Thank you AMC......

[Bombadier]

Friday night at about 4am leaving Ybor City driving in Blue Velvet, we got nailed by a hit-and-run driver. We had the green light, and were almost through the intersection, a small nissan pickup blew the redlight without even slowing. Hit the rear passenger quarterpanel, just behind the rear wheel. spun us around 180 degrees and stopped a few feet away from hitting the wall of a DiscountAuto. (ironic?)

Got out and the other driver was trying to start his engine back up. It was blowing heavy steam and smoke, so i know his fan went through the radiator. The **** got it started and TOOK OFF. left standing in a very BAD part of Tampa w/ people driving by yelling obscenities and threats.

Cops took over an HOUR (close to two) to get to the gas station we had driven to, and only then because the friend we were driving home had gotten into a fight with a derelict crack-head drunk who insisted on flashing his, um, junk.

Yeah we're ok, my friend took a walk to keep from KILLING somebody, guess he went home since he lived in the area. Actually the guys who hit us prolly saved their hides in leaving, because the three of us seen they were trying to take off, and i don't think we were very interested in exchanging insurance info at that point. Not to the point of murder, but fairly close.

Linz and i went to a few bodyshops, and the best estimate we got was for $964.....however, i got good vibes from that place, and the man is a real perfectionist.

However, we still need to find the tailight chrome trim and covers and a new bumper. (which is going to be a serious pain to find) And it's all coming out of our own pockets, 'cause she hadn't gotten collision yet. Actually she was going to do that within the next few days.

Credit to Linz for thinking fast enough to punch the gas. if not we would've gotten t-boned dead center. as it is, the truck is driveable, no metal rubbing on the tires, lights still work, frame and doors still intact. Actually minor in comparison to the Nissan. it left bits and pieces of plastic and glass all over the place, and wedged in BlueVelvet's bumper. i'd be very surprised if that truck made it another 1/2 mile. prolly stolen anyways, no insurance, drunk, high, etc.

Credit to AMC for making them STRONG and with decent acceleration. At the speed we were hit, (they were doing at least 40mph), any lesser vehicle wouldn't have driven out of that spot.

ABSOLUTELY NO CREDIT to Mayor Dick Greco, and his whole posse for diveriting so much of the police presence to Ybor City to babysit all the ****in' drunks and college kids..........A #$%#@%*#@@#ing HOUR+ RESPONSE TIME?!??? W.T.H do i pay taxes for????? I swear to god every other time i've driven down that road (Nebraska) there's either been a cop dead on my tail or flocks of them cruising the 'hood. When you need 'em? HELL NO.
And NO THANKS to USAA for being just plain RUDE to Linz while she's in hysterics and trying to contain the situation.

Sorry if this is not a technical topic, but i have a few suggestions.......
1. GET COLLISION INSURANCE. you may pay out the bum for it, and hopefully never need it....but still.
2. Get a CWpermit. For those of us that live in the city especially. That suggestion may open a can of worms regarding responsibility, but i'm more concerned about the responsibility to protect my loved ones. And a 1911 government issue definitely helps when you're in the ghetto and stranded.
3. if in a hit-and-run and in a bad spot, DO NOT LISTEN to the insurance company or the police and stay there. Tell them you are going to the nearest gas-station and then call them back....
So maybe those are common-sense things, but i had to mention them.

Well, i had to vent somewhere....seeing as how Linz has only had that truck #@#%@#^in' 3 WEEKS and we were about to start making the truck show quality. (mines for playing in the dirt, we decided)
So thanx guys, and bear with me.....I feel a little bit better.

Out.

[Gwamp]

Glad to hear that you are all OK. Get that CW permit if your local laws allow it. I am in the process of getting mine. Nothing like a couple of varieties of American iron to make you feel safe! :D

[Dive 30]

I don't know man . . . I think Linz needs to think about handing her license in. It wasn't too long ago you guys were down there and her truck was broken into and now her Jeep! She's bad luck! :D

I am kidding of course. I'm glad you guys were OK and that the Jeep is fixable. I know that I feel a lot better with Brooke driving the Jeep, just becauase she's in 2 tons of good metal instead of her little 2 door driving around the morons on campus.

