Pet Peeves: Aka Things That Make You Go "Gah!"

[Mindthinkr]

My hand held electric mixer is from 1975! Still works like a charm. Darn I hope I haven’t just cursed it. I think the manufacturers know darned well that it they give us something the lasts we won’t be frequent customers. So everything is basically disposable. Plastic crap. Break buy again every 3 years. I love my old stuff that works. 

Edited May 18, 2018 by Mindthinkr
To change if to is.

[Quof]

Dammit, I knew I missed out on something by never getting married. Free appliances!

[ABay]

Peeve one: Weather. WTF with tornados* in Connecticut?! Hurricanes and nor'easters, sure, but tornados? No. Just no. I had enough when I lived in Ohio and every TV station had its own tornado logo that went up in the spring and stayed until fall.** It was flat and open there, which is the kind of place where tornados are supposed to happen.

Peeve two: internet medical and pseudo-medical sites. All I wanted was a simple yes or no, with maybe a caveat or two, about whether taking vitamin B6 supplements makes one hungry all the time. What was I thinking, trying to find an answer online? I know there are only two answers to medical questions online: "ZOMG you're going to DIE!" and "I have no idea but my brother-in-law made $250 last week working from home."

*Peeve three: Inconsistent spell check. The phone says tornados, PTV says tornadoes.

**One time, I was recording something in the summer and between the twister logo in one corner, the network logo in another, and a massive running crawl about what to do if your house is transported to Oz taking up another third, I could barely get a glimpse of the program I was taping. It was like watching widescreen film in scan and pan mode.

Edited May 18, 2018 by ABay

[annzeepark914]

4 hours ago, ABay said:

Peeve one: Weather. WTF with tornados* in Connecticut?! Hurricanes and nor'easters, sure, but tornados? No. Just no. I had enough when I lived in Ohio and every TV station had its own tornado logo that went up in the spring and stayed until fall.** It was flat and open there, which is the kind of place where tornados are supposed to happen.

 

Good God almighty, yeah...what the heck is going on in the Northeast?  I'm originally from the mid Hudson Valley and the photos I'm seeing at a website for the HV are just shocking.  The only serious weather we had when I was growing up were the blizzards.  But a few nights ago we went to the basement (metro DC area) after warnings to do so on local TV.  Something strange is going on with our weather.  Not good, at all.

[ebk57]

Weather is, indeed, a huge peeve right now.  It's been raining for a week, and will continue into next week.  If I wanted to live in rain, I'd live in Seattle, WA, instead of outside Washington DC.  I'm going to turn into a giant prune.

 

And... my mother's Sunbeam stand mixer from the 50s is still going strong.  The bowl hasn't even broken.  I did have to replace the beaters about 35 years ago when I broke a piece of them off in some stiff brownie mix, and those beaters are still fine.  They really don't make 'em like they used to. 

[bubbls]

I’d like to hope once they’ve wed I’ll never again be subjected to the press’ desperate attempts at convincing everyone Meghan Markle is beautiful and amazing, but I suspect it’ll go and on and on for decades. 

[DeLurker]

9 hours ago, ebk57 said:

And... my mother's Sunbeam stand mixer from the 50s is still going strong. 

I used to have a 50s stand mixer that was my ex's grandmother's.  The thing had more power in the motor than my first car!  It made ridiculous good mashed potatoes.

[peacheslatour]

There's a Hamilton Beach standing mixer that's getting rave revues on Amazon. It's $38.99. I'm getting it because I'll never be able to afford a Kitchenaid.

[annzeepark914]

For some reason, I woke up at 5 AM today and could've watched the whole shebang but I'm so weary of Harry and Meghan (no fault of theirs, I'm sure--just the crazy OTT media) that I couldn't face it & went back to sleep. So I've watched snippets on CNN this afternoon and that was enough for me.  Cannot believe that Episcopal Bishop gave a "sermon".  Who needs a daggone sermon at a happy event like a wedding when there's so much else to appreciate (the music, that wonderful English boys & men's choir, the beauty of that chapel, etc)?  Noticed that Catherine didn't look too happy during the ceremony (maybe because she had to sit next to The Rottweiler?)

