My new car got smashed at the gig last night.

[Benjamin Strange]

I played a very long gig on Frenchmen St. last night in New Orleans. As I'm packing my stuff up at 2:30am, some guy decides to smash into my open car door.

I had just bought this car a month ago - it my first car in about 5 years of not driving. It was a cute little 1991 Honda Civic with low mileage and gets about 41 miles to the gallon. Cosmetically and mechanically everything on it was perfect. Now both of the doors on the right side of the car will not open or close without quite a bit of force. It's looking pretty ugly - it's not just dents, but actual crinkles in the metal. Not good.

Not a fun situation: myself and about 20 other people at the bar watched this guy plow right into my car. He stopped, and I walked over to see if I still had a car door left. The woman in the back seat started yelling at me, screaming that I should have left the door open and it was my fault. I have been having a pretty rough time in my life lately, and I came unhinged and totally blasted her, basically telling her to [explitive] off, and that I didn't need to be yelled at by a backseat driver. The driver was apologetic, but she was histerical. Not cool. Then another driver in a giant SUV pulls up behind him, and starts honking and yelling, as she was trying to get by. I walked over to her and asked her to back up so the other driver could park and get out of her way. She refused, and started driving up, almost smashing a friend's legs in between the two cars, and continued to honk. Even more uncool. We finally got the first guy's car moved, and we traded information, and that was it.

Then I got a call this morning from my insurance company - all the info the guy gave me was bogus. Address, phone number, everthing: bogus. My insurance can't do anything for me, as I have just a basic liability on the car to keep it street legal. I was planning on selling this car next month as soon as I arrived in San Francisco, and now the value of the car just dropped by $500. I'm going to have to replace both doors and probably paint the whole thing, and it's all going to come out of my pocket.

The gig only paid $66.

[Mon Rominee]

Damn bro.

Real sorry to hear this. That suuuuucks. All that aggrivation.

If you see him again, call the cops. Did you at least get the right tag #? They can't help at ALL? That is just crazy. Was it even that guy's truck? UUGH!

[JonathanD]

they will probably go back to that bar soon, ask around and get their real name. File a police report as well. Hope you get some real info.
Jonathan

[DaveDeVille]

that's a damn shame .... for sure .


at least no one was injured , and no equipment was damaged .

keep your head up , bro ...

[moomoocajoo]

People can be utter *****

[kesslari]

That does indeed suck.
Lessons - in addition to other info, get the car's license plate.
And - copy the info from the guys license, not just what he tells you.

[Benjamin Strange]

Originally Posted by kesslari

That does indeed suck.
Lessons - in addition to other info, get the car's license plate.
And - copy the info from the guys license, not just what he tells you.

This was not a fun lesson to learn the hard way.

[buzzbass]

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

I played a very long gig on Frenchmen St. last night in New Orleans. As I'm packing my stuff up at 2:30am, some guy decides to smash into my open car door.

I had just bought this car a month ago - it my first car in about 5 years of not driving. It was a cute little 1991 Honda Civic with low mileage and gets about 41 miles to the gallon. Cosmetically and mechanically everything on it was perfect. Now both of the doors on the right side of the car will not open or close without quite a bit of force. It's looking pretty ugly - it's not just dents, but actual crinkles in the metal. Not good.

Not a fun situation: myself and about 20 other people at the bar watched this guy plow right into my car. He stopped, and I walked over to see if I still had a car door left. The woman in the back seat started yelling at me, screaming that I should have left the door open and it was my fault. I have been having a pretty rough time in my life lately, and I came unhinged and totally blasted her, basically telling her to [explitive] off, and that I didn't need to be yelled at by a backseat driver. The driver was apologetic, but she was histerical. Not cool. Then another driver in a giant SUV pulls up behind him, and starts honking and yelling, as she was trying to get by. I walked over to her and asked her to back up so the other driver could park and get out of her way. She refused, and started driving up, almost smashing a friend's legs in between the two cars, and continued to honk. Even more uncool. We finally got the first guy's car moved, and we traded information, and that was it.

Then I got a call this morning from my insurance company - all the info the guy gave me was bogus. Address, phone number, everthing: bogus. My insurance can't do anything for me, as I have just a basic liability on the car to keep it street legal. I was planning on selling this car next month as soon as I arrived in San Francisco, and now the value of the car just dropped by $500. I'm going to have to replace both doors and probably paint the whole thing, and it's all going to come out of my pocket.

The gig only paid $66.

I'm sorry for your trouble, that sucks. In the future, always always always call the cops. prevents stuff like this from happening.

[fenderhutz]

Did you get the plate number?

Rule #1 - it's hard to lie to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

[WillPlay4Food]

Originally Posted by fenderhutz

Did you get the plate number?

Rule #1 - it's hard to lie to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The question is, if the guy gave totally fake info (check their license next time), it stands to reason the license plate may have been 'borrowed' from another car.

[peterbright]

Call the police. Also, don't leave your doors open.

[Big Joe]

Originally Posted by buzzbass

I'm sorry for your trouble, that sucks. In the future, always always always call the cops. prevents stuff like this from happening.

What he said... You should start writing blues songs.

[Benjamin Strange]

Originally Posted by Big Joe

What he said... You should start writing blues songs.

Playing blues songs is what got me into this mess.

[Big Joe]

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

Playing blues songs is what got me into this mess.

Originals?

[buzzbass]

Originally Posted by WillPlay4Food

The question is, if the guy gave totally fake info (check their license next time), it stands to reason the license plate may have been 'borrowed' from another car.

that's exactly why the police must be present in situations like this. they'll figure that stuff out right away.

[Mark Wilson]

Wow. That sucks huge!!

if I'm ever in an accident that isn't my fault, I'm going to ask to see his license just so i KNOW that it's real.

[Mon Rominee]

Originally Posted by Mark Wilson

I'm going to ask to see his license just so i KNOW that it's real.

yup.

[bradjonesbass]

I came out of a gig one time to find two drunks jumping on my car - thankfully it was a 1990 Buick and not my wife's new (at the time) 2002 Accord.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by JonathanD

they will probably go back to that bar soon, ask around and get their real name. File a police report as well. Hope you get some real info.
Jonathan

EXCELLENT idea. He can be arrested for giving false info and leaving the scene.

Sorry to hear this happened. Bad idea on your part to leave the door open, but that doesn't excuse what happened.

[Mark Wilson]

Originally Posted by Mon Rominee

yup.

Good point, McLovin.