About two or three weeks ago a guy in a rental car pulled out in front of me and made a quick right turn without signaling. So, after I bounced off the side of his car, and then the road, and asked what he had against directional signals, he agreed to pay for the front wheel--the only thing damaged in the accident.

After weeks of calling him, being promised a check, then calling back and being promised a phone call, then nothing, I got in touch with him this morning. He told me he had rethought the situation and decided it wasn't his fault, and wasn't going to pay.

Lesson: call the police, no matter how trustworthy the person seems.

what a dick.

Not only call police, but get plates and if at all possible, pictures. One good photograph >> nearly anything else.

Paramedics as well.

yup^ that sucks man.

You got his number . . .find out where he lives and go medieval on his @ss!

What an *******. I had this happen a couple months back, had to replace my fork and re-true my front wheel. Luckily the lady paid me for my expenses. I didn't contact the police, but I should have just in case.

That sucks.

Never ever take a motorist on his/her word. Police report, up front and center. It's unfortunate that society has come to this but it's always protect your own ass first. At least your lesson wasn't that hard.

I've personally witnessed an accident where the driver went from, "Sorry" to "What collision?" in about 2 minutes.

We exchanged addresses afterward. I live in Florida so it won't do me any good, but it definitely crossed my mind.

ooh -- i do think/hope there are some people on this forum who should be able to do some damage with just that info.

that ****er deserves some retribution.

that sucks man. i recently got in the exact same kind of accident. Luckily for me winesses called the police and a report was filed. But instead of using my insurance to get it paid for, the drivers gave me $400 cash right there.

I was thinking more along the lines of sending him a letter telling him what a miserable excuse for a human being he is.

I forgot to mention that the bike shop ordered the replacement wheel with black hubs (the original one was silver), so now my bike looks like it has a black eye. People are going to think I'm an abusive cyclist.

i live in florida... lets go get him

Haw! Never trust a stranger.
Simple.

i carry around a sharpy that i can get to quickly. if there's ever an accident, i'm writing the plate number across my arm asap.

that guy does suck, but at least you've learned now. don't trust anyone.

We'd only get to S. Carolina, then when we hit our first hill--totally defeated.

lesson learned

Plate number, insurance info, phone number, name and address.
Get information in that order. Then call the cops immediately even if the motorist stops. Just tell them you need to report an accident...simple.

You're saying that he said the cheque was in the mail... and it wasn't?
Unprecedented.

Cash is King.
"Hey, man, there's a bank machine just around the corner. I'll go with you. Then we'll be square. And I don't call the cops."

my room mate learned a similar lesson a while back when an angry motorist ran him off the road, up a curb, and then parked across the sidewalk and blocked the way causing my room mate to hit him. He then tried to take off. Luckily a passerby pulled infront of the guys car so he stopped. We got his name and license and just left because it was really frustrating, my room mate wasn't badly hurt other than some scrapes and bruises, and we had somewhere to be.

We later learned when trying to file a complaint to the police that somebody had called them when it happened, but didn't notify either of the two parties so we could do nothing because it was technically "fleeing the scene". We could do nothing about an idiot who could have killed him. Lesson: make sure to call the police right away.

Internet bravado

Got any lawyer friends who might be interested in sending a registered letter to the jerk????

lol true true

umm, i fault you for being trustworthy of this ducd in the first place. cash now or call police.