I normally like rainy days but not a whole week of rain (and many times a deluge, just when I'm driving in dicey heavy traffic sections).  Tomorrow the sun is supposed to come out so maybe this midAtlantic section of the country can dry out (cause the trees are beginning to fall over due to soggy ground).

[ratgirlagogo]

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

Who needs a daggone sermon at a happy event like a wedding when there's so much else to appreciate

This was my feeling as well, although he was there at Meghan and Harry's invitation and I assume they were happy with it.  Having grown up in an extremely religious household I was put off by the whole typical celebrity preacher LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME style of his sermon (saw way too much of that growing up)  - but I can't complain about his message, and like I said it's what the bride and groom wanted.

I'm tired of the song Stand by Me, but it was a nice choice - a pop song about commitment between two people, that could also be about the commitment between a person and their god.  And a lovely performance of it as well.

[SuprSuprElevated]

On 5/18/2018 at 2:56 PM, peacheslatour said:

I got a blender as a wedding gift in 1980 and it worked perfectly until 2 years ago. Now, my electric mixer was also a wedding gift and it still works a treat.

That's the rub.  Things produced even 20-25 years ago are far superior than the same item produced in the last 5-10 years.  My husband and I built our home 22 years ago, and we are on our 4th, yes 4th water heater.  We are now and have always been two working adults in the home.  I got 10 years out of my Krups coffee maker that I bought new with the house, and have averaged 3-4 years on the ones since.  The original dishwasher lasted 14 years, the range/oven about 16, the fridge 17, and the W/D about 18 yrs.  We bought good stuff and it paid off, but all of the replacements pretty much suck, and if I hit the lottery, they're all going into the recycle pile.  

Planned obsolescence stinks.

Edited May 20, 2018 by SuprSuprElevated

[bilgistic]

When I lived at my old condo, I used my stepdad's huge and heavy but perfectly working 1985 Amana microwave until I bought an over-the-range microwave and had the cabinets retrofitted to fit the new microwave. It died within five years. I was losing my home to foreclosure by that point, so it was no longer my problem. I had to buy a new microwave when I moved into my current apartment, though. I should've kept my dad's Amana in storage.

I also had to replace a new dishwasher at my old condo within three years' time. It just stopped working. I was able to get a $150 refund on the new-new one, at least.

I'm still on my Kenmore washer and dryer from 2000. I've had to have the lid switch replaced in the washer, but otherwise, the set is doing well. KNOCK WOOD.

In my rented apartment that I've currently been in since January 2014, the dishwasher and fridge have been replaced during my tenancy. The old fridge was circa 1980s and the maintenance guys said the old dishwasher was the first/only one put in. This complex was built in 1969. The 1980s range/oven is still doing well because I never cook other than boiling water.

[SunnyBeBe]

The church/religious persuasion that I grew up in made me vary sensitive about preachers/sermons/churches, etc.  So, when I hear that type of sermon it just annoys me.  I kept wishing that he would cut it off.  A little of that type of thing goes a long way. Those preachers seem to be enthralled with the sound of their own voice and it irritates me.  They also seem oblivious when the audience starts eye rolls, impatient and looking at the clock. People without my background may not be that sensitive. But, what wasn't clear to me, was who's idea was it for this ceremony?  Did the couple want it?  Was it pre-arranged and not their decision?  I never heard. One would think that the entire thing was pre-approved.  So, I guess it was welcomed. 

[rcc]

The preacher's message was a very good one but he repeated himself for dramatic effect and/or his own love for the limelight.

[Moose135]

On 5/18/2018 at 5:02 PM, Quof said:

Dammit, I knew I missed out on something by never getting married. Free appliances!

Well, that's the positive side of marriage...

;-)

[ratgirlagogo]

On 5/18/2018 at 5:02 PM, Quof said:

Dammit, I knew I missed out on something by never getting married. Free appliances!

One of the very funniest books I've ever read in my life is Blue Heaven, by Joe Keenan:

ttps://www.amazon.com/Blue-Heaven-Joe-Keenan/dp/0099435047/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

about a gay man and his best female friend who scheme to get married just for the gifts.   Of course things go wrong, but in wildly funny ways that are not rote or predictable.     He wrote two followups to it but moved away from novels since he went on to develop the show Frasier (also Desperate Housewives and Glee, which I find less classic).    Great as that show was and as great as all that TV money must be,  I hope he returns to  comic novels eventually because he approaches a P. G. Wodehouse level of ability there.  Edited to add:  okay, to keep it on topic,  THAT'S my peeve.  Start writing funny novels again, Joe Keenan!

