Several months ago, as some of you might know, my poor truck was struck (and destroyed) while parked. The driver responsible for this didn't get too far after hitting it, as his tie rod end broke, and his wheel basically fell off. So, that's the good news.
The bad news, however, is that this man, a Mr. D Hastings, did not follow proper Baltimore procedure after the accident. As I approached my truck, he walked up to me and apologized profusely, trying to explain himself. He then reached into his wallet and pulled out his insurance card, which is subsequently handed to me.
I wrote down the information from the card, and handed it back to him. When I did so, he apologized again and told me that he'd inform his insurance company, because he was definitely at fault.
In the end, his insurance company, having been notified, took responsibility, and paid a sum of a few thousand dollars to my insurance company.
Well, that sounds easy, doesn't it? And it was!
However, that's not proper post-accident procedure in Baltimore. Apparently, legally, you are required to ditch the vehicle responsible, come back with some friends, and beat the shit out of the victim of the accident:
The driver of a dirt bike plowed through a red light at a West Baltimore intersection Wednesday and broadsided a red sedan, but the most serious injuries suffered by the car's driver didn't come from the crash, according to city police.
A department spokesman said a passenger on the dirt bike quickly hid the cycle in an alley and then returned with friends who beat up the car's driver so severely that he had to be rushed to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, police said.[1]
So that's what it's come to, apparently!
"Dirt Bikers" in Baltimore are a serious hazard. I've only witnessed a gang of them twice in my life, but both times, they were driving dangerously, zig-zagging across the road (and across the median into on-coming traffic: I kid you not). They'd also randomly jump the curb and ride on the sidewalk. They seemed like an organized gang of transportation menaces. Hell, they were so organized, they even seemingly had some sort-of leader with them.[2]
What can be done about this? Well, so far, nothing. The police refuse to give chase because the rider might be put at risk. Well, who cares? They're breaking the law and putting people at risk a lot of the time. Several people have died over the years thanks to marauding gangs of dirt bike-riders. I imagine plenty more were injured. Let the riders be the ones to die or be injured when the police give chase.
You know what? Maybe the police need dirt bikes - they're never going to catch them on a Segway...
1. Source>
2. You could tell who he was because he was riding an ATV and not a dirt bike.
The bad news, however, is that this man, a Mr. D Hastings, did not follow proper Baltimore procedure after the accident. As I approached my truck, he walked up to me and apologized profusely, trying to explain himself. He then reached into his wallet and pulled out his insurance card, which is subsequently handed to me.
I wrote down the information from the card, and handed it back to him. When I did so, he apologized again and told me that he'd inform his insurance company, because he was definitely at fault.
In the end, his insurance company, having been notified, took responsibility, and paid a sum of a few thousand dollars to my insurance company.
Well, that sounds easy, doesn't it? And it was!
However, that's not proper post-accident procedure in Baltimore. Apparently, legally, you are required to ditch the vehicle responsible, come back with some friends, and beat the shit out of the victim of the accident:
The driver of a dirt bike plowed through a red light at a West Baltimore intersection Wednesday and broadsided a red sedan, but the most serious injuries suffered by the car's driver didn't come from the crash, according to city police.
A department spokesman said a passenger on the dirt bike quickly hid the cycle in an alley and then returned with friends who beat up the car's driver so severely that he had to be rushed to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, police said.[1]
So that's what it's come to, apparently!
 |
| Someone call the ACLU: BCPD is doing something to someone. |
What can be done about this? Well, so far, nothing. The police refuse to give chase because the rider might be put at risk. Well, who cares? They're breaking the law and putting people at risk a lot of the time. Several people have died over the years thanks to marauding gangs of dirt bike-riders. I imagine plenty more were injured. Let the riders be the ones to die or be injured when the police give chase.
You know what? Maybe the police need dirt bikes - they're never going to catch them on a Segway...
1. Source>
2. You could tell who he was because he was riding an ATV and not a dirt bike.
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