Situational Awareness

[Chemist45]

Recently I traveled to New York City.
The plane landed after 10 PM and it was quite dark by the time I got my rental car.
I got the GPS option because I was very tired and I hate driving in NYC.
In spite of the GPS I still missed my turn onto the highway.
I was driving along a very dark, 2 lane access road waiting for the GPS to figure out my new route. There were no other cars around.
Out of nowhere I got rear ended. Not very hard, enough to jostle the steering wheel and a cause loud noise.
I looked around and saw the car that hit me had put his flashers on.
I decided there was no way I was pulling over in the middle of nowhere so I proceeded to the brightly lit area I could see less than a mile away.
I checked to see that the car was following me (he was) and drove on to the motel parking lot. There were people in the parking lot.
After I got to the lot, I waited for the other driver.
And waited.
And waited.
He had disappeared.
I looked all over but didn't see him.
Then I checked the car and there was a white line on the bumper where he hit me.
I waited a few more minutes, then left.

Its possible that he decided that the little bump wasn't worth filling out an accident report over.
Its also possible he meant to rob me and was scared off by my driving to a well lit and populated area.

Never let down your guard.

[longtooth]

Your last possibility is more a PROBABILITY than a possibility.
Good job on not stopping.

[nedmoore]

Good for you. I agree with Longtooth, you could have been followed from the rental car spot at the airport. I rent cars quite a bit and have noticed that they do not have any stickers on the outside that let's people know that you are driving a rental.

[Keith B]

I rent cars quite a bit and have noticed that they do not have any stickers on the outside that let's people know that you are driving a rental.

Actually, take a look in the windshield and the drivers side rear window. You will notice on a lot of them they have a bar code sticker for them to scan as you return the car. Subtle, but there, and the crooks know it.

[DoubleJ]

Your last possibility is more a PROBABILITY than a possibility.
Good job on not stopping.

probably

[htxred]

did you get this in a chain email or somethin?

[Chemist45]

No.
This is not from a chain email.
It happened to me.
It happened one week ago outside JFK airport.

[anygunanywhere]

The rental car fiascos in Florida are what brought about their CHL laws.

Being a seasoned traveller and knowing this, I ALWAYS was especially more situationally aware when leaving airports/car rental agencies.

My moniker is not "Drive it like you stole it" but "Drive it like you rented it".

I might not have been armed with a handgun, but 3-4000 lbs of steel has a lot of ft/lbs of impact force. AIrbags are not that bad if you roll the windows down to let the gas out.

Great save!

Anygunanywhere

[Jeff B.]

Here's an old joke that fits right in here...

Question: What's the difference between a rental car and a Hummer?

Answer: There are someplaces that even a Hummer can't go!



Jeff B.

[KBCraig]

I have noticed that Enterprise has returned to the bright green "e" stickers on their rental cars. I never notice any other rentals with obvious stickers, but Enterprise definitely has them.

[Liberty]

I have noticed that Enterprise has returned to the bright green "e" stickers on their rental cars. I never notice any other rentals with obvious stickers, but Enterprise definitely has them.

I don't believe enterprise ever went without the stickers. Traditionally they don't rent the same way as the other rental cars. For the most part they aren't even in the airports. The tend to rent to folks who are local, and the folks that rent from them are not as likely to be tourist or from out of town.

They are one way a Texas homeowner can get away without having to own a truck.