As for the cops, I would seriously consider filing a complaint with the department. It probably won't get anywhere, but maybe the next guy that gets stuck in a bad spot and gets hurt because of their lack of service will have a better leg to stand on. A hit and run is a serious crime and should be treated as such. If you are as passionate about such matters as I am, call your local dispatch non-emergency number and request a meeting with one of their patrol sergeants. Tell them that you had an issue during a traffic accident recently and would like to discuss it with one of the supervisors. Make sure you have all of your info together (date, time, location, officers involved, time of 911 call vs. time of officer arrival, even if approximate) before you call. Normally, this will have the dispatchers call the supervisors of the officers involved. The supervisor will have to call you back, so you will have to plan on investing time (especially if you are at work) and availability. The good side is, however, that the supervisor will be able to tell you (they will review the incident before they call you) if they really were that busy, or will get all shifty and try to worm out of it. The point is, to get across to them that you are watching them and their performance, and that you are not afraid to point out when they make mistakes. And, using this method, you can reach the Lt.s or Captains if necessary to find out why they left you on the side of the road in a bad neighborhood and were remiss in allowing the bad guys to get away and leave you in a dangerous situation. But, stuff like that really bugs me, so I take the time to be a pain in their arses.

Just my.02

Keep us updated

Phil

[OBX-AUTOMOTIVE]

WHY NOT HAVE TANK RIDE SHOTGUN WITH YOU ALL THE TIME!!!!! :cool: I'M JUST GUESSING, THAT HE BITES!!... smile.gif smile.gif HOW ABOUT SOME PICS OF THE DAMAGE!! :eek:

[Oracle]

Hmm, my former lawdog type spideysense has a few questions. smile.gif What were you doing in the ghetto at 4am? What were you doing driving around without insurance? or was it just collision you/she didn't have? 3 of you in the car? was Linz the designated driver? No license plate on the other vehicle?

USUALLY, if you can get the station with a description of a 'just happened' Hit and Run, they'll jump on it, Most PD types luv a hot pursuit at 4 am when the streets are relatively clear, especially if you tell them there's an injury (THAT will usually speed up the response also, "soft tissue" and "afraid to move her neck" descriptions will usually kick you up the priority list.)

Lastly, CW's are a good idea if you have the disposition and temperment to take other lives into your own hands. Your buddy stalking the streets afraid he's going to kill someone with his bare hands doesn't sound like a suitable candidate. You and linz sound like candidates but remember its a HUGE responsibility. Very difficult to 'un'kill someone, only been done once that I'm aware of. Oh, and the 1911? well I used to teach new MP's to shoot those things, fair to say that Most couldn't hit a house door at 25 feet without a fair amount of practice. In fact I've seen maybe 20 percent hit the ground 10 to 15 feet in front of them with their first few shots..they are NOT inherently accurate sidearms, make a hell of a lot of racket, are big/heavy a host of negatives. Course, the retail market stuff is a HELL of a lot better, and a hell of a lot more expensive than the Govt. issue. Another argument for another time but I personally would suggest a small frame 38spcl revolver or doubleaction semi auto in either 380/9mm or 9x18 (east block round). 9 and 9x18 are mil rounds so lots of cheap surplus to practice with and practice is what every CW should do, a lot.
off soapbox
Glad you got out of there in one piece though. Good to remind yourself that jeeps can ALMOST always be repaired. legs/arms/heads are lots tougher to work on smile.gif

[Gargel-orum]

Ok...it was my jeep that got hit..yes, my brand new one that i havent even had 3 weeks- that i worked my but off to get.

I havent written yet because iv just been entirely to angry to get on the computer. But i need to speak up now.

First off- i wouldnt let joel carry a gun anyway- nor would i have brandished it in that situation. You wouldnt, by carrying a gun, beable to better the situation any more. You would be arrested for pulling it out, making more of a chance the a-hole would get away, and the charges would be turned around on you- second, if you managed to pull it out while the jerk was still there chances are he has a gun too, and is more willing to pull the trigger first.

