Shooting in my neighborhood, at MY CAR

[BainsBane]

Last night there was a shooting right outside my house. They evidently were shooting at someone running down the block in front of my house and shot up a bunch of cars, including mine. I don't think they killed anyone, but now my car is full of bullet holes! Fuck Guns!!!!!!

[darkangel218]

1. So you didnt realize until today?

Weren't the cops at your house last night?

[BainsBane]

4. No

It was early this morning. I heard the shots, and I called 911. I told the dispatcher where I heard the shots, but the cop car ended up stopping a couple of blocks away. I saw them down there awhile, called back 911, and they said the cops were on it. The never came up this way. I only found out now they had shot up the cars in the street in front of the house.

[darkangel218]

9. Most cops are useless.

I know it from personal experience. I was assaulted while working and they never showed up. The diaptcher said they're at the scene of "life and death situations." So I should get hurt or die before a cop shows up??? Sick.

[BainsBane]

14. Yes, still waiting

and the other people whose cars were hit called a while before I did.

[randome]

36. Not sure what you're waiting for. It probably isn't police business to look at your car.

All they could say is, "Yeah, looks like bullet holes."

Get pictures, call the police for the case number, then call your insurance agency.

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font]
[hr]

[BainsBane]

39. 1) I need a police report number for insurance

2) several cars are involved, and 3) the police have called crime photographers out to take pictures.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. Jesus! Thank heavens you weren't in it!

Cars can be replaced - you... not so much.

Very glad you're okay!

[BainsBane]

5. Thank you nt

[darkangel218]

6. I had bullets flying by my work car a month ago

You know what I did?
I ducked :/

Didn't even call the cops, they're useless.

[Cooley Hurd]

8. Cops would've probably said you deserved it so they didn't have to write a report...

...and do their fucking jobs, which so many cops are loathe to do nowadays.

[darkangel218]

11. exactly. theyre lazy bastards.

[BainsBane]

40. It took them an hour to arrive

but they were very nice and thorough when they came. I now have the report number, and they have called out crime photographers to take photos. There were several cars shot up, and the shooters seem to have been chasing someone.

[NightWatcher]

3. Pics pics pics. How do you get those fixed?

Does insurance cover it?
Did it hit anything vital or strictly cosmetic?

Glad you didn't catch any of the flying lead. Cars can be replaced.

[BainsBane]

7. I have full insurance

I guess I don't know. I haven't tried to start it, but it appears cosmetic. I just got the car in Sept. I had been without a car for several years, so having a car is a big deal to me.

[premium]

12. The main thing is that your OK.

Your car can be repaired, insurance should cover it.

[BainsBane]

34. Yes, and that no one else was hurt

Despite criminals having shot their way down a residential street.

[NightWatcher]

25. my POS truck would look better with a few comestic bullet holes.

Hope you dont have to pay a deductible or anything out of pocket.

[BainsBane]

33. $500, but right now

I'm really glad I didn't get the $1000 deductible.

[Major Nikon]

10. It should be covered by insurance provided you have comprehensive coverage

Often there is no deductible on things covered by comprehensive, but this depends on your policy.

[BainsBane]

15. I have comprehensive $500 deductible

and I had to pay a premium for living in the city. So it better cover this.

[Major Nikon]

23. You may want to check with your agent regarding lowering it to zero

I have a zero deductible on my comprehensive coverage, which costs very little compared to a $500 deductible. Comprehensive claims do not cause your premiums to increase, so there's no real benefit to bypassing smaller claims and fixing it out of your own pocket. I'd rather have a high deductible on collision and a lower one, or zero on comprehensive, but it all depends on your situation.

[BainsBane]

35. really? I didn't realize comprehensive claims

didn't result in a hike. I hope that's true because my insurance is already very high since I didn't have a car for several years.

[Major Nikon]

43. It's a great idea to speak with your agent from time to time

Propose what-if scenarios regarding your deductibles and coverage. Although lowering your deductible on collision almost always is costly, sometimes it's not so much for other parts of your policy. Sometimes it's also worth it to increase your liability coverage to more than what the law requires. It all depends on your situation and your insurance company.

[BainsBane]

50. The claims agent comes out on Tuesday

I'll talk with him/her then. Thanks for the advice.

[Electric Monk]

13. Thank goodness nobodies 'gun rights' were infringed, though. Imagine the horror if that happened!

[BainsBane]

16. No comprehensive background checks

Gave criminals ready access to guns for this shooting.

[darkangel218]

24. Like the criminals would get guns legally..

[Electric Monk]

26. If we applied Gun Lobby Logic™ to other issues....

[Niceguy1]

27. marijuana

Is a better example. It illegal but one can easily obtain it. And like firearms, it is popular with the general population.