Edited May 20, 2018 by ratgirlagogo

[StatisticalOutlier]

A while back I was wondering here whether I have the balls to leapfrog over somebody in the gas line at Costco, and the answer is:  Yes!

There were only a few cars in line (not the usual serpentine around the entire property), and I pulled up and was sitting behind one other car waiting in this line.  There was a big pickup at the second pump, which means you couldn't see the car at the first pump, but I noticed that driver open the door and drive away.  I didn't feel like getting out of my car to tell the person in front of me the front pump was open, and honking would just cause confusion, so I just drove around (including around the pickup truck's open door--why do people do that??) and backed into the front-pump space. 

The pickup finally finished and drove off, and the car that had been in front of me in line pulled in behind me.  I think they may have been giving me dirty looks, but I just barely glanced and was out of there before they even got out of the car.  I'm quick at the Costco.

I didn't feel guilty because there was a passenger in the car, so they had someone on both sides who could have been looking for movement at the front pump, but chose not to.  I chose to, and reaped a benefit, and hope I can hang on to whatever nerve made me able to do it this time.

[backformore]

Pet peeve - someone I know who declared bankruptcy not long ago, has a plan to pay off half her debts (the rest is forgiven) and is planning an expensive vacation this summer.  

Her lifestyle consisted of living beyond her means, then it caught up with her and she had to declare bankruptcy.   Now, she gets gel nails every two weeks, hair appointments at least once a month, buys expensive gifts, clothes, shoes, and has two vacations planned before the end of the year.  But as long as she makes the minimum payment the court said she has to, she's back to spend, spend, spend! 

[Katy M]

5 hours ago, backformore said:

Pet peeve - someone I know who declared bankruptcy not long ago, has a plan to pay off half her debts (the rest is forgiven) and is planning an expensive vacation this summer.  

Her lifestyle consisted of living beyond her means, then it caught up with her and she had to declare bankruptcy.   Now, she gets gel nails every two weeks, hair appointments at least once a month, buys expensive gifts, clothes, shoes, and has two vacations planned before the end of the year.  But as long as she makes the minimum payment the court said she has to, she's back to spend, spend, spend! 

I've always thought that bankruptcy should be limited to those who have had a medical disaster, or something similar.  Something that was at least somewhat beyond their control, or at least necessary to live.  Simple overspending shouldn't do it.  Maybe have some kind of lesser bankruptcy in place where you can get interest to stop accumulating or something, but otherwise, please explain to me how it is any different than outright stealing.

[GHScorpiosRule]

9 hours ago, backformore said:

Pet peeve - someone I know who declared bankruptcy not long ago, has a plan to pay off half her debts (the rest is forgiven) and is planning an expensive vacation this summer.  

Her lifestyle consisted of living beyond her means, then it caught up with her and she had to declare bankruptcy.   Now, she gets gel nails every two weeks, hair appointments at least once a month, buys expensive gifts, clothes, shoes, and has two vacations planned before the end of the year.  But as long as she makes the minimum payment the court said she has to, she's back to spend, spend, spend! 

Seriously? I thought about declaring bankruptcy 10 years ago, but one of my vendors said that none would be forgiven, if have to pay in installments and I’d be screwed for life. So I didn’t. Something about how Dubya passed a law during his term preventing normal people who weren’t rich, from filing and getting a clean slate.

As for gel manicures-those should last a good three weeks. I can make mine last up to a month before getting a fresh one because my manicurist is THAT good. This is the only indulgence I give myself post chemo because for a long time, during chemo and reconstruction, I felt FUGLY and less than human/female.

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Seriously? I thought about declaring bankruptcy 10 years ago, but one of my vendors said that none would be forgiven, if have to pay in installments and I’d be screwed for life. So I didn’t. Something about how Dubya passed a law during his term preventing normal people who weren’t rich, from filing and getting a clean slate.

