# slap in the face **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 9, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815 "2013-10-09T21:02:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![taken\_for\_a\_fool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@taken\_for\_a\_fool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taken_for_a_fool)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/1 "2013-10-09T21:02:07Z")
i loaned an extra car I had to my ex- daughter in law, fresh out of prison, to help her get back on her feet. Because she is the worlds worst driver I allowed her to register it in her name so I would not be held responsible when she runs over someone. We had a verbal agreement that as long as she stayed clean from drugs and took good care of my grandson and worked and lived in my house she could use it to get her life going again. Two days later she took off with the car and my grandson. I have gotten him back but she still has the car. How do I get it back? ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/2 "2013-10-09T21:06:43Z")
Is it too late to report it as stolen? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/3 "2013-10-09T21:14:07Z")
You registered the car in her name? Didn’t that involve a title transfer? I’m confused by what you mean. If it’s in her name, then doesn’t she own the car now? ---
**Author:** ![OldnCrinkly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@OldnCrinkly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldnCrinkly)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/4 "2013-10-09T21:15:05Z")
If the **title** is in your name you can report it stolen. If you know where the car is and have a key just go get it. I’m not sure you can register a car in someone else’s name besides the owner though. If you gave her the car, you are SOL, just be glad you have your grandson in safety. The registration won’t matter if you have a valid legal title. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/5 "2013-10-09T21:21:02Z")
**Moderator Action** Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boar, taken for a fool. Questions that seek advice to into the In My Humble Opinion (IMHO) forum. I will move the thread for you. Please note that any replies you receive are just opinions and are not a substitute for professional legal advice. Moving thread from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/6 "2013-10-09T21:25:12Z")
Verbal agreements don’t hold any weight. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/7 "2013-10-09T21:29:57Z")
Hi, **taken for a fool**. I think you might need to watch a few episodes of “Judge Judy” - I think the car is gone and sooner or later you’ll end up cutting all ties with your ex-daughter-in-law because she can’t get her life together. I wish you all the best with her and your grandson, though. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/8 "2013-10-09T21:45:01Z")
Best screen name/OP ever. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/9 "2013-10-10T01:14:32Z")
This reminds me of a scene from A Bronx Tale. [Opie & Anthony - Rich Vos stars in “A Bronx Tale”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5WvtTnUbKo) The scene doesn’t finally get played out until about 17:48. The first 17 minutes is ball busting. The rough text of the scene is here in case you don’t want to “watch” the “video” (audio with a picture). [QUOTE=A Bronx Tale] This guy owes me 20, and it’s been two weeks now, and everytime he sees me he keeps dodging me, John. Should I crack him one or what? C’mon, sometimes violence is not the answer. Is he a good friend of yours, or not? Nah, John, I don’t even like him. Well there’s your answer right there. Look at it this way: It costs you 20 dollars to get rid of him. He’s never gonna ask you for money again. He’s never gonna bother you again. He’s out of your life for 20 dollars. Come on, you got off cheap. You’re right, John. You’re always right. [/QUOTE] Granted, that car probably cost more than $20. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/10 "2013-10-10T03:20:00Z")
I’m also reminded of the story of the scorpion and the frog. Your ex-daughter-in-law sounds like a scorpion, and you might need to see her for who she is, not who you want her to be. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/11 "2013-10-10T03:39:24Z")
This has all the makings of a Country and Western song. ---
**Author:** ![sylmar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sylmar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sylmar)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/12 "2013-10-10T11:43:34Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > This has all the makings of a Country and Western song. I’ll give you it has Momma and prison in it… But where are trains mentioned? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/13 "2013-10-10T12:35:33Z")
> [@sylmar](#): > > I’ll give you it has Momma and prison in it… But where are trains mentioned? The OP was drunk the day his daughter-in-law got out of prison, He went, to pick her up, in the rain, but before he could get to the station in his pick up truck, he got ran over by a damned ol’ train. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/14 "2013-10-10T13:13:41Z")
Be grateful you have your grandson and consider the car the cost of seeing your DIL for what she really is. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/15 "2013-10-10T13:27:30Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > This has all the makings of a Country and Western song. Woulda been better if he loaned her a pickup truck, and a hound dog. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/16 "2013-10-10T13:35:14Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Verbal agreements don’t hold any weight. And why do you think that? This certainly is not true in other common law jurisdictions and I’m fairly certain this is not true in the USA. The difficulty with verbal agreements though is that it is usually more difficult to prove what was agreed,that the intention was that for both parties to be legally bound and that both parties received consideration than written agreements. However as the civil standard of proof is on the balance of probability it is not impossible to enforce verbal agreements. Or in other words the OP is probably better off getting advice from a lawyer than random people on a message board. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/17 "2013-10-10T14:54:46Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Best screen name/OP ever. I hate the ones that name themselves after their current crisis. They won’t be back after the thread ends, and might not even stay _that_ long. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/18 "2013-10-10T16:15:12Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > I hate the ones that name themselves after their current crisis. They won’t be back after the thread ends, and might not even stay _that_ long. Oh no, I foresee **Taken for a fool** to be a long time member here. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/19 "2013-10-10T19:33:56Z")
I still don’t understand what kind of registering it he means, or why registering in her name protects him if she runs over someone with the car, while registering in his name holds him liable for her actions. ---
**Author:** ![want2befree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@want2befree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2befree)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815/20 "2013-10-10T19:41:11Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > I hate the ones that name themselves after their current crisis. They won’t be back after the thread ends, and might not even stay _that_ long. Not always true…🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-in-the-face/670815.md?page=2)