Summoned to court for scratching a car?

[Hgfgjff ツ]

I'm 17 and particularly new at driving.
So basically I was parking and I scratched this old guys 1999 truck. The scratch was not even maybe 2 inches. I apologized and even offered $200 for a paint job to fix it. But no he went and called the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ cops. The cop gave me a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ticket for court! Everyone I've known that scratched some other people's car never got sent to court. The cop said if I payed for the damage and show the receipt I can be dismissed.
If I'm dismissed do I still have to pay the court costs?
Also my main concern is that will this add any points to my license? Cuz I don't want my insurance to increase cuz I'm not, let's put it this way, rich.
Any advice will be helpful.

[Naedmi]

This is why most people drive away after scratching someone elses car by accident.

[Hgfgjff ツ]

TheDean の投稿を引用：

This is why most people drive away after scratching someone elses car by accident.

To my luck he was there when i scratched it. Plus if i left, according to google, it would be considered as hit and run, which can be fined up to $1000 and 6 month in jail.

[Sir Dookface McFerretballs]

Learn to drive and know the dimensions of the vehicle you are driving and this would never happen.

[Hgfgjff ツ]

Sir Dookface McFerretballs の投稿を引用：

Learn to drive and know the dimensions of the vehicle you are driving and this would never happen.

Im used to driving a car but i took my parents minivan to pick something up.

[♠ZerØ♠]

Were you not insured? Or are you trying to avoid the rate bump from using your insurence to pay it?

Sounds like you just ran into an old ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ out to school some little kids. Tell the guy you will pay, but after he gets a consult on the damages, and you get a seperate consult from a different place. Then offer to pay it out of pocket again. You put it back on this guy. He is wasting everyones time, so if you dump a huge time sink on him, to do it properly, I bet he will buckle. People like to be asshats as long as it doesn't eat into their day too much, and two seperat consults will be a pretty big deterrant. And while you are at it, if you can snag a picture of the damage, get a few quotes from local paint shops, just so you can low ball his ass.

[Sir Dookface McFerretballs]

Hgfgjff ツ の投稿を引用：

Sir Dookface McFerretballs の投稿を引用：

Learn to drive and know the dimensions of the vehicle you are driving and this would never happen.

Im used to driving a car but i took my parents minivan to pick something up.

There is no excuse you can use to justify your crappy driving. Don't put the blame on anyone or anything but yourself and learn to be a more responsible driver in the future. ^_^

[Soundpulse]

"lol learn to drive"
This is an example of an ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.
I'm not sure what you should do, but telling you to "drive better" sure won't help you in court.

[Naedmi]

Learn to drive is basically the elitist answer.

Compare it to git gud and learn to play.

[iLuvKoЯn]

man

that is the worst thing to do lmao
literally going up to them and apologizing

shoulda drove off
if someone comes over to your place (paul-lease) to bring your ass to court tell em you'll pay for it and that you've got cash up the wazoo, and tell them it ain't a problem

[Hgfgjff ツ]

TheDean の投稿を引用：

Learn to drive is basically the elitist answer.

Compare it to git gud and learn to play.

Im 17. You gotta start somewhere. But sending me to court for a barley 2 inch scratch on a 1999 truck is a bit ridiculous. If he wasnt there he prob wouldnt even notice the scratch.

[Sir Dookface McFerretballs]

So the person that tells another person to drive better is a donkeyhole while the person actually scratching and damaging other people's property isnt? That is the LOL my friend.

Obviously you cannot afford a lawyer, so you should go get a quote from a body/paint shop on how much it would cost to fix the issue you caused so the guy doesn't try to ring you out for a $3k paintjob. (because saying I'm poor and I'm sorry wIll not get you off if it goes to court) If it is just a little scratch then it can be buffed out it will only cost about $80USD, but you should spend $150 for a full car detail so the guy feels like he got something out of it and doesn't take it to small claims court (also get any agreements in writing), if it is a dent and down to the metal then it needs to be repainted and likely either popped out or have body filler. Without actually seeing what you are calling a "scratch" the best guess is you will be lucky to get away paying under $500USD. I do auto detailing for a living, and I have heard tons of people call massive damage "just a little scratch" before.

The better advice should be, take a defensive driving class after paying whatever it costs to fix the damage done, and if you are too poor to be driving, take the bus or get a bicycle or walk. I have no sympathy for bad drivers, you are driving a 2 ton death machine on wheels, take responsibility for your actions or don't drive.

[Magical Vince]

You guys are idiots, even the safest drivers still make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes and you're an idiot if you think that people can go their whole lives without ever doing it. If you hit someones car you should have insurance pay for it. If he wants to make you go to court for this then he's just a jack ass who was probably bullied in high school and wants to take it out on you. Just go to court and tell them you'll pay for it and then find out where he lives afterwards and ♥♥♥♥ his car up as revenge.

[♠ZerØ♠]

Magical Vince の投稿を引用：

You guys are idiots, even the safest drivers still make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes and you're an idiot if you think that people can go their whole lives without ever doing it. If you hit someones car you should have insurance pay for it. If he wants to make you go to court for this then he's just a jack ass who was probably bullied in high school and wants to take it out on you. Just go to court and tell them you'll pay for it and then find out where he lives afterwards and ♥♥♥♥ his car up as revenge.

Hey... I know I am an idiot, but not on this one.

[Lily]

Sir Dookface McFerretballs の投稿を引用：

So the person that tells another person to drive better is a donkeyhole while the person actually scratching and damaging other people's property isnt? That is the LOL my friend.

While you do have a point that OP could be underestimating the damage, it's a bit unrealistic to expect someone to be a perfect driver the moment they start developing the skill. Not like OP did something dangerous to cause the damage, like running a stop sign or backing up without looking first or something.

[Sir Dookface McFerretballs]

Magical Vince の投稿を引用：

You guys are idiots, even the safest drivers still make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes and you're an idiot if you think that people can go their whole lives without ever doing it. If you hit someones car you should have insurance pay for it. If he wants to make you go to court for this then he's just a jack ass who was probably bullied in high school and wants to take it out on you. Just go to court and tell them you'll pay for it and then find out where he lives afterwards and ♥♥♥♥ his car up as revenge.

Great idea there telling someone to do felony tresspassing and criminal destruction of private property. *sarcasm*

If you are going to call other people idiots, make sure you don't say something idiotic right after... It is just bad form, Ol' chap.