Minor Ethical Dilemna

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Someone hit my truck today. Basically, he tried to turn into my lane when stopped at a red light while I was driving to the light. He tore his front bumper cover clean off. Dented the rear door and the front of the bed with some paint removed.

He couldn't have been nicer, immediately offered it was his fault, provided license and registration. He sent his daughters on their way with his SUV while we talked (they were in a hurry to dance class), we ended up throwing the bumper in the back of the truck and I dropped him off at the studio after I got pics of paperwork and emailed him from my phone. He didn't want my paperwork, just took my phone # in the email. He said it might be better if he paid for the repair personally vs. insurance and asked me to get a quote.

Here's the thing. My truck has 196K miles on it. I'm pretty sure the PO cheated on his wife because nearly every panel has a major dent in it. Oddly enough, the passenger rear door was the only clean panel on the truck other than the hood and left fender that I replaced. It's a work truck.

My guess is the estimate will be between $500 and $1K.

Whether I get a check from him, or from his insurance company, I certainly won't have the truck repaired.

The damage does not devalue the truck in any way.

I'm inclined to call the guy up and tell him to forget about it. Since I'm not going to have it repaired, and it doesn't devalue the truck, I don't think it's right to take his money.

Thoughts?

[quattrorunner]

Take the low $ and be done with it. He made the mistake. I've taken money for repairs and not fixed it before. It's your choice to fix it or not. Send him a little treat for being cool if it makes you feel better. I've done that. He screwed up and your helping him by not reporting it. That's how your doing good to humanity. Above all do exactly what you feel is right. Don't worry about what others tell you to do.

[Crowbob]

If you decide to call him, wait for his check before you do. You used to have a driveable truck. Now you don't. If his check comes and clears you will have a driveable truck again, if you choose.

It doesn't seem like an ethical problem to me. Nobody is screwing anybody no matter what you choose to do. Fix the truck, don't fix the truck. Cash the check or burn the check. He did a dumb thing that could have been much worse. In the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't matter.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

If you decide to call him, wait for his check before you do. You used to have a driveable truck. Now you don't. If his check comes and clears you will have a driveable truck again, if you choose.

It doesn't seem like an ethical problem to me. Nobody is screwing anybody no matter what you choose to do. Fix the truck, don't fix the truck. Cash the check or burn the check. He did a dumb thing that could have been much worse. In the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't matter.

I think you got the thing backwards. Shaun's truck is essentially fine, minor damage for what was already a fairly dented up old truck. The guy that hit Shaun has lots of damage on his vehicle. Shaun is not wanting to trouble the guy at all, no money.

[masraum]

Shaun, If you aren't planning to repair it anyway, then I like your idea, no money from the guy. With the damage to his vehicle, he's going to have plenty on his plate. You could possibly pull your door panel and pop some of that out or have a paintless dent removal guy work at it some, but if you aren't concerned....

I like your idea, just call the guy and tell him not to worry about it.

[Crowbob]

Oh. OK, got it. Thanks, Steve.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by masraum

Shaun, If you aren't planning to repair it anyway, then I like your idea, no money from the guy. With the damage to his vehicle, he's going to have plenty on his plate. You could possibly pull your door panel and pop some of that out or have a paintless dent removal guy work at it some, but if you aren't concerned....

I like your idea, just call the guy and tell him not to worry about it.

+1

You have already decided you won't fix it, and it doesn't devalue your truck. He was honest, responsible, and contrite--qualities we wish all people had in these situations. He did the right thing. Telling him to forget about it would be an unexpected gift for his proper and correct actions--something that rewards his honesty and reinforces that behavior not only in him, but in his daughters who witnessed the accident. He "did the right thing" and is expecting to pay for his mistake.

As already posted, this is not an ethical question--you are entitled to payment--it is a question of conscience, and your conscience is telling you to let him forget his mistake.

[Evans, Marv]

I'd say either let it go or take a direct payment of maybe one or two hundred bucks. Like L.J. said, he probably feels bad about it, so a token payment at most would be right.

[pitargue]

How about the both of you agree on a charity to donate the $ to?

[speeder]

This hardly qualifies as an "ethical dilemma". If you hit and ran him or gave someone fake insurance info, that would be an ethical dilemma. This is you maybe giving someone a break and wanting some internet recognition for it.

I'm not going to tell you how many times I've given someone a bigger break than this because good deeds don't count if you want recognition for them.

[DanielDudley]

Do what feels right to you.

I had a door like that on an old ford truck, and I pulled the inner panel and popped it out with the flat of a 2x4.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I don't see this as ethical because there is no wrong answer. If you chose to take the repair cost and not repair the truck, then there's nothing ethically wrong about it. Basically the question is whether or not you should do this guy, who sounds like a good dude, a favor. For what it's worth my vote is yes. I've been in the same spot with POS trucks and done the same thing. My wife was rear-ended a few months ago in our 2012 F150, which is not a POS. She figured the hole in their bumper was far worse than scuffed paint on our trailer hitch, and sent them on their way. We're trying to bank all the good karma that we can.

[Baz]

Maybe it's an opportunity to give a few bucks to the local animal shelter.

A win-win because the guy would probably be tickled pink to shell out a couple hundred just to get it behind him.

That $200.00 would go a long way in helping out a few poor creatures in the shelter.

In fact, I would wager if you shared this idea to the guy, he would surely thank you for not only your thoughtfulness but also your generosity. And he would also feel good about the end result.

Like I said...a win-win for all.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

The damage does not devalue the truck in any way.

I'm inclined to call the guy up and tell him to forget about it. Since I'm not going to have it repaired, and it doesn't devalue the truck, I don't think it's right to take his money.

Thoughts?

Tell him you've conducted a "social experiment" on PPOT and we've decided it's his lucky day . You've got a LOT of good karma coming your way Shaun...today is his turn

[jcommin]

Originally Posted by DanielDudley

Do what feels right to you.

I had a door like that on an old ford truck, and I pulled the inner panel and popped it out with the flat of a 2x4.

It's not an ethical question. There is no wrong answer. I agree with Daniel. Gladly, no one was hurt!

[Gogar]

Give him a break. If he understands he'll give you a nice gift card or a bottle of wine or something.


Wait, never mind, hammer him!!!!!! America!

[bri450sl]

If you've already come to the conclusion that your not going to get it repaired, my question would be, can I fix it myself and be happy with the fix? If the answer is yes, I would let him off the hook and feel good about helping another fellow human being in a bad spot.

[DonDavis]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Wait, never mind, hammer him!!!!!! 'MERICUH!

FIFY

Here's what I would do. If I were going to repair the vehicle, I would get an estimate and then let the guy decide how he wants to proceed. Cash or his insurance company, I'd let him choose.
When no repair is intended, take the estimate and meet with the guy and agree upon a lesser amount that will be donated to a local charity or animal shelter. Emphasis on the 'local'.

Then I would only tell my 15-year-old son about it on the condition that he doesn't tell anyone else. It's a big enough dent that he'd notice and ask what happened. Otherwise, no body hears about my good deeds to strangers.

[Dueller]

The joy of beaters...fugedaboudit....

[Norm K]

Suggest to him that whatever he was going to pay to you, he give to a local food bank instead.