Theos-Talk Archives (July 1997 Message tl00209)

----------
> From: Bart Lidofsky <bartl@sprynet.com>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <theos-l@vnet.net>
> Subject: Re: KABOOM!
> Date: Tuesday, July 15, 1997 8:10 PM
> 
> A. Safron wrote:
> > My insurance company claims that I may be at
> > fault if the door was "hit a certain way".  Yes, it's true.
> > If I see an open car door on a busy street, I go for
> > that sucker and try to smash it into little pieces.:-)
> > What a bunch of baloney.
> 
> 	I had an accident, where I was sure the other guy was at fault. A
> nearby cop pointed to the damage on my car, and showed how it
> demonstrated that I had to be at fault, and suggested, since the other
> car was completely unhurt, that I not report the accident, or else I
> would not only lose, but I would probably get points on my license.
> 
> 	The damage to the other car door may show how much time you had to
> stop, how fast you were going, etc. You might not have hit the door on
> purpose, but you might not have been paying attention either (yes, WE
> know you were paying attention, but the insurance company doesn't).
> 
> 	Bart Lidofsky

Picture this, Bart.  A narrow two-lane side street with parked cars in either sides.
On side has a large ice cream truck with kids buzzing around.  As I aproach
north on said street, car insists on going south.  We are all sandwiched together,
when suddenly, a the lady whose car is on my right decides that at that
moment she just has to get a ice cream for her screaming 4-yr-old.  She opens her
car door at the precise moment that I am trying to worm my way through this
tight squeeze on the street.  The tip of my front hood hits the side of her door as she
is opening it.  Kaboom!  Glass all over the street.  Her car door crumples up
like and accordian.

Who's a fault?  Was I supposed to be psychic and know she was to open her
car door at that moment?  Should I have taken a different street?  SHould ice
cream trucks be banned from parking?

I think this one is for DrPsionic!  If they make a judgement against me, I'll
know it was pointless.  There's no way I could have prevented this except to
pull over and wait till the street cleared.  Which is probably what I will do
in the future.  I swear, I never thought anyone would open their door on such
a crowded situation.  

For kickers, when I asked the lady if she had insurance, she told me "no"
and told me I had no business driving.  She never told me her name,
never produced a driver's license or any ID.  I asked the kid what her mother's
name was and he said, "I don't know".  She then produced a slip of paper
with the car owner's name and address on it (a man).  My guess is she was
a Polish illegal, of which there are many in my neighborhood, being
hired to watch someone's kid for low wages.  I'm really interested to see
how this turns out, not from the insurance end, but from the legal part.
The policeman I reported it to was practically salivating at my story.

A. Safron