[arpanjha]

Last week on a weekday when I returned home from work in the evening at around 9 'o clock, I found someone knocking at my door. When I opened, I found it is the guy whose Maruti Zen (probably bought used maybe 3rd or 4th owner, 1997 make, I think so) is parked infront of my parking garage. He is a guy around my age(about 26 to 28), he told me that his car's right rear door has been hit and he thinks it has been hit by my car while I was parking. I was surprised to hear such an allegation and I asked him, when did I hit his car?
He then took me near his car and showed me the damage. It was a BIG dent on the rear door behind the driver, and it cudnt have been such that it has been hit by my car, that too while reversing or forwarding, manouvering. Because while parking the max speed that can be achieved on a car cannot be more than 5 to 10km/hr. And the place where I park my car is a very critically angled place where it needs me to go forward atleast 3 times and then bring it back in reverse to park, thanks to the fantastic place to park and the humongous turning radius of my Fiat Punto. And it is the same story while going out even.

So, I put forward my reaction to him, which was pretty clear: "Look boss, this large dent of yours, because of which you cant even roll down or roll up your window cannot be created by me backing up or bringing out my car, any science cant prove it. It must have been hit somewhere else by someone else, or in traffic." He said, NO, he is pretty sure that it is my car this it, because hes seen my car coming close to his while parking. Ofcourse my car goes close to him, but how can coming close create such a huge dent? He seemed to be in no mood to buy my argument, and started heating up the conversation. Then I asked him to get it repaired under an Insurance Claim. To that, he said " It is a 3rd party insurance". I was shocked to hear that, and then I got pretty sure that this man is definitely trying to extort money from me because of some stupid driving of his. A person who cannot afford to get a proper insurance policy on his car, that person tries to find ways how to get things done by others, by hook or by crook.

By then, he had called up a local garage guy and that guy inspected and told it will take Rs. 1500/- for the dent and the paint which had peeled from the point of deep dent. And the Zen owner wanted me to pay for it. I sensed something wrong, when he started gathering people all around his car and started giving baseless excuses for proving me and my car to be the culprits. I just could not explain to anyone that if such a big dent can come on his car, why is there no scratch even on mine.

Now came the most shocking part, he just couldnt tell anyone present there, when and on which day did his car get supposedly banged by mine. His only argument is, my car goes close to his while backing up so, it cant be any other car but mine which has hit it. I understood he was looking for someone to pay up for his cheap damage and his cheap drama.

By then he started threatening me that if I dont agree to pay, then if someday I find my car's headlight or windshiled smashed or body with a scratch, he would not be responsible. I heard this and started understanding that this guy is determined to extort money from me. I thought for a while, that if today I disagree to pay him, and tomorrow I find my car's body all scratched up, then I think I will need to pay a much heftier amount that 1500/-.
So, inspite of going into further argument, I told him: "Look boss, if you dont have money for repairing ur car's accidental damage, you can take it from me, and remember it was not my car that hit your car. You dont even have someone around who has seen it happen. But this is not a way for extorting money. I wont waste anymore time here fighting out infront of 10 people near my house and proving who has hit your car and not. You need money, and that is it."
I ended up extorted and feared for my car's well being and paid him Rs.1500/-
I wrote this thread up just to show how cheap people can be. Just imagine these kind of people driving on our Indian roads. Will they care for any pedestrain, or any traffic signal or No honking signs? These are the kind of people who bring a bad bad name to drivers around our country.

It is shameful that this kind of a thing happens, I had to give in just thinking of my own car, which lied there happily without any scratch. So bad, couldnt stay away without sharing this story with fellow BHP-ians. I hope this thread will be of help to others. Anyone else who has faced anything of this kind, please share here. Any reactions and suggestions are most welcome and extremely desired.

[predatorwheelz]

Which part of Kolkata did this incident take place?

[james]

Its quite sad to hear what happened but its a very common thing. Just one question, what will you do if he comes back after a coupla days with some more damage and blames it on you?