If you file for bankruptcy, the court decides how much your creditors get, not the creditors.  Obviously if the creditors got to decide, there would be way less bankruptcy happening.  He was just trying to get you to not because he wanted all his money.  Although, yes, you probably wouldn't have had everything wiped. It's usually pennies on the dollar.

[peacheslatour]

10 hours ago, backformore said:

Pet peeve - someone I know who declared bankruptcy not long ago, has a plan to pay off half her debts (the rest is forgiven) and is planning an expensive vacation this summer.  

Her lifestyle consisted of living beyond her means, then it caught up with her and she had to declare bankruptcy.   Now, she gets gel nails every two weeks, hair appointments at least once a month, buys expensive gifts, clothes, shoes, and has two vacations planned before the end of the year.  But as long as she makes the minimum payment the court said she has to, she's back to spend, spend, spend! 

Geez, how many times can one declare bankruptcy? Sounds like she is on her way to round 2.

[GHScorpiosRule]

8 minutes ago, Katy M said:

If you file for bankruptcy, the court decides how much your creditors get, not the creditors.  Obviously if the creditors got to decide, there would be way less bankruptcy happening.  He was just trying to get you to not because he wanted all his money.  Although, yes, you probably wouldn't have had everything wiped. It's usually pennies on the dollar.

Sorry I wasn’t clear-the vendor was a lawyer who worked for a company that provided legal services such as deposition services, litigation support to law firms. We are very good colleagues and she didn’t want me to think that filing would be the dream answer. And her advice was good advice. 

[SuprSuprElevated]

Bankruptcy reform happened as a direct result of banks/credit issuers lobbying Congress and lobbying hard.  Prior to the reform, people in financial disaster were running up their credit cards (which were far too easy to acquire) to the max limit, then declaring chapter 7 and leaving the debt for someone else to deal with (the rest of us).  Of course there were and still are legitimate reasons for needing to have your debt restructured/forgiven, but basically, if you have an income, bankruptcy isn't the parachute it used to be.

The credit card issuers bore a large responsibility for the problems they found themselves in imo, and the finance charges they get away with still and now should be criminal imo, but I also don't think irresponsible spenders should just be able to run up a bunch of debt, then walk away.  Reform was passed to try and level the playing field.  

I have no idea whether or not that was accomplished.  I suspect that if you ask 100 people that question, you would get 100 answers.

I paid my last credit card off in 2007, and haven't used one since.  It is the most freeing thing.  I may use one again someday, (never say never), but I sure hope I don't have to.

Disclaimer - the above is my basic take on what went down with reform.  I'm sure there are details I'm not aware of.  Shootin' from the hip.

Edited May 22, 2018 by SuprSuprElevated

[peacheslatour]

I have to have a credit card because of my crippling anxiety makes it much less stressful to be able to order online.

[StatisticalOutlier]

2 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

I paid my last credit card off in 2007, and haven't used one since.  It is the most freeing thing.  I may use one again someday, (never say never), but I sure hope I don't have to.

In defense of credit card use--I think it depends on how a person uses a credit card.  I use mine for almost everything, but I pay it off every month and never incur interest, and have a card that doesn't charge a fee (and in fact gives me some amount of rebate, which is actually, last time I checked, paid for not by the credit card company but by the merchants through increased processing fees for rewards cards, and that massively grates).  But it's very freeing for me to carry in my pocket just one credit card, two $20 bills, and one debit card (in case I need more than $40 in cash or my fucking credit card company puts a hold on it because of suspected fraud and I find out about it as I'm paying for something with a line of people waiting behind me).

[Bastet]

That's how I am - I use a credit card for convenience, but like a "charge card" in the days of old (only it's nice to just have one, instead of one for each store), so it's paid in full every month.  A mortgage is the only debt I've ever had; I'm not comfortable with it other than that (and no longer have one, yay) and have been both fortunate and diligent in avoiding it.

