Moral Question

[georgia2]

Okay, so I'm LDS and try very hard to live up to my temple recommend. I had something happen and I didn't know what was right or what was wrong.

My local hospital is very large, with surrounding medical facilities and specialist's offices. I had to go in to one of these specialist to get a copy of an old test that was done. When I got there I saw that they again were working on the area, this time the parking lot. They had 2 entrances/exits closed and half of the parking lot closed off. It is very difficult to find a parking spot on a good day much less this!

After circling the area I saw that people were parking everywhere making it very hard to maneuver through. I finally saw someone leaving and I pulled right in. When I came out I found that cars had parked behind my row where it was illegal to park. I got in and slowly began to back up all the time inching out and watching to make sure I didn't hit anything. Then BUMP, I had hit a car that was totally in a blind spot. In fact you couldn't even see it because it was so low. I pulled back in, got out and looked. My car had a little scratch but the other car had a small dent and small area where paint came off. I wrote a note and put it on the car. Got back in, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get out. I sat there a long time not knowing what to do. I finally got out and asked the valet if this care was indeed illegally parked, he said yes, but they were not giving tickets because the lot was closed. I told him what happened, that I left a note, he laughed and said go on. I got back in and sat wondering when I would ever get out. Then I got out again took the note off, this went back and forth 4 or 5 times. I knew if I reported it my insurance would go up. I knew the other car would want and expect payment of the dent. I finally decided to write the license plate #, go home and call my insurance agent and ask what to do. The only way I was able to get out was I had to drive up over the median.

When I got home I told my husband about it and he said to forget it because of the situation and they were illegally parked anyway. Now it bothers me because of the temple interview about being honest. I really don't want to go ask the Bishop this thing. What would you have done?

[ZionWoman]

I would have left the note and then worried about it forever. It was busy, they parked illegally, and people bang doors all the time. They knew they were taking a risk when they parked. If it wasn't you, it might have been someone else. :shrug:

[Jbs2763]

the other option would have been to smash a window, pour gasonline, set ablaze and tell them it wouldnt have happend if they parked in the rigth place

[Alana]

If you have their license plate number, is there anyway you can get a hold of them? I don't think that if you go to the DMV that they will give you an address.

I'm thinking I would leave a note. If someone did that to my car and I saw a note I'd think it was great they left it and then not worry about it at all. Plus with insurance detectable, you'd probably just end up paying for it and not having the insurance deal with it at all. Call up your insurance agent and ask them what you can do. They aren't going to penalize just for telling them what happened and helping you figure it out.

As a random little story. Once I was sitting in my car, reading, while my husband got something inside the grocery store. While I was sitting there a car pulled in on my left, when the passenger got out 'BAM!' they hit my car with their door. They went inside the store and didn't even see if they did any damage. Then a car pulled in on my right (by where I was sitting.) The guy opens his door and 'BAM' hits my door. THen goes into the store. He comes out 5 minutes later and as he's getting into his car he hits my care AGAIN with his door. This time I see him glance over and he sees that I'm sitting there. He then slowly leaves. The end.

[prisonchaplain]

The damage was noticeable, so a note should be left. The advantage of just leaving a note is that the cost may end up not being much, and you can pay for it out of pocket, thus not effecting your insurance. However, pay with a check, and have the person sign a note saying that this he has been "paid in full" for damage to his vehicle.

One time a friend of our neighbor parked his car such that it intruded about three feet on to our driveway. It was a damp foggy morning, and I drove out without looking--smashed the corner of his vehicle. In this case I'm thinking, "This guy blocked part of my driveway. It's his fault." But, I told him I'd check with my insurance, and we traded information.

My insurance informed me that I was toast! The vehicle was parked, and I hit it. Plus, the guy got 3 estimates, all of them over $800 bucks. So, we let the insurance handle it, and took the hike in premium.

If doing the Christian thing was always easy or an immediate win, the whole world would be saved by now.

[WANDERER]

Illegally parked cars are to be towed away I believe...hitting a parked car is not legal as PC said.

A friend who lived near a railway station told me that when cars parked in their driveway and they couldn't get out they had them towed away, so I imagine that it's legal to do so, at the person who broke-the-law's cost and that they didn't have any other option in order to get to work themselves in both cases.

The thing is when you hit a car, you go into shock...if it's a situation you've been in before you do the automatic things...if not..then it's not so easy to process what to do. Sometimes it's a case of knowing what to do next time.

[MarginOfError]

Don't just leave a note. If you have a camera, perhaps on your cell phone, take a picture of the damage. And anything you leave in writing with them, make sure you keep a word-for-word transcription of what you left them. It's no fun to do the honest thing and then find out you're paying for a dent, an oil pan, and new fan belts.

[Loudmouth_Mormon]

I've been in a few similar situations before. Let me tell you something - even if you were not fully in the wrong, leaving a note and offering to pay will leave you in a better state than not leaving a note.

Temple Recommend questions, and honest life-living aside - really - you'll be much happier with yourself if you can look in the mirror and see someone who went farther than she had to in order to set things right.

Just something to think about.

[georgia2]

okay! Thanks everyone! I guess I'm just a bum!!!
I no longer have the license # because it happened several months ago and I went with my husbands advice. SO, do I now have To go tell my Bishop? PLEASE SAY NO!!!!!

[Elgama]

I would just move on and forgive yourself if it happened that long ago chances are the person that you hit has forgotten it.

-Charley