[Electric Monk]

32. Ironically, one of those kills tens of thousands each year while the other doesn't.

[darkangel218]

53. I think the point was, just because something is illegal doesnt mean its unobtainable

[treestar]

55. It would still be harder for them to get them

[darkangel218]

63. no it wont.

[treestar]

64. Look at the statistics in Australia

Gun related crime, suicide, accidents all went down.

If something is prohibited, it is harder to get hold of. Look at street drugs.

[Lex]

65. Why have any laws then?

That argument is a total logic fail.

[LeftInTX]

17. That's creepy

Even though you weren't hurt, I'm sure going outside late at night is off the table now.

[bluedigger]

18. First, I'm glad you are okay.

Now, make sure you get a check from your insurance agent, and pocket it. Bullet holes in your car have a certain cache in some neighborhoods, and I'm guessing yours is one of them. People pay good money for fake bullet hole decals.

[BainsBane]

37. bullet holes have no cache in my world

And my car haz a big sad now.

[Nimajneb Nilknarf]

19. A cowardly act by the villainous British, no doubt.

Please accept my condolences on the damage to your conveyance. It's a relief that neither you nor your horses were harmed.

[darkangel218]

22. Did you leave your buggy outside?

maybe you should go get it and stuff

[Nimajneb Nilknarf]

28. Usually people say things like "Go fly a kite in a thunderstorm, you crazy old coot!" to me.

[ismnotwasm]

20. That's terrible

I'm glad you're ok.

Some people are so stupid when it comes to guns it defies description. Like the elk 'hunters' who shot UP from the road near my BIL's house (he lives in the country, next to an Elk run, but the place isn't invisible) his boys were small and at home at the time.

[BainsBane]

30. They were shooting at a guy

apparently, who was running down the block. The cops said they have no report of anyone being hit.

[hrmjustin]

21. I am so sorry to hear this! Please stay safe BainsBane!

[BainsBane]

29. Thank you nt

[Rosa Luxemburg]

31. OMG!

I am glad that you are OK!

[BainsBane]

38. Thank you, and it appears no one else was hurt

either, which is the most important thing.

[etherealtruth]

41. Truly glad no one was physically hurt

Glad you have insurance to repair the car .... but, jeesh ... to say the least (the VERY least) being that close to gun violoence has to be very disconcerting. It would have really freaked me out!

[BainsBane]

42. Me too

Thank you.

[Uzair]

44. Are you sure this actually happened?

From the gun nuts who post here, I've been under the impression that this kind of thing does not happen in America. Crime has been going down, they say. It's not the gun, it's everything else they say. Let me go check out the news stories in Canada and Britain and Japan and get back to you. I think this happens in those countries too, and on a much greater scale as well.

[premium]

51. Who here has said that this kind of thing doesn't happen?

BTW, crime has been falling, unless you want to call the FBI stats wrong.

[RebelOne]

45. When I lived in Miami,

there was a shooting in the parking lot outside my apartment. It was a drug-related event. I saw the flashes of the guns, ran downstairs and called 911. Unfortunately, one of the shooters got away. But he left his car blocking mine and I could not get out to go to work. I guess the cops tracked him down. But that is Miami for you, usually an everyday occurrence.

[BainsBane]

49. Minneapolis is not far behind Miami

according to Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_cities_by_crime_rate

Those are 2011 stats. Since Obama hailed this city as a success story in reducing gun violence (eeks!), the 2012 rate may be lower. Or maybe shooters have just developed worse aim.

[RebelOne]

60. I do not live in Miami any more. I now live in North Georgia just northwest of Atlanta.

My area is pretty much crime free, but we do have isolated robberies and occasional shootings.

[Liberal_in_LA]

46. is the car drive-able?

[BainsBane]

47. It should be

I haven't tried to start it because the police have called the crime scene photographers, but it appears not to have affected the engine. I'll be able to tell for sure after the police leave.

[wandy]

61. Things to check out other than the paint................

As you look things over take a quick check of the electrical systems. Just making sure things still work may be enough.
Cooling system. This should show up as the car warms up.
And very important, the exhaust system. A leek in the motor compartment could allow carbon monoxide into the drivers area.
Until you know their are no exhaust leaks keep the windows open if you must drive the car.
You might not die from monoxide poisoning but rather by falling asleep at the wheel and hitting something.
Sorry to be such a downer but better safe......
It's best to know these things before making any settlement with the insurance company.

[BainsBane]

62. Thanks for the advice

I will do that.

