NYPD and my windscreen
Nov 24th 2011, 6:26 pm
#1
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Joined: Nov 2003
Location: NYC
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NYPD and my windscreen
Today whilst waiting at a red light, the big white van in front of me decided to reverse straight into the front of my car with quite a bit of force. The driver looked at me through his wing mirror, checking me out I guess idk. I wondered if he'd pull over so we could exchange insurance info but as soon as the light turned green he sped off. I decided to follow him and he hightailed it round the block but had to stop at a red light, so I took my chance and snapped a pic of his license plate on my phone. He knew I was following him because again, as soon as the light turned red he sped off, across 3 lanes of traffic nearly causing an accident.
I turned into a grocery store parking lot on the corner and called the police so I could file an accident report, plus I had a giant crack in my windscreen I thought I better get a police witness to.
The police showed up and started doing paperwork and asking me brilliant questions like, "why did he back into you if you were at a red light?" (seriously how am I supposed to know the answer to this?)
Anyway when the two police officers got out to look at the damage to my car, they told me there was no way that the crack in my windscreen could've been caused by the van backing into the front of my car. The policeman basically said "if he didn't crack your grill, he couldn't have cracked your windshield" then the police woman with him told me that it must have been a stone that did it.
Then the cop said "this isn't a police report anymore" they got back in their car and drove off.
Obviously upon seeing my cracked windshield they both presumed I was lying about the whole thing and decided not to do anything else.
Apart from being enormously pissed off about NY's finest being douchey with me I was wondering if anyone with car knowledge can verify that someone backing into me can cause a cracked windshield. Because I'm starting to think that I had a 2 foot long crack in it that I just didn't notice before.
I turned into a grocery store parking lot on the corner and called the police so I could file an accident report, plus I had a giant crack in my windscreen I thought I better get a police witness to.
The police showed up and started doing paperwork and asking me brilliant questions like, "why did he back into you if you were at a red light?" (seriously how am I supposed to know the answer to this?)
Anyway when the two police officers got out to look at the damage to my car, they told me there was no way that the crack in my windscreen could've been caused by the van backing into the front of my car. The policeman basically said "if he didn't crack your grill, he couldn't have cracked your windshield" then the police woman with him told me that it must have been a stone that did it.
Then the cop said "this isn't a police report anymore" they got back in their car and drove off.
Obviously upon seeing my cracked windshield they both presumed I was lying about the whole thing and decided not to do anything else.
Apart from being enormously pissed off about NY's finest being douchey with me I was wondering if anyone with car knowledge can verify that someone backing into me can cause a cracked windshield. Because I'm starting to think that I had a 2 foot long crack in it that I just didn't notice before.
Last edited by Sarah; Nov 24th 2011 at 6:29 pm.
Nov 24th 2011, 6:35 pm
#2
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: Reno Nevada
Posts: 15,917
Re: NYPD and my windscreen
Don't know mate about the crack in the windshield but I would walk into the local cop shop and file a compliant if you think the cops were being unfair!!
With it being TG they probably think they have bigger fish to fry!!
With it being TG they probably think they have bigger fish to fry!!
Nov 24th 2011, 7:56 pm
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: South Florida
Posts: 2,068
Re: NYPD and my windscreen
You didn't mention about being an OWS supporter did you? 
Seriously though, there are experts who can determine how damage was caused in the event of an accident being challenged in court. Maybe your insurance company would know who to contact? It would probably cost you though and it might just be cheaper to replace the screen.
I was watching one of those "peoples court" programs on TV a while ago and the victim was arguing that the person who ran into him caused the damage with the help of an independent expert who testified as such and he won the case.
Seriously though, there are experts who can determine how damage was caused in the event of an accident being challenged in court. Maybe your insurance company would know who to contact? It would probably cost you though and it might just be cheaper to replace the screen.
I was watching one of those "peoples court" programs on TV a while ago and the victim was arguing that the person who ran into him caused the damage with the help of an independent expert who testified as such and he won the case.
I know wishful thinking but you never know!!
Nov 24th 2011, 8:15 pm
#6
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Joined: Jan 2006
Location: Dubuque, Iowa, USA
Posts: 3,770
Re: NYPD and my windscreen
Today whilst waiting at a red light, the big white van in front of me decided to reverse straight into the front of my car with quite a bit of force. The driver looked at me through his wing mirror, checking me out I guess idk. I wondered if he'd pull over so we could exchange insurance info but as soon as the light turned green he sped off. I decided to follow him and he hightailed it round the block but had to stop at a red light, so I took my chance and snapped a pic of his license plate on my phone. He knew I was following him because again, as soon as the light turned red he sped off, across 3 lanes of traffic nearly causing an accident.
