Well that would have cleared up any question I had about that assholes ethics :rolleyes: .
Can’t agree with this enough. Nail the dick. Then get the licence number onto the web, forward to…oh wait. No illegal activities allowed on the SDMB? Oh well, call the cops and hit this guy, you’re getting (hopefully) his insurance to pay for the damage, now get the revenge with legal action.
To some extent, I agree with you. Cars should be made to be able to take a low-speed impact without $1000 worth of damage. And maybe they shouldn’t be made as pretty and fragile as they are, knowing what they are going to be used for. Unfortunately, we live in a world where car manufacturers, insurance companies and autobody people are all in bed together. While I have to play the game and pay my car insurance every month, then the rest of these assholes can play the same game and not damage my property like I’m trying not to damage theirs.
As for people who obey the laws of the land and the unwritten laws of courtesy being stupid, well, it’s starting to look that way, isn’t it?
So, Astroboy, what’s the updates?
Sorry. I was hoping to hear something from the police before I posted an update; but so far, nothing.
I took the mirror, the plate number, and our car down to the police station the other day, where the officer at the desk dutifully took my report. He also took the mirror and a few pictures of the damage on the Toyota. He said he would give it to the “hit and run” department, and that they would be in contact with me eventually.
I then called our insurance company to see what I should do next, and they set me up with an appointment to have a guy look at the car to estimate the amount of damages… that was yesterday, and the estimate was $775 (possibly closer to $1000, depending on exactly how much painting would have to be done). Ouch! Our policy has a $500 deductible on it, so anything above $500 the insurance company will pay (and then raise our insurance rates? I didn’t ask…).
The insurance guy raised a good point, however. Even with the mirror from the car that hit ours, without a witness we basically have no case… unless the guy confesses when the police talk to him, of course! It’s just our word against his; in fact, he could turn around and claim that we hit his car with exactly the same evidence. DOH!
So that’s where it stays until I hear something from the police, but it sounds like we’re SOL. Assuming that the guy who owns the other car doesn’t 'fess up (as seems likely), we’re going to have to shell out $500 to get the car fixed. We can’t afford that at the moment. 
I’ll post here if I hear anything from the police.