But I don't agree that bankruptcy should only be available to those who've had a medical disaster or similar.  Medical expenses are the main reason behind bankruptcies in this country, but I'm glad it's not limited to that.  Even where people get in the hole largely due to their own irreponsible spending, if they're trying to dig their way out and can't, I don't think they should be forced to live in that hole the rest of their lives.  It's not as if bankruptcy is without consequences; if they've tried, via payment plans and altered spending habits, to deal with the debt their choices created, can't get out from under it, and are willing to accept those consequences for a fresh start, I certainly don't want them told, "Nope, sorry - you got yourself into this, you get yourself out."  Bankruptcy is sometimes a necessary part of getting themselves out.  Current qualifications are adequately onerous for me; better some twits who don't learn their lesson and go right on spending foolishly be granted bankruptcy than those for whom bankruptcy could have been a life-changer be denied because they didn't pass some high-minded worthiness test on top of everything else.

[GaT]

4 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

I paid my last credit card off in 2007, and haven't used one since.  It is the most freeing thing.  I may use one again someday, (never say never), but I sure hope I don't have to.

I have credit cards, but what I use the most is my debit card. It acts like a credit card, but the money comes out of my checking account. I don't have to carry large amounts of actual cash with me, I can shop online, & I'm not running up debt since I can only spend what I have. I don't even understand how people functioned before debit cards came along.

[auntlada]

12 minutes ago, GaT said:

I have credit cards, but what I use the most is my debit card. It acts like a credit card, but the money comes out of my checking account. I don't have to carry large amounts of actual cash with me, I can shop online, & I'm not running up debt since I can only spend what I have. I don't even understand how people functioned before debit cards came along.

They used their credit cards and racked up more debt than they could pay. Or was that just me?

It took me a long time, but I paid mine off eventually. Then I didn't have any for a long time. I recently got a new credit card so I could build my credit score so that someday maybe we can buy a house (we're saving for a down payment also). I charge just a little each month and pay it off each month.

It's also handy for those occasions (usually once a year when I go to a conference) when I have to stay in a hotel. I can use my bank debit card, but then the hotel puts a hold on my account that takes a while to clear so it looks like I have less money than I actually have and what I have is not available to me. You'd think that after I've checked out and paid, they'd cancel the hold that is above the amount I just paid.

[Bastet]

21 minutes ago, GaT said:

I don't even understand how people functioned before debit cards came along.

I've probably used mine ten times at the most in the twenty years or however long it has been around. 

[backformore]

1 hour ago, GaT said:

I have credit cards, but what I use the most is my debit card. It acts like a credit card, but the money comes out of my checking account. I don't have to carry large amounts of actual cash with me, I can shop online, & I'm not running up debt since I can only spend what I have. I don't even understand how people functioned before debit cards came along.

they wrote checks. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

28 minutes ago, Bastet said:

I've probably used mine [debit card] ten times at the most in the twenty years or however long it has been around. 

My debit card also functions as an ATM card.  So when I need cash, I can use it at an ATM, or if my credit card is declined, I can use it at the store (it happened once, and wasn't my fault, but I still bear the scars of shame).  I also used it at Costco, until they switched to Visa, so my credit card now works there.

I think debit cards are a god-send for people who shouldn't be using credit cards.  If they shouldn't be using credit cards, they probably weren't great about diligence in not writing hot checks, and with bank fees what they are now, and the way they're calculated, one hot check can be a swift path to serious insolvency.  Not gonna happen with a debit card.

And, they can use it to get cash back, and don't have to incur ATM fees.  Whenever I get cash at an ATM, I get like $500 and keep it around.  My bank refunds ATM fees, but even if they didn't, the fee would be a tiny (but still unacceptable) percentage of the transaction.  I've always felt bad for people who use an ATM to get $20, and pay $2 or whatever for the privilege.  That's some bad money management, but if it's your only choice, it's your only choice.  But it isn't, with cash back (as long as they can be heads-up enough to do it more than 5 seconds before they need the $20, which actually might be asking a lot).

[ABay]

I use a credit card for everything and pay it off every 2 weeks on payday. You can't get plane tickets, hotel reservations, or anything online without one.  I used to use a debit card but it was linked to my bank account and the consequences of that ending up in the wrong person's hands seemed much worse than someone stealing a credit card. 

