2003 MINI vs 2003 SAAB

Yes, on the way to work. Some A-hole makes a right to off a main road and decided not to complete his turn and stops. The best way I can say, is that we all know those idiots that take a corner to slow, well, this was about 50% slower then that person :smile: I clipped him on my right front and about half way down.

I have seen a few people post their crashes. So I'm going to write this up a little different the the people who want to know how the Mini did.

The Mini did great. I was doing about 45-50 MPH. I clips the guy so the damage was from the front right, the hood, wheel area, the mag got damaged, the right miror is gone, and the door needs a new paint job.

THE MINI drove away. His 2003 Saab did not, his trunk folded in causing his back tire to pop with metal and his muffler dropped :smile:

Not only could I drive away but not one air bag went off, and the car drives straight.

Weird part of the story, the guy was greek (about 35), he had me in a head lock before I could push him off (big guy). Is this ---- to happen at 35+ :smile:

QUESTION for people that have been in an accident. State Farms estimated it as 3750 dollars of damage. If nothing happened to the frame and they do a good job, do I keep the car or sell it for new one. What has been people luck with repairs?

Edited by DiD for profanity read the clean posting section again

 

Wait a minute. So the guy attacked you after the accident?

 

Sorry about the accident, and glad to hear that you'll be fixed up soon. $3700 is not much damage at all, and seem pretty low given what I'd read before you got to the estimate.

But did I read you correctly...the other driver attacked you? I'm not sure what other definition of "head lock" I should be applying...but if this goon touched you, I hope you pressed assault charges and had him arrested.

Unless that's just the sort of thing that people do in your part of the world when they have traffic accidents (tell me where that is so that I can avoid it).

 

Funny thing about assault charges. You have to have physical evidence that you were attacked. Eye witnesses do NOT count. You have to have a cut, scrape, or a bruise for the officer to take assault charges seriously.

 

I was thinking that maybe the idiot was still holding on to him when the cops arrived...

 

Dominic, this might not be true.
As my Civil Rights Professor once said,
when it comes to the law, "It depends".
From the sounds of it, the guy was mad and took it out on the poor Mini owner.

ToeKnee, how is your neck? Are you sore?
Did you feel threatened at all?
Were you held against your will?
Was there any "hate speech"....it could have been a racial motivaed attack.

Just because there might be a lack of visual damage does not mean it is o.k.

It would be a misdemeanor assult charge. Probation
From the sounds of the email, I think didn't happen in the US.
The guy was Greek??? So the laws might be different.

I'm sorry about the attack.
But there is no way that I let someone put there hands on me and not file charges.
The next time, the guy could break someones nose.


As a recent Pre-LAw graduate and future Law School student, I have heard to many stories like this. They don't all end the same way. It really bothers me when people don't know their rights.

O.K. I'm done expressing my opinion.
I'm justhappy that you were unharmed.

 

>>Funny thing about assault charges. You have to have physical evidence that you were attacked. Eye witnesses do NOT count. You have to have a cut, scrape, or a bruise for the officer to take assault charges seriously.

Well, not in Oregon at least! Some dillhole cut ME off and then decided to follow me into a 7-11 and proceeded to verbally attack me. I told the ingrate to "F off" to which he hawked up a big luggie and spit it on my car in front of multiple 3rd party witnesses. I called 911 and got a cop to come out immediately. He was charged with assault. I hope there is a trial I can go to on this!!! I really want to tell the judge what a waste of skin this so called human is.

Getting back on topic....Sorry about the car there dude. That's one of those times where it's HIS fault, but the cops/insurance will see that you rear ended him while he was "turning" so that makes it YOUR fault. Were there any witnesses that saw him come to a stop? Even if there were, would that allow for 50/50 liability? I can't imagine a situation where you rear end someone and are not at fault at all. Sorry.

R

 

Sorry to hear about your accident. Glad you are okay. $3700 is not too much and the MINI should be fine less any frame adjustments. Good things those airbags didn't go off or the tab would have been larger.

