Help me please.. Car smash

LegacyUser

Well here is my problem.. I was drunk last night and as me and a good friend of mine were walking home. My friend all of a sudden said 'lets smash a car, it'll be a laugh' So me being a bit tipsy I thought it was a good idea. So we both picked up to big bricks and throw them at a car from a distance..

I got up this mornig and the whole cars right side is destroyed bodywork badly scratched and window smashed up So far I reckon noone seen us (amazingly) but the guilt is gettin to me

Should I confess to the guy that it was me and would I end up in big trouble with the gardai if he wanted to prosecute me?

Goldenegg

Im not going to lie to you OP, that was a pretty low thing to do.

Do you know the person who's car you vandalized? Im presuming its a neighbour of yours. In my opinion, if you confess, the person will more than likely call the guards and yes you will be in trouble.

If you dont confess, the guilt will kill you.

Its time to act decent and confess. Deal with the consequences.

Ainekav

' a bit tipsy' ????
What is wrong with you - people work hard to pay for cars only for some pr1ck like you and your friend (?) to ruin it all.

Tell the owner, deal with the consequences (which I hope are harsh) and cop the fcuk on

LegacyUser

Firstly, your good friend is not really your good friend. In fact he / she is not your friend at all.

Secondly, you are not responsible enough to drink. You use the excuse that you were tipsy at the time. You are still 100% responsible for your actions.

Its because of people like you that people who drive cars pay high insurance premiums.

1/. Own up. Be a man / woman. Take responsibility for your actions.

2/. Dump your "good friend". What sort of friend does something that can get their mate into serious trouble?

3/. Consider your relationship with alcohol. Don't drink anymore until you are responsible enough to be accountable for your actions. The fact you had to post asking the question answers this point.

Yes, you could get into very serious trouble. In fact you very well could end up in court if the owner wishes to have you prosecuted. You could end up in civil court for financial damages and you could end up in criminal court for criminal damage.

The car owner not only will have to pay (or claim off their car insurance if they have fully comp) to have the damage repaired, the car will be devalued by typically 10% of the repair charge. On top of that the owner may miss time off work getting quotes and having the damage fixed and may even have to hire a car while theirs is being repaired.

Definately be a man / woman. Knock on the owners door. Explain the situation (don't e tempted / stupid enough to say it was the drink and you didn't know what you were doing as this will sound really stupid and not do you any favours...). Offer compenstion in full, don't even attempt to say you'll pay your part as this will just be offensive. Offer a full and complete apology and undertake never to interfere with the owners property again.

There is nothing to stop the owner having you prosecuted. A full and frank confession and full compensation for all costs and in addition an apology payment may well be in order and may help in keeping the matter a civil one.

This time your "good friend" said it would be a laugh to smash a car up. What happens next time and your "good friend" says "lets smash that person's head in, it'll be a laugh"

You're an idiot and so is your "good friend". This country is on it knees and you're out smashing up cars. I just about can manage to pay my mortgage and bills at the moment. I definately don't have enough money to go out and get drunk. If some idiot smashed up my car I simply couldn't afford to have it repaired, even the excess payment on fully comp insurance would mean that more than one bill couldn't be paid.

You should be taken out and publicly flogged for your actions then put in the stocks for a week. Then made pay for the repairs to that poor man's car. Then I'd bluddy well deport you to Rockall or somewhere else desolate as you are offering our country nothing positive at the moment are you.

Feeling guilty my ar*e

LegacyUser

You say you were a bit tipsy, what are you like when you're a fully blown drunk? I mean, if you're so easily lead when you're merely tipsy, I can only assume you're a massive liability to yourself and everyone around you when you're actually drunk?

First off, I would suggest you never touch alcohol again. Like driving, it's just not for everyone, despite how much they'd like it to be. If this is the carry on you take part in when you're merely a bit tipsy, you're a catastrophe waiting to happen and if you think that this incident is big, the next will be significantly larger (think - you glassing someone and scarring them for life, you committing a larger crime, you accidentally killing someone or yourself).

