What Should I Do? Advice Needed.

[Nehkara]

First of all, I need to explain that our house is on a corner that tends to get very icy in the winter.

The problem arrives when many people see the blind and icy corner and go as fast as they can around it... only to find, to their complete surprise, that they lose control and hit things.

My parents and myself combined own 3 vehicles. All three have been hit in hit-and-runs in the last year. Our neighbours on either side have had their vehicles hit as well in hit-and-runs.

Yesterday our truck was hit and badly damaged in front of our house, again hit-and-run.

This corner just happens to be in a playground zone!

Help me... is there any action I can take? Can I get the City to put in new Playground Zone signs (the ones that mark the playground zone are very old and weathered)? Can I get the City to put in speed bumps? Can I get the police to patrol the street?

Thank you in advance for your help.


P.S. Every time this happens it bothers me even more... are there no decent people around? Who hits someones vehicle, does thousands of dollars in damage, and just takes off like nothing happened?

[Tyler]

Three hit and runs? Wow. Sorry to hear that.

Not really advice, but gee.. would be great if you had a surveillance camera or something.

[habernac]

I would definitely alert the city to their old worn out signs. I'd also talk to the police about patrolling the area maybe, as it sounds like it's a place people like to speed in.

[LeftWing]

I'm not too sure how well the City can protect you, so in the interim is there any way you can set up a camera or two?

[llama64]

Setup a motion sensitive video system to catch the idiots doing hit & runs. Video/photographic evidence is very handy in reporting hit and runs to the police. Probably won't cost you too much to get a decent system setup.

Unfortunately, not many people pay attention to playground zones in residential areas. Replacing the signs probably won't help. Getting the police to patrol the area will likely reduce the speeds, but won't protect your vehicle from the occasional bad driver.

Painting a large boulder like a car might be fun revenge though

Sorry to hear about your truck!

[Prototype]

I don't want to sound like a ######... but park somewhere else. Walking half a block may be better than paying thousands in repairs.

Cameras may be too pricey, and the cops probably wont care to patrol your street. Other than putting up a big "SLOW DOWN" sign on your yard, I don't think there's anything that's going to solve the situation for you.

It seems like a jerky thing to say, but I'd park somewhere else.

[Nehkara]

Originally Posted by Prottotype

I don't want to sound like a ######... but park somewhere else. Walking half a block may be better than paying thousands in repairs.

Cameras may be too pricey, and the cops probably wont care to patrol your street. Other than putting up a big "SLOW DOWN" sign on your yard, I don't think there's anything that's going to solve the situation for you.

It seems like a jerky thing to say, but I'd park somewhere else.

I hear you... but I have to park half a block from my house so that other people can feel free to fly around the corner?

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by llama64

Setup a motion sensitive video system to catch the idiots doing hit & runs. Video/photographic evidence is very handy in reporting hit and runs to the police. Probably won't cost you too much to get a decent system setup.

Unfortunately, not many people pay attention to playground zones in residential areas. Replacing the signs probably won't help. Getting the police to patrol the area will likely reduce the speeds, but won't protect your vehicle from the occasional bad driver.

Painting a large boulder like a car might be fun revenge though

Sorry to hear about your truck!

Just to add on that: Make sure you get a good system. If you give the cops a blurry plate, they can't CSI it for you and find out what the person's plate is.

I think tape is better than digital in a lot of cases too.

[Resolute 14]

Park a block away, then find an old, 1970s Buick to park in front of your house. Let the idiots wreck their cars, while you leave this steel behemoth out front that you don't care about.

[SteveToms]

Back in my old house, some young punk came up the T Intersection in front my house way too fast, and nailed my dad's car on the street, he tried to run, but yeah no

[arsenal]

just lay spikes on the road

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by llama64

Setup a motion sensitive video system to catch the idiots doing hit & runs. Video/photographic evidence is very handy in reporting hit and runs to the police. Probably won't cost you too much to get a decent system setup.

Unfortunately, not many people pay attention to playground zones in residential areas. Replacing the signs probably won't help. Getting the police to patrol the area will likely reduce the speeds, but won't protect your vehicle from the occasional bad driver.

Painting a large boulder like a car might be fun revenge though

Sorry to hear about your truck!

I second this. I feel really bad for you Nehkara. I really hate people who do such slime ball things. You maybe able to get the city to put in some speed bumbs for you.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

I hear you... but I have to park half a block from my house so that other people can feel free to fly around the corner?

Well, the other option is to lobby city council to address the issue of slow removal yet again, and get them to agree to spend a lot more money to plow and sand residential streets.

One question, you mention the 3 cars; do you not have any parking on your property? Once again, not to come off as a jerk, but why park on the street when most houses have 2 parking spots?