 

It happened to me here in PHX on N 35th Ave back in 1989. I was headed southbound and a guy tailgated me for like a half mile. I couldn't change lanes as they were all full. I was driving for Domino's at the time and I turned left into Domino's. The tailgater followed me in to the parkinglot and approached me. At the time I was only 145 lbs and this guy was large like 220 and 6'+ . He approached me with both of his fists clenched in tight to his chest. He exploded at me hitting me directly in the center of my chest knocking me back a couple of yards. The other Domino's workers saw it and were shocked. Got the guy's license plate and my coworkers called the cops. The cop shows up and asked me to lift my shirt. He said since I had no physical evidence of him hitting me he could do NOTHING. Not even with the witnesses of my coworkers did he do anything.

 

Gotta be an Arizona thing (wild west and all...). Here in MA, with that much info on the guy, a cop would have shown up on his doorstep for sure.

Glad you were ok though.

 

Torreto, that is assault!
It sound like you just got a cop too tired to fill out the paperwork.
But that is a textbook assault buddy!
If a guy smacks a girls ***, that could be sexualy assault.
If the guy hit you like he did and called you a "Queer" or some other racial term, that would have been a Hate Crime.

Cops don't do the right thing everytime, as sad as that might be.

With a witness, you could have went down to the Police station and filed charges against that guy. Just because the cop said that to you doesn't mean it wasn't assault. I am just dumbfouded!
You had the license plate number, and a witness. You and the witness would have to identify the attacker. Man, that makes me so mad!!! Sorry to hear about that.

I once had a bear bottle thrown at me by some drunk moron in a jeep. Then he got out of the jeep at the red light and tried to get into my car. He was beating and screaming at me as I was talking to the 911 operator on the phone.
The police came to my house, asked if I could identify the guy.
Damage over $500 is a felony in Arizona. The officer asked what I thought the damage would be, I told him more that $600 (I spend a lot of time at my friends custom paint shop), and fresh out of taking my Arizona Revised Statues Title 9 Criminal Code class, I knew it was a felony over $500.
So I went wih the officer to meet the other officer who found the jeep at the guys residence. The girl driving the jeep answered the door, but told the cops he wasn't there. But the officer told me" we know he is there, but because it is only a misdemeanor, we can't go in and get him". HUH???
It was a felony! But the cop didn't know that, or just didn't want to do it.
This is just one of the 3 stories that made me want to become an attorney.
To protect people who are taken advantage of.

One more thing to remember everyone. This was told to me by my Criminal Law Professor (and current attorney), "Cops never Lie........... (this said in an extremely sarcastic voice".

 

Where were you in 1989 when I needed you buddy! Just Kidding. The best thing I got out of that experience is a really cool story to tell. I've led a pretty straight and narrow life-style. Sad, eh?

ToeKneeC67, are you going to be pressing charges for the headlock?

 

I'm sure I will be asked later about htis, but yes, I won.
The guy was eventually served, I think because my professor at the time was a Judge in the city that this happened. We went to court, he got up on the stand and lied. I got up on the stand, told the truth. My unbiased witness got up on the stands and told the truth. He was foung guilty and thus had to pay me $625. Each month I got a money order from the moron in the amount of $150.
Knowing the law and your rights can be rewarding.

 

>>Where were you in 1989 when I needed you buddy! Just Kidding. The best thing I got out of that experience is a really cool story to tell. I've led a pretty straight and narrow life-style. Sad, eh?
>>
>>ToeKneeC67, are you going to be pressing charges for the headlock?

Give me 4 years Dom and I will be there for you buddy!

 

>>>>Where were you in 1989 when I needed you buddy!

>>Give me 4 years Dom and I will be there for you buddy!

Isn't there something about the statute of limitations or some such?

 

Yeah, a head-lock, it reminded me of my younger days with my brother :smile:

After the accident, we talked, then I called my police then my wife. All took place in about 5 minutes. Then after I got off the phone, I walked up to introduce myself which I thought would be polite. I said "Hi, I'm Tony, sorry for this.". I had my hand out, he shakes my hand and says "It's OK, everything well work out". Then while he still has my hand, he pulls me in and the talks is left arm around my neck and starts making it tighter.