I turned into a grocery store parking lot on the corner and called the police so I could file an accident report, plus I had a giant crack in my windscreen I thought I better get a police witness to.
The police showed up and started doing paperwork and asking me brilliant questions like, "why did he back into you if you were at a red light?" (seriously how am I supposed to know the answer to this?)
Anyway when the two police officers got out to look at the damage to my car, they told me there was no way that the crack in my windscreen could've been caused by the van backing into the front of my car. The policeman basically said "if he didn't crack your grill, he couldn't have cracked your windshield" then the police woman with him told me that it must have been a stone that did it.
Then the cop said "this isn't a police report anymore" they got back in their car and drove off.
Obviously upon seeing my cracked windshield they both presumed I was lying about the whole thing and decided not to do anything else.
Apart from being enormously pissed off about NY's finest being douchey with me I was wondering if anyone with car knowledge can verify that someone backing into me can cause a cracked windshield. Because I'm starting to think that I had a 2 foot long crack in it that I just didn't notice before.
I turned into a grocery store parking lot on the corner and called the police so I could file an accident report, plus I had a giant crack in my windscreen I thought I better get a police witness to.
The police showed up and started doing paperwork and asking me brilliant questions like, "why did he back into you if you were at a red light?" (seriously how am I supposed to know the answer to this?)
Anyway when the two police officers got out to look at the damage to my car, they told me there was no way that the crack in my windscreen could've been caused by the van backing into the front of my car. The policeman basically said "if he didn't crack your grill, he couldn't have cracked your windshield" then the police woman with him told me that it must have been a stone that did it.
Then the cop said "this isn't a police report anymore" they got back in their car and drove off.
Obviously upon seeing my cracked windshield they both presumed I was lying about the whole thing and decided not to do anything else.
Apart from being enormously pissed off about NY's finest being douchey with me I was wondering if anyone with car knowledge can verify that someone backing into me can cause a cracked windshield. Because I'm starting to think that I had a 2 foot long crack in it that I just didn't notice before.
It is possible to crack a windshield, through body movement/stress.
Have you gone through any tolls, recently, where your car may have been captured on state-owned cameras? Complain to NYPD about the Officers failing to do their job.
Jim.
Nov 24th 2011, 10:06 pm
#7
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Re: NYPD and my windscreen
That's what I was thinking but proving it could be difficult without an expert opinion and/or video of the event. Even if CCTV was available, I don't know how she would go about obtaining it. FOIA?
Nov 25th 2011, 1:39 am
#8
Boomshacalaca!!
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: South of the North Pole.......Colorado
Posts: 5,066
Re: NYPD and my windscreen
Examine the windshield... if a stone ever caused the crack in the first place, chances are you'd see a small pit/chip where a stone etc hit the windshield, which can open up more due to vibration etc. I'd ask body shops and glass shops about how possible is it for a windshield to crack from transfer of energy under such condition as you experienced.
Is the shield under warranty? Most are, due to stress fractures, but not for chips. Yes, you could get a stress fracture which is failure of the windshield.
Is the shield under warranty? Most are, due to stress fractures, but not for chips. Yes, you could get a stress fracture which is failure of the windshield.
Nov 25th 2011, 2:19 am
#9
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: NYPD and my windscreen
What a horrible experience Sarah. Sorry I don't know what you could do about it but just wanted to sympathise!
Nov 25th 2011, 3:02 am
#10
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,021
Re: NYPD and my windscreen
Today whilst waiting at a red light, the big white van in front of me decided to reverse straight into the front of my car with quite a bit of force. The driver looked at me through his wing mirror, checking me out I guess idk. I wondered if he'd pull over so we could exchange insurance info but as soon as the light turned green he sped off. I decided to follow him and he hightailed it round the block but had to stop at a red light, so I took my chance and snapped a pic of his license plate on my phone. He knew I was following him because again, as soon as the light turned red he sped off, across 3 lanes of traffic nearly causing an accident.
I turned into a grocery store parking lot on the corner and called the police so I could file an accident report, plus I had a giant crack in my windscreen I thought I better get a police witness to.
The police showed up and started doing paperwork and asking me brilliant questions like, "why did he back into you if you were at a red light?" (seriously how am I supposed to know the answer to this?)
Anyway when the two police officers got out to look at the damage to my car, they told me there was no way that the crack in my windscreen could've been caused by the van backing into the front of my car. The policeman basically said "if he didn't crack your grill, he couldn't have cracked your windshield" then the police woman with him told me that it must have been a stone that did it.
Then the cop said "this isn't a police report anymore" they got back in their car and drove off.
Obviously upon seeing my cracked windshield they both presumed I was lying about the whole thing and decided not to do anything else.
