicion at this point without eye witness. Keep in mind its possible you are wrong. Unlikely, but possible. You can see if they will fess up to it or play a bluff, but an ace in the hand is always helpful.

 

[Phelge]

Wait until you have the footage. All you have strong suspicion at this point without eye witness. Keep in mind its possible you are wrong. Unlikely, but possible. You can see if they will fess up to it or play a bluff, but an ace in the hand is always helpful.

Whatever you do.... do not call your insurance co. until you have decided 100% your course of action, they are self satisfying douchi that will be of no help as far as advice goes. Due diligence and involve them ONLY when necessary. Your dealing with the real mob when talking to them, thicker scum than the dude that hit your bike.
Hope this turns out in your favour.

 

[slowbird]

Kinda what I was thinking :/ property manager drives a pickup truck and surveillance tapes will be over-written after 48 hours.

It's definitely not the property manager. They are never onsite. This truck is always here.

They told me the footage stays available for 2 weeks before recorded over.

Wait until you have the footage. All you have strong suspicion at this point without eye witness. Keep in mind its possible you are wrong. Unlikely, but possible. You can see if they will fess up to it or play a bluff, but an ace in the hand is always helpful.

There is a chance I'm wrong but extremely unlikely.
The time I was away from the bike, they way the parking spots are situated, the damage to the bike and the now suspicious behavior of the truck and the clean spot on his/her vehicle where they struck my bike makes it as you say, unlikely it wasn't them.

But yes you are right, I have no proof till the footage is made available.

Whatever you do.... do not call your insurance co. until you have decided 100% your course of action, they are self satisfying douchi that will be of no help as far as advice goes. Due diligence and involve them ONLY when necessary. Your dealing with the real mob when talking to them, thicker scum than the dude that hit your bike.
Hope this turns out in your favour.

Yup! I hear ya. I won't say a word till I got that footage.

 

[crankcall]

Good luck with 'leaving the scene' , its a parking lot accident not a road incident. That's why the police aren't very interested.

 

[PrivatePilot]

I would be preparing a retaliation like a nice brake fluid bath the first night then escalate appropriately it will drive him nuts

Uh huh. And then you find out you were caught on a camera somewhere and the tables turn.

Sheesh, some people. Did your mommy never teach you that two wrongs don't make a right?

Good luck with 'leaving the scene' , its a parking lot accident not a road incident. That's why the police aren't very interested.

50/50 on the police being interested in laying any charges, but the footage WILL be the difference between Slowbird's insurance company fixing his bike at zero cost (even if he doesn't carry colission/comprehensive, doesn't matter when someone else is at fault) with zero at-fault responsibility on his record...or getting hosed - NOT getting the bike fixed through insurance whatsoever, or if he does, paying the deductible and still possibly taking an at-fault hit.

Get that footage and hold it tight. Use your phone to videotape it right off the screen of the DVR unit itself before they try to export it for you or anything -a few wrong mouse clicks by the user and it could end up being deleted or something vs exported.

FWIW we have a security DVR system here at home - even when it's recording a crazy amount it still keeps 2-4 weeks of footage before overwriting anything. Unless it's an ancient system with a really small HD it should be OK.

 

[Wingboy]

If you are able to take this to court and recover your losses? How much time off work are you going to suffer?You haven't mentioned any dollar figures.

 

[slowbird]

Thanks PP. I won't be talking to the insurance unless I know I won't be found at fault.

If you are able to take this to court and recover your losses? How much time off work are you going to suffer?You haven't mentioned any dollar figures.

Court? Do you mean small claims? I didn't mention anything about court. If charges were to be laid against him I wouldn't need to attend.

 

[Wingboy]

Thanks PP. I won't be talking to the insurance unless I know I won't be found at fault.




Court? Do you mean small claims? I didn't mention anything about court. If charges were to be laid against him I wouldn't need to attend.

Yes,small claims.

 

[J_F]

charges based on HTA and at fault for loss through auto insurance are different things
insurance always determines fault, sometimes percentages are split
police may not be able to do anything if this was on private property

the video evidence will be the key
bad deal about your bike
hopefully you get made whole
and whomever did the damage has to pay

and I agree with WB, although it sucks
small claims court may end up being your only avenue for satisfaction

 

[PrivatePilot]

Thanks PP. I won't be talking to the insurance unless I know I won't be found at fault.

Since the police have a record of the accident and you have enough evidence (even at this point, IMHO) to prove that it was a legit hit and run (not a "I crashed my bike and I'm trying to make it look like one") you won't be at fault in the end, but if there's no other party for your insurance company to go after you will need to pay your deductible to get a repair completed through insurance.

But if your deductible is $1000 and the damage is $1100, then it's hardly worth the effort in the end.

I've dealt with 2 hit and run claims in the last 15 years or so. Both were reported to the police so there was a record (that's the ESSENTIAL part) and both were repaired via insurance. My deductible was $500 and the damage each time was $1500-$2000, so it made sense. Never effected my rates.

 

[Riceburner]

If you get the footage or have their insurance info, then go thru insurance. If no proof or their insurance, might not be worth going thru your insurance. Parking lot is private, so not sure the cops can do anything.

 

[MacDoc]

Good luck with 'leaving the scene' , its a parking lot accident not a road incident. That's why the police aren't very interested.

that's the biggest problem ..cops very unlikely to act at all. Good luck ..your best leverage is letting his insurance company know about the accident.

Small claims is okay but takes time.

Do get an accurate quote ( preferably two ) from a dealer to repair your bike.

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