[SunnyBeBe]

Pet Peeve:  Now that it's getting warmer, I'm already seeing it.  People who wear sandals/flip flops, with their toes hanging off the front of the shoe or have their heel hanging off the back.  The shoe is literally 2 sizes too small.  Have you ever noticed it?  It's shocking how many people walk around that way.  It's probably one of my top 10 pet peeves.  Did they notice notice the shoe was too small when they purchased it?  Do they like the feel of toe or heel touching the pavement?  I don't get it at all.   And often, these same people have not attended to their toe nails.  So gross. 

Edited May 22, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[StatisticalOutlier]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

But I don't agree that bankruptcy should only be available to those who've had a medical disaster or similar.  Medical expenses are the main reason behind bankruptcies in this country, but I'm glad it's not limited to that.  Even where people get in the hole largely due to their own irreponsible spending, if they're trying to dig their way out and can't, I don't think they should be forced to live in that hole the rest of their lives. 

And it could be that a person blew through a whole lot of money on vacations and irresponsible spending, and then had a medical disaster.  Allowing bankruptcy due to medical disaster in that situation would in effect be "rewarding" the irresponsible spending.  That doesn't seem fair, but I don't think we want panels convening to judge someone's spending habits before deciding whether they're worthy of relief. 

 

1 minute ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Pet Peeve:  Now that it's getting warmer, I'm already seeing it.  People who wear sandals/flip flops, with their toes hanging off the front of the shoe or have their heel hanging off the back.  The shoe is literally 2 sizes too small.  Have you ever noticed it? 

Yes.  And double peeve points if the toes or heels are crusty or fungusy.

Also, I'm all about peace and quiet, and just hate it when someone is slap slap slapping or slide-slap slide-slap slide-slapping behind me at the grocery store.  Pick up your damn feet.

Enough of this.  I need to get back to today's task, which is dealing with the uninsured asshole who backed into my car at the gas station.  "No, the BANG you heard was not your ice chest moving in your pickup truck bed as you braked just in the nick of time to not hit my car." 

Actually, I have a question.  Many years ago, a friend of mine was the third car through an intersection on a green light, and was t-boned by someone who ran the red light on his side.  Clearly ran the red light, and my friend didn't jump the light, since she was the third car through, so totally innocent victim.  T-boner didn't have insurance, so my friend filed an uninsured motorist claim with her own insurance company.  She had to pay her deductible, plus they raised her premium!  I was shocked because I thought insurance was about risk, and I would think that she was not at more risk of being hit by an uninsured driver (if anything, maybe less risk because it had already happened once).  So I'm very disinclined to file an uninsured motorist claim.  I think the damage is probably around $1,000 or so, and my deductible is $500, and I'm willing to swallow it to keep from having my premium go up.

Does anybody know if it's still this way?  They don't raise premiums when you file a comprehensive claim, and I just can't see why uninsured motorist is different, but I saw it with my own eyes.

[bilgistic]

My uneducated understanding is this: any time insurance has to pay out, your premium will go up. I guess, that is, unless you have "accident forgiveness", which you're actually paying for with your premium anyway. Filing a claim raises your risk profile, which makes you more expensive to insure. You end up paying one way or another.

Can you take the other driver to small claims court?

[SunnyBeBe]

Check with your state's dept of insurance. They should be able to tell you.   The Uninsured policy steps in as the negligent third-party driver, so, in that case, you would not have a deductible, it seems to me. So, it seems that you would not, but, I'd confirm.  You can just ask your agent and challenge him to show your where it allows that in the policy. 

[SuprSuprElevated]

3 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

I have to have a credit card because of my crippling anxiety makes it much less stressful to be able to order online.

I use my debit card.  

Ftr, I'm not knocking credit card use, just prefer paying cash.  There are downsides to both.

Edited May 22, 2018 by SuprSuprElevated

[StatisticalOutlier]

20 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

My uneducated understanding is this: any time insurance has to pay out, your premium will go up. I guess, that is, unless you have "accident forgiveness", which you're actually paying for with your premium anyway. Filing a claim raises your risk profile, which makes you more expensive to insure. You end up paying one way or another.

Claims under comprehensive insurance (theft, hail) don't prompt a premium increase, I assume because they're not the insured's fault.  That's why I think it's just wrong to increase a premium due to an uninsured motorist claim, but I know it's happened.

I just looked and I do have accident forgiveness, but am not thrilled about "using" it on something that I don't need forgiving for at all.  If I hit somebody?  Then I'll appreciate the forgiveness (which I'm paying for, as you point out).  But all I did was park at a gas pump to fill up my car.  I shouldn't be out one red cent, whether out of pocket or from increased premiums.  But my friend who was hit by a red light runner shouldn't have been either, and I know how that turned out.

 

Quote

Can you take the other driver to small claims court?

I think that's the only alternative.  But this happened in the Los Angeles area, and I'm not planning to be here again in the near future.  I think the guy is currently judgment proof, but may be getting an inheritance in the not too distant future, but I'm wondering whether I think the chance of that is high enough that I should bother.  He's kind of crazy and talks a lot, and it's taken me a week just to pin down whether he thinks he has insurance or not.  It's maddening.

I'm inclined to just blow it off, but letting him get away with it just rubs me the wrong way.  But if I have to suffer in order for him to suffer, I'm not sure I want to do it.

 

18 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Check with your state's dept of insurance. They should be able to tell you.   The Uninsured policy steps in as the negligent third-party driver, so, in that case, you would not have a deductible, it seems to me. So, it seems that you would not, but, I'd confirm.  You can just ask your agent and challenge him to show your where it allows that in the policy. 

The breakdown of coverages I have specifies a deductible for uninsured motorist coverage.  Turns out it's $250 and not $500 like I thought, and the $250 is mandated by state law.  Since it's attached to the existence of uninsured motorist coverage, I don't see how there would be situations involving an uninsured motorist where it wouldn't apply.  (Which begs the question of why an insured has to pay anything at all for something that was completely not his fault.  It's not like it's to prevent frivolous claims--the person who happens to hit you either has insurance or doesn't, and I don't see much room for abuse or collusion.  But I can be naive when it comes to nefariousness.)

Anyway, before I bring it up to my insurance company at all, I want to know what the possible ramifications are. 

I also can't find an answer to what would happen to him if I file an accident report.  Seems to me if the cops got an accident report that says a driver wasn't able to provide proof of insurance to a person they hit, the cops would ask for it themselves for either (1) possible money from a fine, or (2) the public good, or (3) a combination of both when the fine is impetus for the person to get insurance.  But I don't see any indication that that's how it works, even though it's a slam dunk--were you insured on X date?

Grrrrr.

[SunnyBeBe]

It's illegal for insurance companies to improperly charge their insureds.  The state dept of insurance should provide you with free legal information about what is and isn't allowed. 

[bilgistic]

I looked it up; every state except for New Hampshire requires that drivers carry insurance. The guy who hit you is breaking the law if he doesn't have insurance. File the police report.

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, bilgistic said:

I looked it up; every state except for New Hampshire requires that drivers carry insurance. The guy who hit you is breaking the law if he doesn't have insurance. File the police report.

This reminds me of something.  I live in Vermont, oin the NH border. So, I used to work with this woman who lived in NH.  We were talking about insurance, and she said she didn't have to have any, because it wasn't the law, so she didn't have any.  She just had to be able to prove that she could afford an accident or something.  But, the reason she didn't have insurance was she said that she couldn't afford the premiums.  So that logic didn't seem to work for me.  But, here's the pet peeve part.  She's going around with out liability insurance, because she says she can't afford it, yet she was going skiing every week during the winter. With her husband and son.  If you can afford to go skiing at least 10 times a season, you can afford at least the minimum liability insurance.  I try not to get judgey on the way other people use their money, but that just bugged me because it was so irresponsible.

[backformore]

49 minutes ago, Katy M said:

This reminds me of something.  I live in Vermont, oin the NH border. So, I used to work with this woman who lived in NH.  We were talking about insurance, and she said she didn't have to have any, because it wasn't the law, so she didn't have any.  She just had to be able to prove that she could afford an accident or something.  But, the reason she didn't have insurance was she said that she couldn't afford the premiums.  So that logic didn't seem to work for me.  But, here's the pet peeve part.  She's going around with out liability insurance, because she says she can't afford it, yet she was going skiing every week during the winter. With her husband and son.  If you can afford to go skiing at least 10 times a season, you can afford at least the minimum liability insurance.  I try not to get judgey on the way other people use their money, but that just bugged me because it was so irresponsible.