I had two things I could do fight back which is what he wanted or nothing. I gave him nothing for about 10-15 seconds then pushed him off. He'll like "OK OK, the starts pacing". I know it's anger.

He was a big greek guy (about 6 to 6.2).

Here is the amazing part, on the police report which with both got copies, it has mine and his contact info. Home address, home number and more. Which I showed people at work at they say that's normal. So this Greek guy with an anger management problem knows where I live.

 

I seem to remember seeing a "someone spit on my MINI" thread!

 

donna@dcmetrominis.org

 

>>Here is the amazing part, on the police report which with both got copies, it has mine and his contact info. Home address, home number and more. Which I showed people at work at they say that's normal. So this Greek guy with an anger management problem knows where I live.
>>
That frightens me. Sorry to hear about your car and the violent, anger-managementally challenged Greek guy who apparently can't drive. He was probably just peeved that his Saab didn't hold up to your MINI. Oops. I'd seriously figure out what you can do and serve that guy with some papers. Or something.

 

Gee ToekneeC67, it'd be nice if you'd actually respond to some of the questions in this thread (instead of starting a whole new thread )... You've said 4 of 5 times that the guy was "Greek"...I don't know that that is supposed to do with anything...but did you or did you not tell the cops about his manhandling you?

I'm glad your car got off with relatively little damage. $3700 from State Farm, and it sounds like you're on your way. Pretty darn fast appraisal too! (often it takes a full day or more before one gets an estimate from their insurance company) I think you'll be just fine repair wise.

 

Sorry to hear about your accident. Expect the unexpected and be careful. The accident avoided is the best accident. I'll take a close call anyday.
Hopefully you can fix your MINI and do fine and not have to sell or anything. If the car does OK then I would suggest keeping it.
Take care and stay safe. This is enough excitement for this month!

The headlock thing could be "a cultural expression of his feelings for you". I could be wrong. I'm glad you are OK and that no one appears to be injured.

 

I should stress I have nothing against Greeks :smile: In fact I've been to Greece and it's great.

Thanks for listening to me vent. It's hard when you baby is damaged.

 

>>
>>QUESTION for people that have been in an accident. State Farms estimated it as 3750 dollars of damage. If nothing happened to the frame and they do a good job, do I keep the car or sell it for new one. What has been people luck with repairs?

$3750 is too much! If there's no frame damaged, the front clip is easy to replace if you have any mechanical ability at all. The front clip doesn't have many welds to the body if any at all. I'm sure a New Mini bonet & front fender are less that $1,700. The dealer won't cover accidental damage to the car unless there part caused the accident so why go to a dealer to get it fixed. That is way to high a priced for what you discribed. Of course the parts dealers may jack up the price for new "car of the year" parts. Oh! No frame damage, don't sell. You won't get as much return for a car that has been in an accident and you're starting your car paymen't all over.

Credentials: 4yrs autobody training, 22yrs aircraft structural repair


_________________
Minian(^-^) DrkSlvr/DrkSlvr S/Sprt pkg/Aero/HK Sound(May Club)

 

>>I should stress I have nothing against Greeks :smile: In fact I've been to Greece and it's great.
>>
>>Thanks for listening to me vent. It's hard when you baby is damaged.



:smile:

 

Thanks Minian.

They gave me an itemized list. The parts aren't that much. (front bumper 140, Hood 332, and a lot of 18, 40 and 30 dollars parts).

There list is 1324 total for parts, then about 1800 in labor, then taxes.

I know in Chicago they have a rep of being very good (expensive but good), I have to assume most people in this field are good, but somewhere is the worst, and somewhere is the best. I can only hope.

I think from reading this, and no frame damage, truly the car drives straight and sounds normal. I'll see how it goes, if not it's ebay time :smile:

In your experience though, is it every the same?

And for the lady writing in :smile: Yes Greeks, not geeks, I would be the computer geek :smile: