A CONFESSION: I did a hit-and-run (sort of) - now what?

[liberalpragmatist]

Ok. I know people do this all the time, but I'm really having pangs of conscience about this. Some of you may laugh b/c I'm probably freaking out over something most people would just shrug off.

Anyway, I'm 19, going to college in a week, have been driving for a couple years. I have no accident, and so far no tickets. Backing out of a parking lot, my car grazed the side of the car next door to me. There wasn't any major damage or a dent, but there was a 3-inch scratch along the edge of the other car's bumper.

I was already late for something important and though I'm usually quite level-headed, I sort of panicked. I briefly memorized the license plate number then ran back inside to tell the store to page the owner of the car, but I was already late for something, first time involved in something like this and sort of freaked, walked back out and drove off.

Now, I'm having major pangs of conscience. I don't know how much the damage costs and I've forgotten the car's license plate number. And though it is not likely at all, I can't help but have this odd worry that someone saw me or some camera caught me and that someone will track me down.

If so, what should I do? I know better than to not tell the person, yet that's what I've done. Perhaps I feel horrible because I consider myself a pretty honest person.

So what should I do? And should I worry?

[Skittles]

1. notify the security to the building where the parking lot is

then if they hear anything they will let you know. You sound like a decent fellow.

[Gyre]

2. Good advice from Skittles

[MrSandman]

3. Definitely let them know...

I had a vehicle scratched in a Mall parking lot and they were able to ID the offender from the security camera. Better that you don't make them look for you.

[2Design]

4. Guy upstairs hit and run my neighbors car.....

and my car in the parking lot...late at night going backwards at excessive rate of speed.... other neighbors saw it.....

some left a note in my neighbors car......

short story.....neighbor next to me, called the police to report the hit and run...which we found out in the morning

the police came, filled out a report, wanted to know if we would prosecute...yes we would...

realized it is the neighbor upstairs who hit us because of descriptions from other people.....

so as he goes comes and goes later in the day... I stop him and ask him where his white car is....and that we have reported to police his car....

well he had some bs story......no insurance......police let him go completely....said he came forward......didn't charge him with no insurance either.....said they didn't see him driving......completely let the whole thing blow over.....

so you never know......someone probably did see it......

[nosmokes]

5. yep, listen to skittles, cause it's hit and run, no *sort of*

about it. probably nothing to worry about , but ya never know. hell, the guy you hit could back into a wall or something and someone could remember seeing you hit the car and drive away and suddenly you're liable for damges you didn't cause...

[liberalpragmatist]

6. Yeah, I think I'll just take Skittles' advice and go tell them

Hopefully if the person reported the incident or does report the incident, they'll be okay about it - like, at least somewhat understanding and all.

...sighs... Why does this have to happen NOW? I'm off to college in a few days and I'm stressed out enough as it is. Plus, I lost my credit card last week - nothing bad came of it, we just canceled it but there had been no more charges. Still, it was one more thing.

[Skittles]

7. regardless of whether or not you would have been "caught"

if it's on your conscience now it is likely to stay there.

Oh, and the sh** that's happening to you - that's life. Stuff like that seems to happen in threes to me. :o

[liberalpragmatist]

8. yeah

but thank you for your advice. I'll go first thing tommorrow morning. You're right, even if the incident wasn't reported (and I hope not to be honest), at least fessing up will get it off my chest and I won't be feeling the pangs of conscience.

[Skittles]

9. it's one of those things that will nag at you

you just don't need that

[alphafemale]

10. yup. Suck it up and be done with it.

Otherwise this'll be a memory that could taunt you for years.

[Occulus]

12. Here's my story

I was driving home after being awake for about twenty hours or so. (Never, ever drive on more than sixteen hours of wakefulness. Take a nap. Please.)

I fell asleep at the wheel and struck the mailbox flower planter of (thankfully) someone my parents knew. My truck flew six to eight feet in the air and went out of control. At that point I woke up, too late to stop the truck from snapping the guywire of a telephone pole and missing the pole itself by less than six inches. God, was I lucky.

I drove home on passenger side rims only and notified my parents. Good thing I did- the police showed up the next day. The cop was ready to haul me off to jail for fleeing the scene, but he could tell I was scared (I'd NEVER just drive away from this now, btw; I'd notify someone) and he wrote me the highest ticket he could instead: "Drv. too fst 4 cond."

So we went to court. This is where it gets good: the judge asked the cop why he didn't wake the people who owned the planter, as it was destroyed, and the cop said, "Well, Your Honor, the couple was in their eighties, it was after two AM, and I didn't want to disturb their sleep."

!!!

So then, the judge turned to me and asked why I didn't notify the couple at the time of the accident. I then proceeded to parrot the officer's statement from not ten seconds earlier. :evilgrin:

Two points on my license. That was it. No jail, no fine. What it amounted to was, the judge couldn't charge me with fleeing the scene because the officer did as well. :)

[allalone]

11. 'fess up

it'll bother you if you don't. and don't do it cuz you think someone saw you. Do it because it's right.

[wickerwoman]

13. My only accident was almost exactly the same as yours.

I turned too shallowly in a tight parking lot and scraped a few inches on the other guys bumper. I left a note because I was driving my parents car and there was a big dent in the side and I figured they'd find out about it one way or the other.

The guy called and was cool about it on the phone. But he did go to the mechanics and found out it would be $1,200 to replace the bumper. And I ended up paying him even though I know damn well he didn't need to replace the whole bumper and probably spent the money on something else.

Do you have insurance? If you do, you should definitely fess up. If you don't ask yourself whether peace of mind is worth $1,200.

[liberalpragmatist]

14. UPDATE

Okay. So I told the store. The clerks did not have any information about any complaint, but they were very nice about it and said they'd refer my contact information and my account to the higher-ups, and said they'd notify me if anybody had previously reported anything or if somebody reports anything in the future.

Now the question is this. Should I tell the local police department about the incident, just in case somebody has reported the incident already? Or would it be a mistake to get the police involved? Should I just let it go now and just hope that if somebody files a complaint they'll do it the store* and they'll be able to contact me directly?

Feedback would be appreciated? (*On edit: store, not library)

[liberalpragmatist]

15. anyone?

n/t

[Droopy]

16. I think you've done enough

I would not contact the police if I were you. If the person you hit eventually contacts you and wants to tell the police then you have to, but I wouldn't do it now.

[mrboba1]

18. I second that thought.

If interested, the cops or owner can track it down to the library...

[Raven]

17. Sweetie, you've done more than most people would do!

Don't call the police...leave it alone...you have done enough. :-) I don't really think this qualifies as a hit and run these days!

[johnnie]

20. You've done enough

Chances are it can be rubbed out and not noticeable. I wouldn't concern myself over it any longer and worry. You did good, and what you could considering the circumstances.

[Merrick]

19. Conscience pangs over a 3 inch scratch on a bumper? Balderdash!

Here I go playing devil's advocate to counter the crowd of angels wighing down your other shoulder.
Now, I'm not downplaying the importance of accepting personal responsibilty for your actions or anything, rather, my beef is more with the worship of cars that's behind such matters in the first place. Basically, its one thing to have a car with a huge dent or shattered glass, but its another to fuss about every little tiny smudge and miniscule scrape. When you own a car and drive it 100,000 miles, parking it in garages and on the street and in busy grocery store parking lots, its bound to get bumped here and there. I happen to live in a city where I have to park on the street (and a lot of tight parallel parking is required) and if I went out of my way to pursue every case of someone leaving a little paint smudge on my bumper or me on their's, I wouldn't have time to feed myself.
So who cares about whether or not your car has a little pock mark on ins side or a touch of paint on its bumper? The guy driving next to you? He can care less - he's too wrapped up in his world. Me? Hell no. Why should you?
A car's purpose is to get you places. Sure, you don't want it to look like its been put through a demolition derby, but if you're scrutinizing it with a magnifying glass, you're being vain. And if you're driving it into the ground like good modest people do before turning it in for another one, those few tiny scrapes aren't gonna make much of a difference on its resale value.

Flame away.