Apart from being enormously pissed off about NY's finest being douchey with me I was wondering if anyone with car knowledge can verify that someone backing into me can cause a cracked windshield. Because I'm starting to think that I had a 2 foot long crack in it that I just didn't notice before.
I turned into a grocery store parking lot on the corner and called the police so I could file an accident report, plus I had a giant crack in my windscreen I thought I better get a police witness to.
The police showed up and started doing paperwork and asking me brilliant questions like, "why did he back into you if you were at a red light?" (seriously how am I supposed to know the answer to this?)
Anyway when the two police officers got out to look at the damage to my car, they told me there was no way that the crack in my windscreen could've been caused by the van backing into the front of my car. The policeman basically said "if he didn't crack your grill, he couldn't have cracked your windshield" then the police woman with him told me that it must have been a stone that did it.
Then the cop said "this isn't a police report anymore" they got back in their car and drove off.
Obviously upon seeing my cracked windshield they both presumed I was lying about the whole thing and decided not to do anything else.
Apart from being enormously pissed off about NY's finest being douchey with me I was wondering if anyone with car knowledge can verify that someone backing into me can cause a cracked windshield. Because I'm starting to think that I had a 2 foot long crack in it that I just didn't notice before.
Sorry to hear that Sarah...hopefully you are OK.
Write to Mayor Bloomberg. A NYC cop gave us a parking ticket before the meter had run out. He was writing it out when we returned to the car. When my husband pointed out that we were still with the time limit...he shrugged his shoulders...said tough luck and walked away. We wrote to the Mayor and the ticket was cancelled.
Nov 25th 2011, 3:38 am
#11
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Joined: Nov 2003
Location: NYC
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Re: NYPD and my windscreen
Sorry to hear that Sarah...hopefully you are OK.
Write to Mayor Bloomberg. A NYC cop gave us a parking ticket before the meter had run out. He was writing it out when we returned to the car. When my husband pointed out that we were still with the time limit...he shrugged his shoulders...said tough luck and walked away. We wrote to the Mayor and the ticket was cancelled.
Write to Mayor Bloomberg. A NYC cop gave us a parking ticket before the meter had run out. He was writing it out when we returned to the car. When my husband pointed out that we were still with the time limit...he shrugged his shoulders...said tough luck and walked away. We wrote to the Mayor and the ticket was cancelled.
My husband has loathed the NYPD ever since I've known him, not loathed exactly but been enormously distrustful and disdainful of all police, the NYPD especially. I always thought he was overreacting tbh, but as time goes on everyone I meet here seems to have a story similar to yours or mine about the police behaving badly. My hubs joked I was lucky he didn't casually pepper spray me for calling them on Thanksgiving LOL
Nov 25th 2011, 3:45 am
#12
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Joined: Nov 2003
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Re: NYPD and my windscreen
Examine the windshield... if a stone ever caused the crack in the first place, chances are you'd see a small pit/chip where a stone etc hit the windshield, which can open up more due to vibration etc. I'd ask body shops and glass shops about how possible is it for a windshield to crack from transfer of energy under such condition as you experienced.
Is the shield under warranty? Most are, due to stress fractures, but not for chips. Yes, you could get a stress fracture which is failure of the windshield.
Is the shield under warranty? Most are, due to stress fractures, but not for chips. Yes, you could get a stress fracture which is failure of the windshield.
Nov 25th 2011, 8:33 am
#13
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Location: South Florida
Posts: 2,068
Re: NYPD and my windscreen
Does your insurance cover a new windshield? Many policies often do even with a 3rd party only cover. I've had a couple replaced (with 3rd party and comprehensive coverage) over the years and never had to pay for it.
Nov 25th 2011, 2:18 pm
#14
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Re: NYPD and my windscreen
Our insurance also covers windscreen cracks etc, and are fixed free of charge. Sorry to hear of your encounter with the NYPD, and just hope that you're okay. Just a whole load of hassle you could probably do without 
Nov 25th 2011, 3:56 pm
#15
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Re: NYPD and my windscreen
There is a little dint in the middle of the crack so perhaps that was always there and I just didn't see it? Its not under warranty I'm afraid and the police said it would be up to my insurance company to go after the guy that did it, not the police, which I was all WTF? about but I'm not exactly familiar with the way these things work so I didn't say anything. It looks like we'll probably just have to pay for it ourselves tbh
Similar thing happened with my windshield... got in the car one cold morning to find a 4 inch crack from the top by the rear mirror. I went back to the glass shop and we found a faint knick in the tinted area from a stone or pebble which happened yonks ago.. so the cold opened it right up. Since it was a stone, not covered by warranty. Still, I think that I'll see if I can blend it with a sharpie, act dumb and hope they don't notice! The shield is only 8 months old too. Its part of my coverage but hey, $100 dollars or free replacement... I'll try free first!