[download2live]

You should have said if thats the case then not only his car but he might also end up in an even worse shape after that. He got the money and he won't stop at that. Loving your new car is fine but you have to draw a line. Even your car will get old someday. And feelings for it won't be so strong. But this incident will rankle you for a long time. At least it will rankle me.

[IUNKWN]

This is quite common in metros, especially the IT people are targetted. He must have known that you are not a local, and it does sound so from your name. You could have asked him to file a police case, lodge a FIR for hitting his car, very likely that it might have changed his mind.

[pramodkumar]

@arpanjha, its funny that i am replying this post, you are obviously frustrated and this can be seen in your tone of the post. See two things.

1. Never get into a situation that you cannot control
2. When we have police why do you want to use vigilante justice to make judgments for you?

This guy has no proof, all you do is tell him that you will go and file an FIR in the nearest police station about his threat on damaging you car and tell him if any damage occurs he will be held responsible and taken to task, BTW you can still use this, tell him you have gone and filed an FIR and tell him that you have met some people the way you were supposed to meet(i hope you understand what i mean) and tell him you are pursuing it even if you loose a million bucks, and when he is ready to talk and beg ask him you money back and say you will take the FIR back. This should be enough ammunition for you.


Remember: never disgrace anyone's car by saying its old, 3rd hand and 4th hand and all. That person might love his car more than his wife


Pramod

[ravi_23]

This is a really very sad incident. You should never have compromised with that person, I can understand that you might have felt at that time and ofcourse you were thinking about your car's future, but since that lunatic succeeded in getting what he wanted...he may try similar sort of thing in future or maybe something even worse. These sort of guys should be dealt with toughly and compromise should never be an option.

And I must agree that this is not a lone issue, numerous such bizarre incidents are coming up regularly. I feel now is the time when people should come forward and start tacking these peoples else we will keep encouraging such rowdy people to grow

[blackasta]

Where did this thing happen? is it inside some housing / society parking?
You set a very bad example giving him the money. i can understand the concern for your car, but to cave in like that is crime. Remember the saying - 'One who commits a crime and one who does nothing about it - both are equally guilty'. Go to the police and file a GD on that rowdy.

[Pri2]

I cant imagine how people can get down to such levels by cheating and extorting money !!

Originally Posted by blackasta

You set a very bad example giving him the money. i can understand the concern for your car, but to cave in like that is crime. Remember the saying - 'One who commits a crime and one who does nothing about it - both are equally guilty'. Go to the police and file a GD on that rowdy.

+1 , What will you do if he comes back again tomorrow trying to extort money from you again? You should have called the cops and have them look into the matter. I am pretty sure he would have run away before the cops would arrive.

[rg_chn]

If his car had a dent, shouldn't yours too have one? You could've just showed him that there is no dent (provided there isn't any), instead of paying.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by rg_chn

If his car had a dent, shouldn't yours too have one? You could've just showed him that there is no dent (provided there isn't any), instead of paying.

Yeah. You COMPLETELY lost me there, Arpan.

[VW2010]

These are those incidents which will want to you slap that guy and shove him out. But sanity prevails and you have to try to get out of that place and save yourself 1500.

This is very common to extort money from people new to the locality or so.

You should called the cops or atleast threatened too and see what is reaction is.

[arpanjha]

Originally Posted by predatorwheelz

Which part of Kolkata did this incident take place?

This is a part in Howrah. I guess now you know why I got in such a helpless situation.

[srishiva]

I dont understand what you are afraid of? Ask him to file a FIR. If he is threatening you with damage to you car, tell him that any damage would occur you would file a FIR against him.

[arpanjha]

@ all:
Believe me, the way he tried to extort and quarrel, right in front of my house, it had began annoying my folks at home. I didnt want the people at home to get involved in this. He just didnt want to take an explanation that my car has not got a single dent or even a scratch. He had brought along 3 or 4 guys, who too didnt seem to be very easy on the situation, I felt the matter would go on to exchanging of blows, and I didnt want that to happen. Just to end the situation right there, there was no other option than pay the 1500 bucks. Definitely I will go ahead now and file a GD in the police station just as mentioned above by @pramodkumar. And I will send a photocopy of the GD to him and certainly warn him of consequences.