someone hit my bike! *UPDATE*

[tigerstyle102]

Man I must have the worst luck. My bike was parked outside of Suzuki of Van Nuys on the street. I was inside the store about to buy some jets for my new F1s pipe that i'm going to install. All of a sudden this guy walks in the store and says, "Whose bike is that out front?" I say, "thats mine." And he says, "well some lady just backed into it and knocked it over." So I run outside to see and there it is laying on the ground. The guy was sitting in his car parked behind me and saw the whole thing. The lady driving the car didn't even stay around. It was a hit and run. The guy got her license number though. So I spent the last 3 hours at the police station filing a report.

Preliminary Damage Report: bent handlebar, broken clutch lever, broken left rear turn signal, broken gauge plate, scratch on the tank, broken left mirror.

The bike starts and runs fine. I bought a new clutch lever right then and there so I could at least ride the bike home. The guys at Suzuki of Van Nuys helped me out by lending me some tools so I could fix the lever. The police said I should go ahead and fix the bike and keep the receipts, then when (if) they find out who was driving the car they'll take care of it.

Here's my dilemma. If I buy all new parts it will cost more money than if I were to buy them on eBay or something like that. If it turns out I am getting stuck with the bill, I would rather buy them cheap. I don't have uninsured motorists coverage so I don't want to be stuck with a high repair bill. I don't know what to do. I still have to call my insurance company tomorrow, cause they're already closed today.

[glenn9171]

Get all of the information on the other driver first.  Whether she has insurance, etc.  Have your insurance company contact hers.  Then have them buy and install brand new parts for you.  That is what insurance is for.  Your bike was not wrecked when you parked it.  She should have to make it right.  You should not have to pay out of your pocket to have it fixed or replaced, even if you would get refunded later.  That's B.S.

[tigerstyle102]

But the thing is, I don't even know who the other lady is. All I have is a license plate number. The police said that they would have to transfer my report over to the traffic department because they are the people who do the follow up. And he said they probably have a stack 6 inches high of hit and run accidents. So it will be a couple weeks before they contact me to let me know what is going on (if they get the lady or anything).

[Adam Fraser]

The other option would be to go to a Private Investigator and have them run the plate for you to find out who did this.  It shouldnt cost too much, in MI it only costs them like $5.00 per report they have to file (I have a friend that does this in MI).

[pantablo]

Option 1-
Call your insurance co and tell them what happened and give them the license plate of the hit and run car. They're prettygood about tracking stuff like that down.

Option 2-Hound the police (squeaky wheel gets the grease) daily or weekly about finding out who hit your bike.

Either way don't buy anything you dont need to run the bike-you've got the lever, let his/her insurance cover everything else, at full dealer retail (they're supposed to do it that way, regardless of where you end up buying hte parts). Driver might likely offer you cash if they get caught in exchange for your not pressing the case...dont take it.

Isnt hit n run a felony?

[tigerstyle102]

I don't think it's a felony because it was an unoccupied vehicle. But the police said when (if) they get the person, depending on their previous record, they could be arrested. If they have other hit and runs then yeah, they will be arrested.

[JasonB]

shoulda told them you were sitting on the bike and you fell with the bike and before you could get it off of you and upright the car/truck/suv/van had left and someone else had gotten the plate.

[Pkaaso]

shoulda told them you were sitting on the bike and you fell with the bike and before you could get it off of you and upright the car/truck/suv/van had left and someone else had gotten the plate.

Bad Karma

Besides, every time you make a claim with your insurance company, your rates usually go up.  You have to figure out the cost of fixing vs. the cost of increase over the next several years.

I would try to collect from the lady (hopfully you find her).  Even if you have to go to small claims court.

It may just be better in the long run than filling a claim. Save your insurance for the big stuff.  God forbid you ever need that.

Paul

[jiggersplat]

The other option would be to go to a Private Investigator and have them run the plate for you to find out who did this.  It shouldnt cost too much, in MI it only costs them like $5.00 per report they have to file (I have a friend that does this in MI).

i'm with this guy... call your local DMV.  you can usually get the name, address and phone number that tags are registered to for a small fee.  some state drivers are able to opt out though.  give them a phone call and let them know you know who they are.  i bet they'll cough up some coin pretty quick rather than get arrested for a hit and run.