Yes i did just get broken into a month ago- it F**king sucks- the steet lamp that i parked under went out due to heavy rains after i got to work- beside, it was a Cr*py truck and i was utterly surprised that some one would actully want to bust into it, now that i have the jeep i pay for parking in a secured lot...But by no meens am i so carless as to have caused these 2 things to happen- exacly whay im so ticked off right now.

GEMOBX/77/401 -

yes the dog dose bite, which is exactly why i dont let him in the truck- he'd bite joel, and most likely be more involved with bitting poeple that i dont want him, that be of any good use- the dogs a morron, thats why i like that pic so much- shows his true colors...

--- Oracle ----

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Oracle:
Hmm, my former lawdog type spideysense has a few questions. smile.gif What were you doing in the ghetto at 4am? What were you doing driving around without insurance? or was it just collision you/she didn't have? 3 of you in the car? was Linz the designated driver? No license plate on the other vehicle?...

ect...ect...ect..

...Good to remind yourself that jeeps can ALMOST always be repaired. legs/arms/heads are lots tougher to work on smile.gif <hr></blockquote>

Ok- lets a get a few things strait. I work in Ybor city (untill 3am Fri+Sat) at a hippie sorta retail shop. Incase you dont know, Ybor is tampa's version of The French Quarter or Greenwich Villige or Hiat & Ashbury. It is completely surrounded by the ghetto- normaly i would take the highway home and pass over all that territory but i was doing a friend a favor and driving him home. No- i dont generally make my friends take a hike when its 4am and they live in the ghetto- i would hate if the tables were turned.

Second- I DO HAVE INSURANCE, just as i just turned 21 and my rates went up by getting the jeep i had to wait to add collision untill june when they will go back down (i have comp, liability, towing, ect..)- as for now my rates went up $200 for the jeep and it would be another $200 to add collision- i dont make alot of money.

Yes i was the 'designated driver' as it is MY JEEP, no one was drinking if thats what you are implying- we all just got off work.

We would have gotten a licence plate had the jerk not taken off so fast with traffic behind him. Joel and jerry did get a partial though.

*Ok now heres the fun part- let me explain clearly what happend with the police:

Someone called 911 from their cell phone- breifly let me talk and i was in histerics, there was not a pay phone for atleast a mile. The cop did not ask if i was hurt or anything else you might think thay would ask. The girl that had the cell phone drove off with the cell phone mid conversation with the cops- i did hear her tell them the location though. We stood in the ghetto for 45min- during that time had several cars through things at uss for asking for a cell phone and 2 crackheads ask for money in order to 'help out'. Needless to say- we were not safe there and the cops didnt care. So we drove 1mile to the nearest gas station where i called the police again, i was reprimanded for leaving the sceen- and they didnt seem to care that i said i "was in fear of my life" for being where i was. While waiting in the gas station for police to come a crazy Alabama guy approched jerry- my and joel's friend, the 3rd person in the truck, after comeing up behind me 'playing' with his pants- Seemd harmless at first so we ignored him, then he began getting to close to jerry saying a bout of wierd things- jerry told him to back off as we where all in a modd from being hit- the guy tryed to grab jerry and jerry pushed him- it went like this for 15min, after this the guy exposed himself to jerry and jerry- knowing he probably shouldnt punch the guy as the cops where coming came over by me where i was on the phone- the guy still approched him and jerry and he got in a bit of a fight- at which time the gas sation clerk called the cops- jerry left the station as he didnt want to do any harm to an already bad situation- then the crazy guy stumbled away in the opposite direction. The cops then showed up (40min after getting to the gas station) asking where the fight was- and OH YAY, wasnt there some one here who got into an accident. they didnt even show up for the hit and run- 1 1/2hr later. The cop coulda cared less for us to show her the intersection or anything else for that matter.

No They werent in for a 'hot pursuit'- just not worth the time, didnt care- they havent even followed up on it yet. much less ran the partial plate as we had a perfect discription of the truck that hit us.

