Fender Bender
The other morning, I had the vehicle and needed to run errands. The vehicle was parked in front of our apartment building. I had to pull forward and reverse twice because of the way people parked around me. After a few minor adjustments, I pulled out. I stopped at our driveway entrance to fill out the travelogue. Suddenly, there was a hard slapping at my window. An unidentified Mongolian male in his late forties was angry and now trying to open my door. I took a deep breath, readying myself for the punch to the face that I have been waiting for, and rolled down the window. I tried to listen to his words and discern what he was saying, but I could not understand him. He pointed to the side of my car and pointed back toward the parking lot. I guessed he was saying that I hit his car.
I did not remember hearing or feeling the car hit another car, but I knew I wasn't getting out of this easily. I gave him the sign to wait one minute. I picked up my phone and dialed Mashka, our beloved manager. I explained to her what I knew, then gave the phone to him for her to talk to. She confirmed what I thought happened and said that her and Monkhuush would come over to help. I got out of the car and looked at the side panel. There was a little bit of white paint transfer along the plastic guard. I walked back over to the car that he said was his. There was a large chip of paint missing, under that was a tiny scrape. It did look like I did it, though I maintain being completely unaware of it. As we waited, I took pictures while he chattered at me.
Monkhuush and Mashka arrived and they called the insurance company who asked them to call the police to file a report. In the US, at least in Wisconsin, if I remember correctly, anything under $200 does not need a police report. In fact, most people don't even bother with a minor transfer of paint. This guy claimed I hit his car and left the scene of an accident. I assumed I would be penalized unreasonably heavy. The police arrived and when the officer saw it, he laughed. I thought maybe because of how ridiculous and a waste of time it was. I really wished I could have spoken with the officer. I miss talking to cops. He seemed like a nice guy with a good sense of humor.
He recommended that we not involve insurance or the police. If I did, I would receive 5 points on my record and a 100,000 tugrug fine. He thought I should just pay the guy. I would rather be penalized than bribe someone, but Mashka explained that I would just pay for him to have the scratch fixed. So I agreed to pay for it to be fixed, although some white-out would have done the job.
Mashka, Monkhuush and I followed the guy to some random garage that was filled with cars and smelled of paint. After a round of discussion with the "victim" and employees, they felt it would cost 150,000 tugs. The guy wanted me to transfer the money to his wife's account now. I laughed and said, "no, not until the work is done." The guy was insulted, he said foreigners never trust us, they think we just want to make money off them. I told him I would do the same in the US. Mashka explained to me, that it was normal, but it was fine that I wanted to wait. Later that night, we wired the money, just to be done with it.
Lo and behold, the next morning, the guy called me down to the parking lot to check out his bumper. He pointed, and said something. I ran my finger over the area, checked the other side of the bumper which previously had scratches and chip paints in it. He had replaced his entire bumper. I felt I was possibly cheated, but I felt like I was over a barrel. He could have made life much more difficult for me if he wanted. I am told that with the police, it is the foreigner who pays regardless of fault. Others had remarked about how nice he was. Most times, guys get even more aggressive and violent in those situations. I was out 150,000t and a half days work because he wanted me to pay for my innocent carelessness. All in all, it wasn't that bad and now I have a new connection to some guy I kissed bumpers with. Maybe something further will happen. After all, he lives in my building.
I did not remember hearing or feeling the car hit another car, but I knew I wasn't getting out of this easily. I gave him the sign to wait one minute. I picked up my phone and dialed Mashka, our beloved manager. I explained to her what I knew, then gave the phone to him for her to talk to. She confirmed what I thought happened and said that her and Monkhuush would come over to help. I got out of the car and looked at the side panel. There was a little bit of white paint transfer along the plastic guard. I walked back over to the car that he said was his. There was a large chip of paint missing, under that was a tiny scrape. It did look like I did it, though I maintain being completely unaware of it. As we waited, I took pictures while he chattered at me.
Monkhuush and Mashka arrived and they called the insurance company who asked them to call the police to file a report. In the US, at least in Wisconsin, if I remember correctly, anything under $200 does not need a police report. In fact, most people don't even bother with a minor transfer of paint. This guy claimed I hit his car and left the scene of an accident. I assumed I would be penalized unreasonably heavy. The police arrived and when the officer saw it, he laughed. I thought maybe because of how ridiculous and a waste of time it was. I really wished I could have spoken with the officer. I miss talking to cops. He seemed like a nice guy with a good sense of humor.
He recommended that we not involve insurance or the police. If I did, I would receive 5 points on my record and a 100,000 tugrug fine. He thought I should just pay the guy. I would rather be penalized than bribe someone, but Mashka explained that I would just pay for him to have the scratch fixed. So I agreed to pay for it to be fixed, although some white-out would have done the job.
Mashka, Monkhuush and I followed the guy to some random garage that was filled with cars and smelled of paint. After a round of discussion with the "victim" and employees, they felt it would cost 150,000 tugs. The guy wanted me to transfer the money to his wife's account now. I laughed and said, "no, not until the work is done." The guy was insulted, he said foreigners never trust us, they think we just want to make money off them. I told him I would do the same in the US. Mashka explained to me, that it was normal, but it was fine that I wanted to wait. Later that night, we wired the money, just to be done with it.
Lo and behold, the next morning, the guy called me down to the parking lot to check out his bumper. He pointed, and said something. I ran my finger over the area, checked the other side of the bumper which previously had scratches and chip paints in it. He had replaced his entire bumper. I felt I was possibly cheated, but I felt like I was over a barrel. He could have made life much more difficult for me if he wanted. I am told that with the police, it is the foreigner who pays regardless of fault. Others had remarked about how nice he was. Most times, guys get even more aggressive and violent in those situations. I was out 150,000t and a half days work because he wanted me to pay for my innocent carelessness. All in all, it wasn't that bad and now I have a new connection to some guy I kissed bumpers with. Maybe something further will happen. After all, he lives in my building.
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