[sblandin68]

Definately file a claim! That's what you pay premiums for! And just because you file a claim doesn't automatically mean your rates will go up. I have filed a couple a claims on my cage and saw no difference in my rates. And second point is that if she has insurance, her company will be paying for everything not yours. Just do the minimum to get the bike running. Good luck and I'm glad you weren't on the the bike.

[ac_nvmax]

Go into your local police station that handled the call and ask to speak to the Chief Inspector. If he is not available then ask to make an appointment. Do not leave until you get to speak to someone higher than a traffic cop. Make sure u take all the details of the incident with you.

If you don't get anywhere remind the person you speaking with that you have a good friend within a local newspaper group (get the name of a good one) and that they would be delighted on running up such an incompetency story.

I think they'll move on it then.

[Moose]

The police can run the tags right at the station, my brother is a cop here in Texas and has the ability to run tags at any time.  So it shouldn't be a big deal to find out who and where this person lives, but since it was a hit and run it then turns into a crime.  I just talked with my brother and was informed that if you want the person to go to jail, then persue it with the local PD, if you want restitution then you will need to have the repairs done and then go to your local JP office and file a small claims case towards the person that did you wrong.  In the state of texas if it is under $200 then it is a class C mis. if over that amount it is a class B mis.  So if you go with the later you will need to find out the persons info from the DMV so you can persue a claim.  Hope this is helpful.

[tigerstyle102]

Just do the minimum to get the bike running

Well the bike is running, I rode it home. But should I replace the handlebar right now? The right hand is out where it should be but the left hand is pulled in close to my body. It is rideable though.

[TheGoodGuy]

ouch...

im glad it happened right next to where you could get it fixed quick.

Suzuki of van nuys guys are helpful..

Anyway it sounds like my prof who is yet to send me the check for 50 bucks.. i might as well kiss that goodbye.. Its not about the 50 bucks, but rather he did hit it, despite the fact that he says it was parked illegally (though it was legal in the region)

Oh well..hope you get it fixed soon, the handlebar i mean.

[tigerstyle102]

Alright I called my insurance company yesterday but they said all the examiners had left for the day so they will call me tomorrow. They called me back today at 6 am when I wasn't awake, they left a message. Basically he said since I don't have comp or collision, my best course of action would be to pursue the other driver. And to call him back if I have any other questions. So basically I'm playing the waiting game with the police. They're supposed to call me back within the next couple weeks. I'm going to call them next tuesday, that will have been one week from the accident.

Anything else I can do?

[glenn9171]

Replace the bars, at least.  Bent metal means fatigue.  You don't want to hit the brakes hard in an emergency and have the left side snap off in your hand.  Aftermarket ones can be had fairly cheap.  ($20)

[Pkaaso]

Definately file a claim! That's what you pay premiums for! And just because you file a claim doesn't automatically mean your rates will go up. I have filed a couple a claims on my cage and saw no difference in my rates. And second point is that if she has insurance, her company will be paying for everything not yours. Just do the minimum to get the bike running. Good luck and I'm glad you weren't on the the bike.

Yes, rethinking my post your right.  I was thinking more along the lines of... If you file a claim and they Don't find the lady, they will pay you out of your "Unisured motorist" insurance.   That can cause problems and rate increases.

Out here in California, Insurance companies are ruthless.  I guess I'm just parnoid.  
Paul

[tigerstyle102]

*UPDATE*
About a week ago I received a call from the city attorney or whoever it was saying , "we've received your estimate of damage and done our own little investigation and you will be receiving your money by the end of March." So thats good. I'm finally going to get compensated.

Today, someone hit my bike again. Same scenario. Car parked in front of my bike backed in to it and knocked it over. This time there were no witnesses though. So I'm shaZam! out of luck. Someone saw it lying there on the ground and called the campus police, they came out and picked it up. By the time I got out of class, all this had already happened.

Damage report: turn signal, clutch lever, handlebar and bar end, tail plastic cracked and scratched up (this part really pisses me off), another little ding in the tank.

Damn, I'm f#cken pissed. Someone had to have seen it happen. There is always people walking where I parked. Nobody wanted to stop and get the license number though.

[yamahonkawazuki]

DAMN you must have the worst of luck, same damage different car?

[jmf]

You go to csun?

I might be going for the fall.

So where are good places to park and bad places to get your bike backed into?

Sorry about your bike.  Must be one of the worst feelings.  Next to knowing you broke your own engine.