Now, for a bit of rational thought. Since you obviously didn't set off an alarm, I'm going to presume it's an older car and shouldn't be as expensive to repair as a new car. I would suggest talking to a panel beater and get an idea of how much it'll cost to repair the bodywork and the paint, be it replacing the panels or beating them straight again, and the cost of new paint. The whole car could end up needing to be painted, so I would suggest preparing for the cost of that.

Ask the panel beater if he'd know the cost of replacing the windshield. Once you have an estimate for how much it'll cost, add €500 to it to make good for the event and you'll know how much you have to pay up for this. Tell your buddy that you're going to talk to the owner about the car and if he doesn't offer you half the money for the repairs, you're going to go to the owner anyway which'll result in the two of you being hauled up to the Gardai and being charged for it.

You will have to pay for it, whether the Gardai are involved or not. I would suggest costing the repair of everything, getting your mate involved and approaching the owner either with the money itself or a plan on how you're going to pay them the money. If you're young, I would suggest talking to your parents, they might loan you the money to get it sorted immediately and you can work it off with them.

If you were here saying you'd kicked off a wing mirror or something I'd just call you an eejit and tell you to turn up tomorrow with the cash, but you've done criminal damage to this persons pride and joy and are going to set them back substantially if you don't sort it out for them. It also gives your area a **** name when this carryon is taking place on Wednesday nights.

You're a cock, but at least you realise it and are feeling how normal people should feel about this. Stop drinking, sort this out and move on with your life. As I said, if you continue drinking, you're going to end up in a ton of situations like these and more serious whereby you'll be wishing you had never touched booze in the first place.

Best of luck .

Miss Fluff

OMGIDIDIT wrote: »

My friend all of a sudden said 'lets smash a car, it'll be a laugh'

A laugh? Not even in a crack-induced hysteria having sniffed a tube of glue would that constitute as a "laugh" for most decent human beings. Yeah I think you should fess up because it's the only reasonable thing to do. Times are hard for most people right now and if you don't fess up his insurance premium is going to go through the roof, hardly fair consequences as a result of what I can only describe as your loutish behaviour.

Coming clean is the only way to redeem yourself. That, or put cash in an envelope under his door to the tune of 1-2k or the value of the damage that has been done.

Personally I'd be surprised if this hasn't already been caught on CCTV anyway.

Overheal

Ainekav wrote: »

' a bit tipsy' ????
What is wrong with you - people work hard to pay for cars only for some pr1ck like you and your friend (?) to ruin it all.

Tell the owner, deal with the consequences (which I hope are harsh) and cop the fcuk on

Yeahr yeahr, smugness here, finger wagging there.

OP the owner of the car can very well react like - ^^^ - that, but thats a consequence of the actions you took. Im not personally of the opinion alchohol excuses misdeeds but thats neither here nor there.

I think it's great that you have a conscience about it and are at least considering these options.

Your the only one who can decide what to do, but I see a few options: anonymous apology letter, or come clean. If you come clean and he had insurance, they'll want you to pay for it. If he didnt have coverage, he may come after you for it. Criminal charges are secondary to that. charges will depend on how mad he is about it (how badly you smashed it up really) or how righteous he is.

One way or the other you'll have definitely learned something from this. What happens next will change whether or not you will feel proud or ashamed of your actions the next time you recall this incident 10 years from now.

Confess and offer to cover all costs.

Who knows, if times are tough for the owner of the car they might be stuck enough for money that they'll keep the gardai out for the sake of not having to get a solicitor to get the money off you. You'll end up paying for this one way or another, you might aswell make the best of the situation and begin by showing some remorse.

ppink

well OP are you sure noone saw you? or that you are not caught on cctv anywhere. it is only the day after, it could take a while before they would identify you from cctv......or if they cant you might be on crimeline:eek::eek:

you guilt is pretty much usless to the guy you have caused so much financial grief to.

If it was me I would have to own up as i know that guilt would never ever leave me.
It is a lot better to own up now than either be found out or own up later.