I guess you and I can be judgey together.  It's like my earlier post about bankruptcy.  It seems unfair for someone to go bankrupt, while I'm being financially responsible, and then they go on vacations I wish I could afford.   And it's unfair for the person you're talking about to not have insurance, because she can't afford it  doesn't feel like paying for it,  but goes on ski trips.  

I judge people when they're irresponsible, because their actions have consequences, not just for them, but for the rest of us. 

[bilgistic]

An individual can file bankruptcy only once every eight years. It seriously damages one's credit, so unless one is paying for trips with cash, I don't know how someone in such dire financial straits could be living the high life.

I filed bankruptcy in 2004 after years of doing credit counseling. The bulk of my debt was medical. It took years to be able to qualify for a credit card again. I have a couple now but I only use one at a time and pay it off in full each month.

[StatisticalOutlier]

2 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I looked it up; every state except for New Hampshire requires that drivers carry insurance. The guy who hit you is breaking the law if he doesn't have insurance. File the police report.

I looked at the report form (California DMV), and it requires me to provide my insurance information.  Since I don't want to make a claim on my insurance, I'm hesitant to do that, in case it goes into some database, or maybe even gets automatically reported to my insurance company.

Moreover, the form asks for identification of both drivers (the car was parked--am I a driver?) and insurance information for both, but then goes on to ask for "your" (as in the person filing the report) insurance information again, and says it may be sent to the insurance company, and there's a space for the company to confirm that the policy is in effect or not.  But there's no place for the other party's information to be sent for confirmation (not that this guy has any insurance information). 

Do they think the at-fault person is the only one to file these things?  Seems to me it's more likely to be the other way around.

Excuse me while I go bang my head on the desk.

[Katy M]

16 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I looked at the report form (California DMV), and it requires me to provide my insurance information.  Since I don't want to make a claim on my insurance, I'm hesitant to do that, in case it goes into some database, or maybe even gets automatically reported to my insurance company.

Moreover, the form asks for identification of both drivers (the car was parked--am I a driver?) and insurance information for both, but then goes on to ask for "your" (as in the person filing the report) insurance information again, and says it may be sent to the insurance company, and there's a space for the company to confirm that the policy is in effect or not.  But there's no place for the other party's information to be sent for confirmation (not that this guy has any insurance information). 

Do they think the at-fault person is the only one to file these things?  Seems to me it's more likely to be the other way around.

Excuse me while I go bang my head on the desk.

My parked car was in an accident once.  The police actually responded to the accident because it was  drunk driver, who actually hit the pickup parked next to me  and then my car swung to the side and hit the house because the spot next to me was empty.  The pickup then went on to hit the car next to the empty space and that car hit the car next to it.  The drunk driver then apparently spun out of control and crashed into a fence backward and went down a hill. Then, got out of his car and walked home I guess.  Believe it or not, all of us in the building slept through all this. I was woken up by the police calling me to tell me my car had been in an accident.  For some reason, probably because I was half asleep, I thought it had just been dinged. I was pretty surprised by the chaos when I walked out the door.

Anyway, to get to the insurance part, I called my insurance company so they could deal with the other insurance company, because believe it or not idiot drunk driver actually at least had insurance.  They told me that I should make a collision claim and then when the other insurance company reiumbursed me, I could send that check to my insurance company.  They thought that the other insurance company would drag their feet.  They actually did not.  I got their check first and just returned my insurance company's check uncashed. However, when it was time for renewal, my rate went way up and I ended up switching insurance companies.  We figure it was because I made the claim even though they told me to and I was obviously not at fault at all.  My car was parked off the road on private property, for crying out loud.

[riley702]

That was dumb of them.

[TattleTeeny]

Quote

And it's unfair for the person you're talking about to not have insurance, because she can't afford it  doesn't feel like paying for it,  but goes on ski trips.  

Well, I hope she's a good skier because that sounds like a bad combination to me!

[riley702]

Maybe Karma will bite her her in the ass!

[ebk57]

This came up in my inbox this morning, so I thought I'd share...  Drive safely over this long weekend everyone!

 

https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2018/05/in-heavy-traffic-the-preferred-way-to-merge-is-to-wait-until-late/