Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Families who needs them?????

[ScottyB]

Right Guys and Gals i am in a bit of a dilema and need some advice.

I took the new 749 round to the wifes Uncles to let him see it. I went inside for a drink of water as it was scorching hot, as i walked in his front door i heard that distinctive plastic meets tarmac sound.

The **** had only gone and sat on the bike and dropped it

I lost the plot and had to walk away before i snapped him in 2. His attitude was unbelievable ranging from....."It's only a bike" to "I hope it is insured"...........

Rab at Ducati Glasgow opened up specially on Monday to put it in for repair as i was going back to the rigs. The damage is £500+ rear brake lever snapped, front brake lever damage, clutch cover, RHS fairing etc etc.

The idiot is now decided he is not paying for the damage.

What can i do?

1. Cause £500+ damage to his BMW sat in his drive way, and see how he likes it! (Looking favourite)

2. Turn him upside down and shake him until my money falls out

Any other suggestions?

The bike was only TPFT so not insured for space cadets getting on it and dropping it!!!!

I am gobsmacked at his attitude, if that had been me with someone elses pride and joy i would have been groveling and beside myself with apologies and embarassment. With Mastercard at the ready to pay for the damage.

Scottch and i spoke about it at length, what makes it worse is he is a fellow biker. What is it with people and bikes, just because it has a seat does not mean you have the right to sit on it!!!!!!

I swear if he was not related to the wife i would slap him.

What are my options?

[TP]

He is a fellow biker so should therefore know better. If her refuses to pay involve the police.

He is completely taking the p*ss because of the loose family connection.

If you have no joy through the police route then I would have no moral dilemma's taking other courses of action that you have mentioned. As he seems to think it's ok to do that and not pay I'm sure he would be ok with the damage to his BMW as well!! Incidentally I would make sure there was at least 4 times the amount of damage to the car btu I would certainly be pushing to get some cash out of him first.

Ar*ehole!!!!!!!!!!!

I have NO time for family taking the **** - my own brother took me for over $15k AUD ....

[Edited on 12-8-2004 by tp-996]

[TP]

My blood is still boiling ......

Time to go for a beer methinks ....

[lizzie]

Is there anyone in your wife's family who can apply some pressure to make him see sense before this escalates? I doubt whether the police would be interested though; is this not a civil rather than criminal matter? Perhaps one of our bobbies would know the answer to that. If no joy through other ways, try a solicitors letter followed by the small claims court (assuming same rules in Scotland). I know it's tempting to want to get your own back and damage something of his but that's how family feuds start and I doubt your wife would thank you for it.

Staggering though that anyone thinks it's acceptable to cause £500 damage to someone's else's property and not pay for it. Even if it had been fully comp there's no reason why you should make a claim and lose your NCB, pay the excess, etc, anyway.

[ScottyB]

My blood is boiling also TP............

The guy is loaded and i mean minted, he won the "National" at the bingo a few years ago about 100k...and he owns a taxi company. More money than sense!!!

If i was home back on dry land i would be sinking a cold one, to try and calm down.

[Redruth]

[i]

Staggering though that anyone thinks it's acceptable to cause £500 damage to someone's else's property and not pay for it. Even if it had been fully comp there's no reason why you should make a claim and lose your NCB, pay the excess, etc, anyway.

What does your wife have to say about this incident? Know any friendly solicitors who could whack off a 'threatening' letter to the git without charging you an arm and a leg! I'm sure it's a civil rather than criminal matter but, in my opinion, it's criminal to treat you and your bike with such contempt. Lizzie's approach is no doubt 100% correct but I agree with you, trash his car for revenge if you can't get anywhere by reasonable means.

[lizzie]

By the way Scotty I sent you a little light reading yesterday which could have taken your mind off all this.... but it sounds like it won't reach you for a little while if you're not on dry land

[Dave G]

It never ceases to amaze me the stupidity of people.
You need something like a wheelclamp,which costs say....£500 to get removed.Failing that you could always borrow something for security,even if its from HIS wife-embarress the prat into paying up.
Putting his name in the local papers would be funny,people love stories of how rich guys are so meanly petty.
Theres more ways to get at people without resorting to their level,get everyone you know to phone up his taxi firm and book his cabs on goose chases for a few nights,once he starts to lose his own cash in front of others he might think twice about being cavalier with other peoples property.
You might never get your money back,but I'm a great believer in getting even,especially when its the sort of subtle aggravation that they cant do anything about.

[DC]

Mmmm. This is not a police matter. The damage was accidental or thats what he would say.

There is a part to the criminal damage legislation that states that if the person was reckless then that would be criminal but this does not count here. (For example, a person throws a brick and does not care where it ends up. The brick smashes a window that is not his, get it?)

I suppose its a course of going through the civil court.

Sorry mate.

DC.

[DJ Tera]

I would have floored him no questions asked, then when hes holding whats left of his face, tell him, "It's only a nose - hope you have private healthcare"

What a c*nt - are you not worried what sort of family you've married into??!


Edit : Give him 5 working days to pay then go to work on his car

If you were darn sarf I would gladly have offered to do it for ya!

[Edited on 12-8-2004 by DJ Tera]