Protect & Serve?

[Adica]

My husband and I were going through a local car wash at a Shell gas station. He put the car in neutral as required, so the guides in the floor could take the car through the wash. Suddenly, "SMASH!" The metal door at the exit of the tunnel was ajar and the car drove right into it, creating a quite significant dent on the front right fender and bumper.

My husband contacted the local police department (non-emergency number), and the dispatcher refused to send someone out to make a police report. She told him this was not a matter that concerned them. Protect & Serve? I don't think so. My husband is originally from India, but has been in this country for several years. He is very intelligent, and speaks four languages fluently, including English. Although he has an accent, his English is very well spoken. With the dispatcher still on the phone, he handed it to me. I introduced myself as his wife, and she said, "Oh good, maybe you understand English a little better than he does." By her tone, I was fully aware that this was a prejudice remark. I kept my cool and just listened. She also told me that no police officer would be sent to the scene of the accident.

Am I wrong here? We just wanted a police report to give an accurate assessment of the accident with the date, time, damage and situation. I believe it is the duty of the police department to come to the accident and serve us, in order to protect are rights, and assess their opinion of fault. I am very upset with this situation, and I was hoping for some feedback. What do you think?

 

[IronWing]

Police generally don't respond to non-injury accidents on private property.

 

[BoomerD]

Happened on private property.

USUALLY, unless there are injuries, the police won't respond. This will be between you (and your insurance company) and the car wash. (and their insurance company)

 

[beer]

So you left the car wash without telling them this happened?

You're screwed.

I thought this was fairly common knowledge? Police = public property except during injury

 

[Pepsi90919]

it's more of a civil case. try to work it out with the manager or sue.

 

[Adica]

Originally posted by: beer
So you left the car wash without telling them this happened?

You're screwed.

I thought this was fairly common knowledge? Police = public property except during injury

No, of course we spoke to the attendant. She called the owner, and I spoke to him. I tried to call him back today to deal with this, but his number has been conveniently disconnected.

 

[AndrewR]

What crime occurred? It's a civil issue, not criminal. It is not a surprise that the police wouldn't go out there.

 

[nick1985]

You were wrong for expecting them to come out there. They were wrong for the comments about your husbands English.

 

[AnyMal]

Originally posted by: nick1985
You were wrong for expecting them to come out there. They were wrong for the comments about your husbands English.

I concur

 

[Pepsi90919]

there were probably signs around that said something about no responsibility for broken items?

 

[Agentbolt]

there were probably signs around that said something about no responsibility for broken items?

They can put up that sign until the cows come home, it's not going to protect them from legal action. There's no reasonable assumption that they might not open their doors enough to avoid gouging her car. That sign only applies to something a reasonable person might expect to happen, like for example an antenna getting snapped off in the wash.

Expecting the cops to show up where there was no crime and no danger to the public was pretty foolish. If your story is not biased at all then the operator was way out of line. However we're only getting your side of the story, maybe your husband was rude on the phone when the dispatch told her no cops were coming.

 

[bluestrobe]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Happened on private property.

USUALLY, unless there are injuries, the police won't respond. This will be between you (and your insurance company) and the car wash. (and their insurance company)

+1

 

[1sikbITCH]

http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/co...ch/corpsearchinput.asp

Use the above link to find out who is the Resident Agent for the car wash and then send him a certified letter explaining the incident and instructing him to forward the letter to their insurance company.

If that doesn't work, file suit in small claims court and send the RA a copy of the suit. That usually does it.

And as has been previously stated, your understanding of "Protect and Serve" is naive and incorrect. Protect and Serve means they will arrest the bad guys and pull you out of a burning vehicle. That's about it.
It does not mean they are there to play referee in civil disputes. That's for the lawyers and insurance companies.

 

[dartworth]

Originally posted by: Adica

Originally posted by: beer
So you left the car wash without telling them this happened?

You're screwed.

I thought this was fairly common knowledge? Police = public property except during injury

No, of course we spoke to the attendant. She called the owner, and I spoke to him. I tried to call him back today to deal with this, but his number has been conveniently disconnected.

:|

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Adica
"Oh good, maybe you understand English a little better than he does." By her tone, I was fully aware that this was a prejudice remark. I kept my cool and just listened.

I'm just going to comment on this part.

I realize that English is a difficult language to learn, and that it's hard to get rid of accents, but some people have trouble understanding accents. Personally I have a lot of problems with it. I was born and raised in the South, and I can't understand half of the people here.

Nice way to jump on the "I'm a victim of prejudice" remark. I'll have to bring that up at the "Oppress everyone" meeting we white people have.

 

[Adica]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: Adica
"Oh good, maybe you understand English a little better than he does." By her tone, I was fully aware that this was a prejudice remark. I kept my cool and just listened.

I'm just going to comment on this part.

I realize that English is a difficult language to learn, and that it's hard to get rid of accents, but some people have trouble understanding accents. Personally I have a lot of problems with it. I was born and raised in the South, and I can't understand half of the people here.

Nice way to jump on the "I'm a victim of prejudice" remark. I'll have to bring that up at the "Oppress everyone" meeting we white people have.

If you read more carefully, She did not say she didn't understand him. She implied that he doesn't UNDERSTAND English.

