Absolutely Livid.

My street has had construction for what feels like forever. It's not the end of the world but these jerks hit my car and totally removed the passager side mirror backing up. Oh let me clarify. BACKING UP 50 ft at top speed.

Accidents happen, it sucks I follow the procedures for insurance and run into something I'm just bubbling mad about.

The Maryland State Highway doesn't have insurance. They say they are self insured. But throughout the entire process employees tell you no one ever gets authorized. That didn't make sense to me.

Let me clarify again. I live on a street where a parallel park. This street has a company that moves wide loads and they've never damaged my car. I however have no issue being a jerk. So I called that company and told them the construction blamed them for the damage to my vehicle. ( they didn't exactly they just refused responsibility)

This company had so much information I wouldn't have if I hadn't contacted them. The wide load company was able to tell me details like my car was parked across the street from a stop sign. This become relevant because the SHA was interfering so they had to measure AROUND MY CAR at 9 a.m. No damage to my vehicle when the measuring was done. The equipment that was moved at 9 was too tall to damage the side mirror.

So I leave the house at 9:30 and have damage to my car.

It gets even better. My car , my house, my neighbors we all live inside where the SHA BLOCKED THE ROAD.

Yes, there can be no traffic on this road due construction. The only vehicles are construction and employees doing the construction. I was really expecting a simple insurance irritation.

Not to be ! Because appartly all SHA employees are allowed to do is deny responsibility. It doesn't matter all the evidence I have about no one else could possibly have damaged my car. The research I did finding when the last time my car was safe, didn't matter to SHA because self insured seems to mean they have no responsibility for any damages. Unless you see them damage something they won't take responsibility.

MY CAR WAS PARKED BETWEEN TWO BARACADES !!! There was no public on this street when my car was damaged. I have a third party professional company with measurements around my safely parked car and still 30 mins later 20 constructions workers don't even say hello their first words to me were seriously, " it wasn't us". That's not a joke.

I am raging. There is so much anger in me that the md SHA is so irresponsible that they go around damaging property and use insurance proceedures as an excuss not to pay. These #!$@'s told me to file under my insurance as a hit and run. They didn't run, they just don't care!

I cannot see people gettting away with this, why are gov't agencies allowed to do this ? I was basically told repairs for damage aren't in the budget. How is this considered self insured?

You will have to sue them. If the money seems not worth it, look up 'legal aid bureau or Volunteer Lawyers Project" in your county. They will likely settle and pay post haste. Just have 3 estimates and pictures. Have your insurance company take pictures and create a report.

a reply to: reldra
I think you are right. I'm very angry that this seems to be a game to them. When you file a claim you're given a date minimum 30 days out before the claim will even be viewed. Construction should be over today, very interesting that this is when I get the denial. I can't even go file restraining orders on all the workers to keep them away from me. Okay to make me feel better and puss them off.

This seems like a scam.

Calm down. File a claim under your comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive claims do NOT count "against" you in terms of insurance rates and your record. (I've filed two comprehensive claims in the last year, one for over $5k when a rock nearly killed me on a Los Angeles freeway, and one for a windshield.) You'll be out the $100 deductible. Do the math and decide if it's worth your time and effort to pursue collecting the deductible. Also do the math in terms of how outraged you are and decide whether this is worth the toll on your body in terms of anger and blood pressure, etc.

a reply to: Iamthatbish

"Why are government agencies allowed to do this?"

They shouldn't be, and technically I don't think they are allowed to, but that's the whole philosophy of the government: no accountability, promoting false public image of themselves, etc. (you get the point)


Sorry this has happened to you - perhaps reldra's advice is a good avenue at this point.

a reply to: schuyler

I know , I know. Here's my problem. I filed a police report that day. I filed the claim with SHA that day. I did not file with my insurance honestly because there really is no one else that could be responsible.

I may be wrong however, I think I have to wait to receive the denial letter for my insurance. I'm also looking to see the time frame for filing on my policy.

a reply to: Iamthatbish

You can always try calling the office of your local congressperson. Those offices don't do very much, so when a citizen and possible voter calls, they are all ears. I had a heat assistance application get 'lost' one year (they are all automated now, but then could be a big problem). I called the legislator's office for my district. The next day I got a phone call from LIHEAP that the application had been immediately 'found' and approved.

a reply to: FamCore

I think I'm angry because the employees aren't allowed to admit to damage. However without this admission they won't accept responsibility.

So, okay this sucks and I'm not pleased. But, my mind can't get over this. In order for them to fix what they broke a person has to do what their job description says they can't do and keep their job ?

When you add this information to repairs not being in the budget I don't understand how this could be called self insured. If you tried to be self insured there is a certain amount that needs to be in a special account for any issues.

