This road rage stuff is getting out of hand in New Jersey... This past Wednesday, my wife and I were driving to NYC on 280 East when I signaled to go into the left lane. There as a white SUV two car lengths behind who sped up and came right up behind me flashing his brights using the horn. It was raining pretty heavy so I was taking it easy and did not speed up. Then the driver swings out into the right lane and passes and cut in front of me.

The SUV driver misjudged and his rear tire and bumper strike my right fender. If my driver ed training had not taken over, we might have been seriously hurt. As it was, I never lost control of the car and barely avoided veering into the concrete lane divider. Then this nut, takes off weaving around cars to get off at the first exit, Harrison.

I wasn't going to chase him into so we continued into NYC. When I get to work I contact the state police and they tell me I have to file a report in person. I file the report that night after work and I find out that there is very little that they can do because I have no witnesses, my wife does not count.

My insurance company tells me that they cannot find the SUV insurance company from the license plate and said that the NJ State Police takes up to 10 weeks to issue a report. Even then no guarantee that anything will happen. Since the driver did not stop...

How's that for justice?

Chris

1988 924S, gray metallic
192,500 miles

 

This is disappointing news, but fortunately neither of you were hurt.

Filing the report was thr right thing to do regardless of the outcome. At least you won't be wondering what might have happened if you had not filed it. This way, you've done everything you could.

How is the 924 after the bump?

 

Yes, it has, several years ago in a silver '79 924 I was driving down a 6 lane road, two in both directions and 1 for short term parking. It was raining pretty hard that morning you could barely see the lane markings. I was driving next to a dump truck (substitute SUV) and he was traveling at a higher rate of speed than I was. By the time that realized what was happening it was too late. He hadn't seen me next to him and had changed into my lane. I felt him PUSHING me toward the curb as his front wheel lugs tore up the side of my car starting at my door heading toward my front wheel. BTW the parking spots were about to come to a quick stop! Fortunately I sped up vs. slowing as I would have ended up under his rear wheels had I braked as I was already bumpingright hand curb. Well he pulled over and in the pouring rain exchanged info and headed off in our own directions. As it turned out, w/out a police report, his co's insurance would not cover the claim?? I was amazed! He had even told his managers as I found out in later conversations that it was his fault.

Oh, I need to say this, if you are in fender bender.. DON'T block traffic by not moving your cars if you agree it is safe to do so. Move the cars OFF the road then call the police AAA or whoever it is that you need to call... I can say that I HATE sitting behind trafic caused by a couple of dorks that feel it necessary to waste other peoples time by leaving their scuffed bumpered cars in the middle of the road!!!

 

If the police have his license plate, they will eventually get him. It may take a while, but they have no excuse for not tracking down a hit and run offender. Keep pictures of your car before repairing it.

 

Did you know: In the state of CA that you can request the owners info if you have the plate #'s for a minimal fee if you want to pay for it? It was a walk in transaction last time I checked.

 

that's crazy michael...You'd think with the worries of national security and terrorism it wouldn't be like that...

I almost got into an accident tonight...I was driving home North on I-25, there was an accident that blocked off 3 of the 5 lanes, and there were not many cars still on the road...

I'm coming up on it, and a taxi minivan is in the lane 2 over from me, (I'm in the far right, furthest from the accident) and he turns on the turn signal and moves over, trying to go into my lane when right next to me...a quick peep of the horn got him back in his lane, but he just sped off...I was goin 60, he was doin at LEAST 75... it was crazy. I'm glad nothing came of it, but it scared me..

 

chris924S, sorry to hear about that. If you have the means, try and find someone who has the ability to look up license plates. My father's workplace has this setup with the DMV. One night heading to work (late at night, hardly anyone on the road) someone cut him off and proceeded to mess around with him on the road. My father saved the plate number and ran it at the office when he got too work. He was able to get a home address and phone number of the guy. For the next few nights during his meal breaks he would call him at random hours of the early morning (anywhere from 12am - 6am) from a payphone.

"Hey ******* remember me? Im the guy you cut off"

 

I've driven through many states as well as countries and it saddens me to say that my home state has some of the worse driving habits around. No one signals to switch lanes and most feel that they own the lane they are in and therefore don't move.

I drive the parkway regularly and it's always the same. four lanes with the two leftmost crammed and the two right empty. Maybe the view is better from the left 4-5 lanes of light traffic and it still becomes a free for all.
I had a woman enter 280 in an suv and proceed across two lanes cutting me off. Damn near locked them up. As soon as I recovered I saw her hand come out the window with a one finger salute as if I had done something to her!!!

Well I guess she must have had my lane reserved and I just missed the memo.

 

Sorry to hear about this. I can sympathise all too well.

I have been the victim of four hit and runs. Two of them were while the car was parked. One time in my dad's '74 911 I was run off the road and the guy drove off. About two years ago while in my freshly-painted 944 I was clipped by another car. I chased after him and he wouldn't slow down. I broke off pursuit because of how they say "If you have their tag number, bring it to the police." That's all you should need, right?

WRONG.

I went to the police with the tag number, driver description and car description. Even though the tag number came back to a matching car, the police "couldn't do anything about it."

This is why I now keep cameras in all of my cars. This, and the three uninsured motorists who have hit me as well...

BB.

 

Chris, That just sucks. Wouldnt that be covered the same as if you were NOT in your car and hit in a lot?
Best of luck in resolving this. I always carry a camera in my car fwiw.

Hit and run carries a stiff sentence in most states- Insurance companies do not like clients who preform feats of such stupidity.

I too, drive with some of the most inconsiderate drivers around. I just wish everyone would signal thier intentions, stop running red lights and learn to frigging merge around here

.EDIT: Yes, it's happened to me, it became an out of pocket repair

 

Chris - talk about cases of bad luck lately.

 

When my car was broken into, _and_ I got a plate number and description of the person and vehicle who did it, the police used this fact to dissuade me from pressing charges - "Well, he probably has your plate number and can use it to find you as well".

.......

It seems that in the original case, all this has done is make sure the police have a suspect if the other guy's car "happens" to get vandalized now.

 

Thats ironic Kev, the copper here (although very helpful and through) said almost the identical statement-

"They know where you live and know where youre car is parked, god forbid anyone try to burn it or pour sugar in your tank, I wouldnt put it past these kids around here" He was a former NJ cop from Camden, moved here AND been a local copper fo 5 years. and he's worried about Ohioans..... Really.

I swear, without a garage you can lock and put a motion detected camera in - I'm seriously considering driving a POS beater here.

 

chris - have faith in the fact that you did the correct, adult thing. good move - it doesn't leave you with any sense of satisfaction, i'm sure, but you have to live with yourself.

the person in front of you needs to remember that a turn signal is a REQUEST - NOT A STATEMENT. if i'm already occupying the space its my decision on if i wish to yield - (and i'm not talking about speeding up to edge them out).

these people who flip their signal on (yes...there ARE a FEW who still do) let it flash once, and then yank it right in front of you nearly shearing off your bumper really **** me off.

some suggest keeping a handful of pennies in your ashtray. i'm told they make a wicked projectile from the passenger window. don't know - never tried it, but i'm close.

i've also given up on the left lane being the fast lane. its almost done a 180 to the point of having the RIGHT lane being fast. strange. i'm a little ashamed to admit that i sometime have resorted to just picking my way thru traffic - but try to do it as safely as possible, with signals and gentle lane changes.

even the iceshark light cannons can't move some of these idiots....

 

I would just like to point out that there are entirely too many 924S owners named "Chris" in this thread...

BB.