[CMPunk]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

I hear you... but I have to park half a block from my house so that other people can feel free to fly around the corner?

By some sand or gravel and spread it on the corner.

The reason you park half a block away is so your car doesn't get damaged. People are going to fly around that corner regardless of what you do, short of standing there and watching all night. Protect your car first, fix the problem and then move it back

[Prototype]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

I hear you... but I have to park half a block from my house so that other people can feel free to fly around the corner?

I'm only half kidding when I point out that you titled this thread "What Should I Do?"

You obviously have no control over what other people are doing now. And I'm sure that it's tougher to work with your insurance when it's a hit and run. Finding another place to park might be the easiest solution.

There was a place right near where I grew up that every winter, someone would crash into their fence, sometimes twice or three times during the season. Every Spring that fence would be rebuilt, and every winter it would be destroyed by a car not judging the turn correctly. Rumour has it that they took out more of an insurance policy on the fence, cause it would no doubt be destroyed every winter.

About 5ish years ago, they took down the fence. The upkeep and the hastle of insurance wasn't worth it anymore. Sure, they get the occasional tire marks up their lawn, but when the snow melted and the grass grew naturally... you couldn't see where any car had been.

I'd even venture to say that because there's no fence to stop someone, people may be more careful.

The reason I wrote this story was to show that sometimes you can't stop other people. You have to do what's right for you.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

Just to add on that: Make sure you get a good system. If you give the cops a blurry plate, they can't CSI it for you and find out what the person's plate is.

I think tape is better than digital in a lot of cases too.

I'm sorry, but that is false.

Analog VHS tapes look better than DVD for their FIRST RUN ONLY and then they are degraded, and this does not apply to self-made tapes.

Get a TV tuner card for your computer for 50 dollars, and then mount an inexpensive camera somewhere in your home where you can get a good shot of said area. Crank up the resolution and go.

Just be sure to dump the unused data every 24-48 hrs. Even 250gb will fill up very fast.

[Flashpoint]

I sort of like the idea of putting a big solid clunker there to protect yourself. Probably cheaper than security cameras. Even like an old horse trailer or something. The security cameras are a good idea too, but you definitely would want to set them up in such a way as to get the plates - which could be tough.

The city will almost certainly be no help to you whatsoever. They don't care about the little guy. The police can't do anything without pretty much being there seeing the accident. I think you are on your own, so you need to take care of this yourself.

If you get some good videos of multiple hit and runs, I'll bet the media would take interest. Especially if you get a letter from the city brushing you off (which they are likely to do). That could be fun!

Sorry to hear about your trucks. That freaking blows that people would do that. I hate losers.

[redforever]

[quote=Nehkara;1185623]First of all, I need to explain that our house is on a corner that tends to get very icy in the winter.

The problem arrives when many people see the blind and icy corner and go as fast as they can around it... only to find, to their complete surprise, that they lose control and hit things.

My parents and myself combined own 3 vehicles. All three have been hit in hit-and-runs in the last year. Our neighbours on either side have had their vehicles hit as well in hit-and-runs.

Yesterday our truck was hit and badly damaged in front of our house, again hit-and-run.

This corner just happens to be in a playground zone!

Help me... is there any action I can take? Can I get the City to put in new Playground Zone signs (the ones that mark the playground zone are very old and weathered)? Can I get the City to put in speed bumps? Can I get the police to patrol the street?

Thank you in advance for your help. quote]


Playground zone? Well phone the police, they love to sit and give people tickets in school zones and playground zones, as they should.

New signs, speed bumps, phone the police, well of course. If you don't initiate some kind of queries, all I can guarantee you is that your stress level is about to go up yet a notch with the next snowfall.

You have to try and be proactive here, not reactive.

Speed bumps, new signs, phone your city alderman.

Speeding in a playground zone, phone both police and your alderman.

[Nehkara]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Well, the other option is to lobby city council to address the issue of slow removal yet again, and get them to agree to spend a lot more money to plow and sand residential streets.

One question, you mention the 3 cars; do you not have any parking on your property? Once again, not to come off as a jerk, but why park on the street when most houses have 2 parking spots?

Our street has no parking on the lots. Everyone parks on the street.

[You Need a Thneed]

There is a vehicle in front of my office right now that appears to be the victim of a hit and run. The back driver's side is smashed, the car is half pushed up onto the grass. It doesn't look like anyone has done anything about it. It happened on Saturday eve, or Sunday morning.

It must have been pretty hard. My parents were here at their house sleeping ( I work at my parents house- constuction company home office), but they didn't hear the noise of the crash.

I don't know what the solution to hit and runs like that is. maybe apply crazy glue to your vehicles? when they hit you, their vehicle will be permanently attached to yours - no getting away.