That is also a "friend" you can do without:(

cantdecide

As a certified car nut, I agree with the above. Man up and put things right. Running a car is ******* hard enough without the likes of you and your chum to contend with. My sister's car is permanently being vandalised. If I caught these people, I would give them a stern talking to.

LegacyUser

Overheal wrote: »

Yeahr yeahr, smugness here, finger wagging there.

OP the owner of the car can very well react like - ^^^ - that, but thats a consequence of the actions you took. Im not personally of the opinion alchohol excuses misdeeds but thats neither here nor there.

I think it's great that you have a conscience about it and are at least considering these options.
Your the only one who can decide what to do, but I see a few options: anonymous apology letter, or come clean. If you come clean and he had insurance, they'll want you to pay for it. If he didnt have coverage, he may come after you for it. Criminal charges are secondary to that. charges will depend on how mad he is about it (how badly you smashed it up really) or how righteous he is.

One way or the other you'll have definitely learned something from this. What happens next will change whether or not you will feel proud or ashamed of your actions the next time you recall this incident 10 years from now.

You have got to be kidding me??? Yes well done OP you're absolutely great for smashing some randomers guy in for no apparent reason and then feeling bad after it. No wonder the country is full of scum.

Ainekav

Overheal wrote: »

Yeahr yeahr, smugness here, finger wagging there.

OP the owner of the car can very well react like - ^^^ - that, but thats a consequence of the actions you took. Im not personally of the opinion alchohol excuses misdeeds but thats neither here nor there.

I think it's great that you have a conscience about it and are at least considering these options.........

charges will depend on how mad he is about it (how badly you smashed it up really) or how righteous he is.

How am I being smug???? And why would the owner of the car be described as 'righteous' for reacting badly to his car being wrecked by drunk idiots???
The OP needs to hear this so he/she can realise the magnitude of what they did - because I don't think explaining it away as 'I was tipsy' really cuts it, tbh.

OP I stand by what I said earlier - I'm not being 'smug' or 'finger wagging' - I've gotten into all sorts of situations when drunk, but I think what you did was deplorable because it adversely affected someone else and now they have to pay. Which is not fair.

I think the only way to really rectify the situation is to fess up - even if you put some cash under his door, his insurance will still go through the roof.

cantdecide

+1

Another thing to consider is there can be distortions, panel alignment issues, slight discprencies in shades, over time, body filler distorts or causes misting in the paint. Going to the very best panel beaters is often only enough to reduce the chances of these issues occuring.

If your car is your pride and joy and it gets bashed, often when you repair them, they're never quite the same again.

Sometimes, it's not a question of simply writing a cheque and it's all fine.

OP - with or without drink involved, that was an extraordinarily scumbag thing for you to do - did you know the person or did you just pick a random car?

Here's a little thought for you - what if the person is disabled and the door side you smashed is the only side they can use to get into their car? Or the car belongs to a struggling family who needs it to get to and fro?

Confess to the owner. Tell them it was you and your friends. Deal with the consequences. Because that's what a normal, decent person does. Otherwise, you're no worse than a scumbag.

LegacyUser

OP as someone who has been on the receiving end of car vandalism TWICE, please put this right - confess and pay for the damages. It is extremely upsetting to come out in the morning to find that someone has damaged the property that you sweated, worked and saved for, especially at a time when we are all struggling to make end meet. I cannot understand this kind of random aggression but you need to own up.

Staplor

No way, wallow in guilt, the guilt will fade with time, if Roman Catholic then go to confession, you can do anything and get forgiveness in confession, if not RC then do some good in the world and throw some Karma back in your corner.

If you do get nabbed by CCTV then apologise, state you have no recollection of the event, but will certainly cover the cost blah blah blah.

seamus

Staplor wrote: »

if not RC then do some good in the world and throw some Karma back in your corner.

"Some good", as in "Go to the owner, tell them what you did and offer to pay for everything, including a rental car?"

"Say nothing and ask forgiveness from the church", I've never heard such irresponsible nonsense in my life.

Staplor

I'm sorry for being practical here, it's a neighbour, he has to live next to this person, this will get out amongst his neighbours and he'll be blamed for everything that ever happens around the place.