I know I said it seems like a scam earlier. I just can't think of anything else that fixes the system to favor themselves like this.

a reply to: reldra
That's a very good idea. I have myself today to calm down. I'm really screaming mad. I was also hoping ATS would have ideas I haven't had .

Keep them coming ! Please and Thank you.

your wing mirror? just buy a new one.
if theres construction on your street would it would be wize to park off yor street?
why should you ,right?
its your damn street .

i suggest you stop being a baby , fix your own wing mirror , and move your car next time.

a reply to: Iamthatbish
Just don't be like this guy:

Things wouldn't end up well. Also, don't read the story Road Work by Stephen King and get any ideas. Again, things won't work out well. You could sue. It's not as putting sand in their gas tanks but you won't get arrested. So, yeah, sue.

probably not the best idea to park on the street when construction is going on what with all the wide loads and all.
and you said it.
not supposed to be any vehicles on the road

sucks for you

Not everyone lives places where there are parking alternatives. My street is off a main road. Parking there would get you towed. Thanks for reading.

originally posted by: Rikku
your wing mirror? just buy a new one.
if theres construction on your street would it would be wize to park off yor street?
why should you ,right?
its your damn street .

i suggest you stop being a baby , fix your own wing mirror , and move your car next time.

Thanks for reading my rant.

It seems some readers assume everyone has driveways. Off street parking is the norm in Western Md. The rule is stay away from the line. Basically anything past the line belongs to your house and what you put there a.k.a. cars.

That street I live in could be considered a highway. It has route number along with its name. I never had issues with snow plows, the prestated wide road trucks. Only this group of construction.

Also, when cars are required to be moved there is a notification process. There was no notification due to less than ten homes being affected with no alternative parking available. The point being I did what I was supposed to do. I parked in my place, way closer to the house than the line. Yes, I took pictures that day for evidence.

Google some streets in the mountains it may help you understand.

originally posted by: TinySickTears
probably not the best idea to park on the street when construction is going on what with all the wide loads and all.
and you said it.
not supposed to be any vehicles on the road

sucks for you

a reply to: Skid Mark
I don't think I ever saw that movie ! This clip makes me want to check it out. Thanks for that giggle.

originally posted by: Iamthatbish
a reply to: schuyler

I know , I know. Here's my problem. I filed a police report that day. I filed the claim with SHA that day. I did not file with my insurance honestly because there really is no one else that could be responsible.

I may be wrong however, I think I have to wait to receive the denial letter for my insurance. I'm also looking to see the time frame for filing on my policy.

Not the point. Sure, they're responsible, but you pay insurance premiums to cover this sort of thing. That's what it is for. It doesn't make any sense to pay for comprehensive insurance (Note: "Comprehensive" is NOT "liability insurance") if when you have a comprehensive claim, you won't use it. That's just pissing money away. It's like the windshield. Some dump truck flipped up a rock. Legally, the dump truck is responsible. So are you going to chase down the dump truck, accost its driver, demand insurance information, call the cops, and "make" his company pay for it? Of course not. That is completely wasted effort. You call the insurance company and say, "A rock hit my windshield and it cracked clear across." So you get a new windshield and that's the end of it.

And for the record, comprehensive is more expensive if you park on the street, less expensive if you park in an enclosed garage. Yes, I KNOW that "isn't available to you," but you bear a certain share of responsibility by allowing your car to be vulnerable. Whether you believe you "had no choice in the matter" or not, you put yourself in that situation and increased the risk of having something happen to your car.

You've already wasted a lot of time and effort and anger. File a damn claim already!

a reply to: Iamthatbish

Politics move state DOTs quite efficiently. Send a letter to 3 offices:
1. Maryland's Governor
2. Maryland's Transportation Commissioner
3. You largest local newspaper
Clearly CC all 3 and send them a copy of the same letter. Followup with a phone call to the commissioner. If that doesn't bear fruit, HAMMER the governor's office with calls stating that you do not want to turn this into a news story about David (you) vs the Goliath of the State of Maryland, but the offer to cover your story in an expose of this and past DOT-caused damages which they refused to cover has been made to you by the paper multiple times and you are getting frustrated enough to grant them their desired interview. (State this whether the newspaper has contacted you or not... just the specter of getting badgered by an journalist covering an "angry voter(s)" story is enough to kickstart quick action.)

If that Guv is coming up for re-election anytime in the next 14 months, or if the state commissioner is intendeding to further his political career down the road, you'll have your damages covered and pretty quickly to boot.

a reply to: Iamthatbish
You're welcome. It's a good movie.

I got over myself and called my insurance.

Thank you for all the wonderful ideas and opinions. It took more than one day for this subject not to bring me to screaming rage so thank you for your patience.