The cops in tampa have never bee there when iv needed them- but always been happy to seach me or pull me over when they get bored and i look wierd.

Have i set the record strait??

[Stuka]

My Jeep got t-boned by a idiot lady driver in a 94 4wd K1500 Chevy pickup. Dented my fender and door (as seen in my sig). The chevy however needed a lot fo work. fender, bumper, hood, grill, light assembly was all trashed.

Till looking for a fender actually, got a door tho.

[ May 12, 2002: Message edited by: Stuka ]</p>

[Rande]

The part I like about this is: where he was is just about half way between the Hillsborough county sherrif's office and the Tampa PD office. What, maybe 3/4 to 1 mile from either?

[irbob]

Glad to hear that everyone is physically ok.

Stuka...I got a fender for you. Don't know what it's worth or how much shipping would be.

[Hollywood Dave]

I'm glad you choose FSJ and you are OK!! Careful with the CW license...I would have never pulled it for that ***hole! Had you, you could be looking at pictures of your jeep from jail.

happy Trails

[Cliff]

Bombardier,

My 81 Waggie is painted just like yours, but in factory colors. Repainted once just like the original.

[Stolen76]

FYI on the insurance deal. Comp and collision may not have paid for your repairs anyways. Most states have enacted laws stating that if the damage exceeds 80% of the current NADA book value then the vehicle is legally junk ! That means you can no longer drive it. You must have your truck insured with an "Actual Cash Value" (ACV) policy or have a d*mn good agent willing to bend the rules.

A friend of mine in AL got T-Boned in a Hyundai. It mashed in the pass side doors. Still driveable, still safe. It needed 2 doors and the pillar. The cost of 2 doors and pillar straightening, along with paint came out to $4,000 according to their estimator. The NADA value on the car was $4,750. Since the repair cost exceeded 80%, the car was "totalled". He could no longer get registration for his car. 2 weeks later he got a notice from the state saying that the registration on his car had been pulled because of the insurance company reporting of the state of the vehicle.

This is about a 5 year old law in AL, I read in the paper that this law was adopted from other states. WATCH YOUR BUT on this insurance scam ! It is heavily backed by government law makers because it gets older, more polluting pieces of junk cars off the road without them having to enact a law that forces them off the road.

[Bombadier]

A few afterthoughts......

Oracle- Without getting into a heavy gun debate....first, knowing me, i wouldn't let myself carry a piece...i have too much of a temper in that kind of situation...I've been around firearms and hunted for a long time, i know what a slug can do. But i'd feel a lot better knowing Linz has an artillery cannon instead of a peashooter....Pistols weren't meant for long-range action anyways....And she's a LOT more even-headed than i am. She has the final say in caliber anyways, i'd just be happy if she picks a .454 Casul..... :eek: smile.gif

Dive- Yup, we're getting our hands dirty and sticking it to the TPD.....Their response and handling of the situation was ridiculous. And their lack of a follow-up or any effort is a serious thing.

Cliff- Is the Red-Black FSJ a common thing????
And was it a factory standard color? I figured mine's been repainted at least once.

Everything else aside, there is no way of knowing when a moron is going to blow a red and blast your vehicle....and no matter how well you think your bases are covered, they never are.
In regards to Insurance Co.'s and PDs, i have become a firm believer in the "Trust No One" doctrine.....I've had good individual officers and insurance people, but group 'em together, and the bad apples really show and make things way more difficult.

But again everyone, thanks for any support, direct or indirect....these are good people on this board....very refreshing considering recent events.....

"Maintain, man....you just gotta maintain."

[Justin Fun]

Hey Bombadier,
Glad that everyone was ok. Good story. Too bad cops weren't there when you really needed them :( . Jeeps are great. I'm sure you'll repair it! Good luck in the future. smile.gif

[effle18]

Sometimes it seems if it wasn't for bad luck you would have no luck at all.
Glad you guys are O.K. It seems the POPO can work in mysterious ways, they have no problem tail- gating you for 20 miles waiting for you to screw up, or be knocking on your door right after the party starts, but if you have a problem in the ghetto, they don't want to show up.