Honestly I'd keep quiet on it and do some good to balance out the wrong.

LegacyUser

Staplor wrote: »

I'm sorry for being practical here, it's a neighbour, he has to live next to this person, this will get out amongst his neighbours and he'll be blamed for everything that ever happens around the place.

Honestly I'd keep quiet on it and do some good to balance out the wrong.

Right??? Because he doesn't deserve to be accused of something he wouldn't do ????

MissFlitworth

Staplor wrote: »

I'm sorry for being practical here, it's a neighbour, he has to live next to this person, this will get out amongst his neighbours and he'll be blamed for everything that ever happens around the place.

Honestly I'd keep quiet on it and do some good to balance out the wrong.

Doing 'some good' balances out nothing. There's still the matter of the person with the smashed up car who may not have the money to sort it out.

OP - I would fess up to this person, and not just because it's the right thing to do and you (and your friend) owe them a wad of cash. I've been around someone who had their car smashed up & the main thing that got them afterwards, far and above the cost of repairing the damage, is that they didn't know why it was done and they were worried that they were being targetted by someone. Telling them it was you means that they won't go around tensed up waiting for a brick to come through their window for the next couple of years

ppink

LOL doing "some good" for who exactly? to balance out the massive wrong he has done to his neighbour.

If I had a neighbour who did this to me i would far prefer he fessed up then to later find out he was the culprit who then kept his mouth shut knowing the grief he had caused.

All depends on the morals of the OP I guess

Staplor

Staplor wrote: »

No way, wallow in guilt, the guilt will fade with time, if Roman Catholic then go to confession, you can do anything and get forgiveness in confession, if not RC then do some good in the world and throw some Karma back in your corner.

If you do get nabbed by CCTV then apologise, state you have no recollection of the event, but will certainly cover the cost blah blah blah.

This is a load of BS.

OP confess and offer to pay up, it is the only thing to do both from a "right thing to do" perspective and from a "feeling less guilty" one.

Kevin Duffy

Your thread title is curious - what sort of help did you think you needed or deserved?
You didn't have a car smash, I suspect, like me, that most people thought you'd been involved in a car crash before reading, what you actually did was commit criminal damage and you want to blame the drink and your "friend". It wasn't them, it was you. Grow up, take responsibility and stop looking for absolution on the internet when you already know what you should be doing.

aidan24326

Also be prepared for the neighbour to be raging mad and possibly hit you a smack. Now I don't know if the person in question has any violent tendencies/rage issues but if he has I'd be careful. You better do some serious apologising and assure him straight away that you'll cover any financial costs he incurs.

LegacyUser

First off, I was totally drunk. Don't know why I said 'a bit tipsy'. I can't remember how I got home (my friend told me bout the car) The guy lives right up the road from me, It's about a 10 minute walk from my house.

I wasnt seen as I imagine I would have heard somthing by now and I know the area well there is no cctv camera in that particular area..

I do think my FRIEND knew what he was doing though.. The guy that lives in the house is a thief and he has been causing bother round these parts for years and robbed my friends mothers house a while back (was seen by a neighbour) I reckon my friend ment to get me drunk as he was buyin drinks all night...

Anyway, I love my cars but the guy really is a scumbag and I have no sympathy for him.. He has caused loads of people bother and done a lot worse himself fcuk him KARMA as one of you said

cafecolour

Judging from what I've seen, this seems to be a popular drunken past time. Cars, windows, shop signs, bicycles, trash cans. I once saw a group of 12 or so lads all kicking a trash can (from all sides), simultaneously. I'm not sure what the point of that was, but I was certainly not brave enough to tell them to knock it off.


Anyway, I'm not sure this will be the most popular opinion, but given that this could bring some relatively serious charges, I'd suggest going to consult with a solicitor first and then approaching the neighbor.

seamus

OMGIDIDIT wrote: »

Anyway, I love my cars but the guy really is a scumbag and I have no sympathy for him.. He has caused loads of people bother and done a lot worse himself fcuk him KARMA as one of you said

So in other words, you don't feel guilty at all and don't need this thread.

Locked.