Hit and Run
 

So, I'm driving my 951 to work this morning. It was a nice, sunny morning. Not particularly warm, but not bad.

I come to an intersection where I stopped for a red light. There were two cars in front of me at the light. After the light turns green, we all move forward through the intersection. The two cars in front of me made it through safely. I wasn't so lucky.

An idiot, coming up to the intersection on my passenger-side decides to make a right-on-red without stopping. Of course, I was in his way. After the impact, I pulled over to the side of the road on the other side of the intersection. The guy who hit me keeps going.

I was genuinely pissed. But, I had my wits about me enough to write down the license plate number. he got away while I waited for the police. The police come, get the info and lookup the license plate info. The plate registration is no longer valid. It expired last year. It was also for a silver Saturn. I got hit by a green Oldsmobile.

I'm sure I will see no justice on this one.

ouch, sorry to hear that but glad you are not hurt.

Probably reason why the other guy didn't stop, he had invalid plates on his car.

You got hit by a stolen car most likely. At least you're alive. Sorry to hear about the car.

Wow, that really sucks. At least you are ok.

That's a shame, luckily you were not hurt.

My sister was sideswiped by an elderly driver a few years ago who also hit two other cars in the process.

Everyone pulled over and while the cop was filling out the paperwork the person who caused the wreck gets back into his car and drives off never to be seen again.

Nobody took down his plate number or license and my sister tried to pursue but the front wheel was no longer attached to the axle:(

Sorry to hear this, having lived in Danbury for 30 years and still owning property, I hate the drivers in the city. They run lights all the time and I have found myself actually looking to the right even when I have the light or the right of way.

Where did it actually happen if I might ask?

Criminals are stupid.

One thing sticks out to me on this: the criminal put expired plates on a presumably stolen car. I've got to wonder if he pulled the plates off of his own vehicle or that of a close friend or family member. He was probably more concerned about disguising the ownership of the stolen car than hiding his identity. (You'd be surprised how many criminals are that stupid.) I think the there is a good chance that the owner of the stolen plates may be the key to figuring out who hit you.

Problem now is trying to get money from some asshat who has just committed a felony who most likely has no money and will be going to jail anyway. It's like hiring a lawyer to try and get blood from a stone. You are dead on with the scenario though, they (PERPS) are pretty dumb. Hope they get the idiot just on general principle.

If the cops don't push the issue...

If you could do a DMV search (I know that is possible, I don't know how) on the expired plates and get the address, I'd do a drive-by. I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see the stolen car that hit you sitting out front.

Then you call the cops and say: "I was driving down XXX street and saw the car that hit me parked out front."

At least then you can get the jerk to go to jail.

And I'm betting that he doesn't have insurance on the vehicle that hit you regardless. Hopefully you have collision/comp/underinsured coverage on the 951 and your insurer takes care of you.

Don't be surprised if that green Olds keeps going merrily on its way, and the driver eventually gets stopped for something else. Or a cop simply runs the plate, since a green Olds is now on the "watch for" list. Either way, I bet they catch some one driving it soon. Or he puts the plates on yet another car and does something stupid in it as well. These low-level meatheads tend to be their own worst enemies, and wonder why they always get caught.

Paul, Chris is right... you should see if you can find the address... the dude could've been taking his plate off his Saturn at night so when the repo man came and got it, he'd still have a plate.
:D

Then when he bought (or stole) the Olds, he just put the same plate on it.

BTW... work fast on this... the longer you wait, the more likely it is he'll think to get your paint off his car.

Sounds like it's time for some 'Street Justice' :-)

wow that sucks. how bad is the damage? How bad was his damage??

It actually happened in Norwalk at the intersection of the Route 7 extension and Grist Mill Rd.

The police have been absolutely fantastic. It didn't start out that way, but when I told them that I worked for Stew Leonard's they really got on my side. (We are a big employer and taxpayer in Norwalk. We also have never said "no" when the police have asked for something.

I've been called four separate times today by the police asking for information or clarification. So, they haven't swept it under the rug. On one of the calls, they asked me if I was sure that it was an Oldsmobile and not a Chevy Caprice. They caught a green Chevy in a hit-and-run with bad plates and thought it may have been the same guy.

When I spoke with my insurance company today, the guy entering my information told me that they get reports of hit-and-run incidents all day long. He said that he alone averages 4 to 5 a day.

You should have chased him, you were in a turbo Porsche afterall...

i agree, you should have chased them. a similar incident happened to me and i chased them and they went to jail. details here;
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/pacific-northwest-us-wa-id-ut-hi-ak/355807-road-rage-happened-me.html

It would be easier to move to Southern California.

There would have been helicopter video and a very satisfying ending when the ESL perp tried to out run the copter after ditching the stolen car.