[BainsBane]

48. Crime Lab unit is here now

[BainsBane]

52. Crime lab dug bullets out of another car

They were trying to find one in my back seat. I'm not sure if they got it. The weird thing is I thought I locked my car and they had it open. After they left I went down to lock it, and it was already locked. They must be able to get into people's cars.

[dembotoz]

54. next time the next republican dirtbag comes to town, present them with a bill

tell them their freedom isn't free and tell them to pay up

[BainsBane]

59. I'll send it to Michelle Bachmann

representative for the next district over.

[Squinch]

56. I'm so glad you were not in the car, and that you are safe!

Even if you are not hurt, it is a really disturbing and "close call" feeling when our lives intersect with people shooting guns in anger. Which is something too many of us have experienced.

Stay well.

[BainsBane]

58. Thanks, Squinch.

[otohara]

57. I Was Out Last Night - Rare

I went to the club area for a fashion show of hipster type clothing and to watch my kid do his LED magic. I did not feel safe walking the two blocks down Broadway in Denver...with so many people allowed to carry guns now - I was scared.

[Bay Boy]

77. I would be more afraid of the...

...people illegally carrying guns.

[PeaceNikki]

66. ugh, that's awful, glad you're ok

When I was living in Chicago 'burbs, a bullet went through our apartment building once. The apartment directly below ours, in fact. It stopped on a muffin pan in their cabinet. Terrifying. We moved shortly after that.

Stay safe, BB!

[Skip Intro]

67. Did the gun do that all by itself?

Don't you mean fuck the person who did that?

On edit - I'm glad you're ok.

[Lex]

68. Did the person make bullet holes without the gun? nt

[Skip Intro]

69. As nonsensical as saying "fuck guns."

I'll play. Cars kill more people than guns.

Fuck Cars!!!

Now we're talking like thinking human beings.

[Lex]

70. Cars serve more purpose than just killing and maiming.

Guns, not so much.

[Skip Intro]

72. That justifies the deaths.

Ok.

[Lex]

73. You justify gun deaths then.

I'll wait.

[Skip Intro]

74. Some are justified by self-defense.

And I'm glad those people are ok.

Most gun deaths are not justifiable at all.

But guns are tools.

They are inanimate objects.

They don't act on their own.

Some people use them in a bad way.

Bad people do that.

Criminals do that.

And they don't give a damn what laws you pass, as they are, well, criminals.

[Lex]

75. Ah I see. That old logic fail.

If we pass a law against X, then only criminals will do X. Because they are, well, criminals.

Ergo, we should NOT have sensible laws against X.

[Skip Intro]

76. Yes. Guns commit crimes - not a logic fail.

People commit crimes - logic fail.

I just hope my electric can-opener doesn't attack me in my sleep tonight.



But yes, passing new laws will surely work.

Just look at the drug laws.

Clearly, criminals do, indeed, obey new laws.

If we could only pass a law against murder...

[Lex]

87. Yes. And let me know when your can-opener can be used to fire bullets into children.

The logic fail is stunning.

[Electric Monk]

89. { * crickets * }

nt

[BainsBane]

79. I tell you what

Pay to fix my car, and I'll say fuck assholes with guns rather than fuck guns, okay?

[BainsBane]

78. Would it be too much

To save your gun proselytizing for a thread less personal in nature?

[Electric Monk]

80. Glib sociopaths apparently just can't help themselves. And yet, we still allow them to own guns. nt

[BainsBane]

83. Evidently so

It's a bit much though.

[BainsBane]

84. Thanks so much for your concern

Whoever said gun extremists only care about their guns?

[LanternWaste]

86. you then become just as stridently irrelevant with the staffs at the E.R...

I imagine that to maintain an academic consistency, you then become just as stridently irrelevant with the staffs at the E.R. as they refer to "gun shot wound" (GSW) rather than "gun shot wound inflicted by a person who did that" (GSWIBAPWDT?)...

Else we may be led to believe you simply hold some to a higher standard than others based on little more than convenience...

[raccoon]

71. I'm glad you are safe. nt

[Initech]

81. Call the cops now!!

[BainsBane]

82. already come and gone.

[LiberalEsto]

85. Oh yuck, that's awful.

Any chance you can claim repair money from a crime victims' fund?

Long ago I had a somewhat similar experience. In 1971 I was living in a bad neighborhood in Worcester, MA. Went out and found a big pool of blood on my car. We heard someone was stabbed on it overnight.

[BainsBane]

88. like a city fund?

Who maintains these funds? How awful about that business in Worcester. Gosh, at least no one was killed this time.