Thank you everybody for your input. I guess I was wrong thinking that the police should have came to the accident. I especially appreciate the comment from 1sikbITCH.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Adica


My husband and I were going through a local car wash at a Shell gas station. He put the car in neutral as required, so the guides in the floor could take the car through the wash. Suddenly, "SMASH!" The metal door at the exit of the tunnel was ajar and the car drove right into it, creating a quite significant dent on the front right fender and bumper.

My husband contacted the local police department (non-emergency number), and the dispatcher refused to send someone out to make a police report. She told him this was not a matter that concerned them. Protect & Serve? I don't think so. My husband is originally from India, but has been in this country for several years. He is very intelligent, and speaks four languages fluently, including English. Although he has an accent, his English is very well spoken. With the dispatcher still on the phone, he handed it to me. I introduced myself as his wife, and she said, "Oh good, maybe you understand English a little better than he does." By her tone, I was fully aware that this was a prejudice remark. I kept my cool and just listened. She also told me that no police officer would be sent to the scene of the accident.

Am I wrong here? We just wanted a police report to give an accurate assessment of the accident with the date, time, damage and situation. I believe it is the duty of the police department to come to the accident and serve us, in order to protect are rights, and assess their opinion of fault. I am very upset with this situation, and I was hoping for some feedback. What do you think?

I think you're high on crack to expect the Police to come out for that and the woman you spoke to was right on in her assessment of your husbands grasp of the English language. Prejudice had nothing to do with it. Lack of comprehension had everything to do with it.

 

[Adica]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Adica


My husband and I were going through a local car wash at a Shell gas station. He put the car in neutral as required, so the guides in the floor could take the car through the wash. Suddenly, "SMASH!" The metal door at the exit of the tunnel was ajar and the car drove right into it, creating a quite significant dent on the front right fender and bumper.

My husband contacted the local police department (non-emergency number), and the dispatcher refused to send someone out to make a police report. She told him this was not a matter that concerned them. Protect & Serve? I don't think so. My husband is originally from India, but has been in this country for several years. He is very intelligent, and speaks four languages fluently, including English. Although he has an accent, his English is very well spoken. With the dispatcher still on the phone, he handed it to me. I introduced myself as his wife, and she said, "Oh good, maybe you understand English a little better than he does." By her tone, I was fully aware that this was a prejudice remark. I kept my cool and just listened. She also told me that no police officer would be sent to the scene of the accident.

Am I wrong here? We just wanted a police report to give an accurate assessment of the accident with the date, time, damage and situation. I believe it is the duty of the police department to come to the accident and serve us, in order to protect are rights, and assess their opinion of fault. I am very upset with this situation, and I was hoping for some feedback. What do you think?

I think you're high on crack to expect the Police to come out for that and the woman you spoke to was right on in her assessment of your husbands grasp of the English language. Prejudice had nothing to do with it. Lack of comprehension had everything to do with it.

I'm surprised in you. Usually I agree with what you have to say. He grasps and comprehends English perfectly. Naturally he has an accent. I am not high on crack. I merely had a misunderstanding of the law because I have minimal experience confronting it. I am now more than clear, but thank you for your opinion.

 

[Strych9]

Your sig tells me plenty about you and your husband. It's civil....get a life.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Adica

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Adica


My husband and I were going through a local car wash at a Shell gas station. He put the car in neutral as required, so the guides in the floor could take the car through the wash. Suddenly, "SMASH!" The metal door at the exit of the tunnel was ajar and the car drove right into it, creating a quite significant dent on the front right fender and bumper.

My husband contacted the local police department (non-emergency number), and the dispatcher refused to send someone out to make a police report. She told him this was not a matter that concerned them. Protect & Serve? I don't think so. My husband is originally from India, but has been in this country for several years. He is very intelligent, and speaks four languages fluently, including English. Although he has an accent, his English is very well spoken. With the dispatcher still on the phone, he handed it to me. I introduced myself as his wife, and she said, "Oh good, maybe you understand English a little better than he does." By her tone, I was fully aware that this was a prejudice remark. I kept my cool and just listened. She also told me that no police officer would be sent to the scene of the accident.

Am I wrong here? We just wanted a police report to give an accurate assessment of the accident with the date, time, damage and situation. I believe it is the duty of the police department to come to the accident and serve us, in order to protect are rights, and assess their opinion of fault. I am very upset with this situation, and I was hoping for some feedback. What do you think?

I think you're high on crack to expect the Police to come out for that and the woman you spoke to was right on in her assessment of your husbands grasp of the English language. Prejudice had nothing to do with it. Lack of comprehension had everything to do with it.

I'm surprised in you. Usually I agree with what you have to say. He grasps and comprehends English perfectly. Naturally he has an accent. I am not high on crack. I merely had a misunderstanding of the law because I have minimal experience confronting it. I am now more than clear, but thank you for your opinion.

Sorry for being so blunt but your post seemed accusatory of the police in general as being racist and I, as a rule, hate generalizations. Nothing in your post made me think they were singling your husband out because of his accent or nationality or race. Sure, the person he spoke to might have gotten irritated and been a tad insensitive but that does not equal racism.

 

[Strych9]

Why did you change your sig?

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Adica
If you read more carefully, She did not say she didn't understand him. She implied that he doesn't UNDERSTAND English.

So why would you comment at all on his ability to speak English if you didn't think it was a factor?

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: Strych9
Why did you change your sig?

what was it before?

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Like many people said, a lot of departments don't come out for Private Property accidents.

 

[RandomFool]

You should have posted this in the Rookie Cop thread.