DISCRIMINATION

What is Age Discrimination?

According to Wikipedia, Age Discrimination is discrimination on the grounds of age. Although theoretically the word can refer to the discrimination against any age group, age discrimination usually comes in one of three forms: discrimination against youth (also called adultism), discrimination against those 40 years old or older, and discrimination against elderly people.

I believe I am the victim of Age Discrimination, and specifically, I believe I am the victim of Adultism.  I will let you be the judge. 

Saturday I woke up early to go to my usual 9am Spinning Class (which was awesome by the way) and then I headed off to the Post Office to mail a package (for Thredup-more about that in a future post).  While attempting to back out of my parking space, a man in a gold colored truck backed into my car, causing my car to jolt forward.  I pulled into the nearest space so I would not be in the road, blocking others from leaving the post office, so I could speak with the man and exchange insurance info etc...well, as I get out of my car-the man DROVE AWAY!  Lucky for me, I saw his license plate # so I quickly entered it into my phone so I wouldn't forget it.  I called Hubs (who is a police officer) to ask him what I should do, and he gave me the correct number for the local police (no need for 911, as it was clearly not an emergency).  I called the police so I could make a report.  (While watching him drive away, I thought to myself, I said "Self, I think I was just the victim of a HATE crime-just like Cara! I texted her immediately)

For the record, I am not hurt, just a little shaken up. 

The Police Officer arrives and gets my license, registration and insurance (I assume this is standard, though I cannot be sure...well, I could be sure if I asked Hubs, but what's the point now right?)  and he proceeds to run all of my information through his fancy laptop in his patrol vehicle, comes back and tells me all of it checks out (well duh Officer, if it wasn't going to "checkout" do you think I would have called the Police?)  and I then explain the situation to him.  How I was backed all the way out of my spot and then the truck backed into me (as noted above). 

The Officer advises me that if they are able to locate the gentleman who did it, they will site him for leaving the scene of an accident and everything will be taken care of.  Well, about an hour later he advises me that the gentleman is on his way back to the post office (so much for the Hate Crime theory).  The man pulls up next to my car (a little too close if you ask me-seriously mister, you just backed into my vehicle, what makes you think I want you to park next to it now?)  and gets out.  I hear the officer talking to him for a bit (where I overhear him say-"Wow, I have no idea where that red paint on my bumper came from Officer"-uh hello!  It is from my the bumper of my RED CAR that YOU JUST RAN INTO!!!  Also Mr. Smith said "Well, I felt something like a bump, but I just thought it was my transmission shifting so I just left...." WTH?) and then the officer returns to his patrol car and the gentleman approaches me (again, I would prefer not to have to speak to you, as you did just back into my vehicle and then LEFT...am I seriously the only person who feels this way?)  Mr. Smith * (name changed to protect the "innocent") approaches me and says "I am really sorry we have to meet this way," and then shakes my hand.  Through additional conversation, I learn that Mr. Smith* will be 80 next month, and will be attending the birthday party of a dear Friend of his who turned 93 Saturday (and in case you are interested, Mr. Smith does not which to have a party thrown for him for his upcoming birthday but he does not believe his 6 kids will comply with his wish), and just as an FYI, all of his kids are great and none have ever been caught up with drugs...(a little piece of me wanted to know if he was implying that maybe I was caught up with drugs, but then I just decided to let it go...)

The Officer approaches me to tell me that through talking to Mr. Smith, he can't, "in good conscience" site Mr. Smith for backing into my car OR for leaving the scene of an accident because...wait for it...

"He told me he didn't even know it happened." Then the Officer looks me in my face and says "You know, we have to look out for our elderly. I am sympathetic to people who back into things-I mean we have all done it haven't we?" Wait-WHAT!?!?!?! WTF? WHAT! W.T.F....did that Officer really just say what I think he did-he isn't going to write that man a ticket or charge him with anything just because he is old and said that he didn't know it happened? So I said "Let me get this straight Officer: That man backs into my vehicle, then drives away and tells you that he didn't know it happened, so you are NOT going to do anything about it...anything...not a ticket, not a warning, not anything?" Officer: "Yes, mam, if he says he didn't know it happened, how can I charge him with leaving the scene of an accident?" Me: "And the paint from my bumper on his bumper doesn't mean anything to you or him?" Officer " Mam, if he says he doesn't know, he doesn't know, okay? I can't, in good conscience write him a ticket. The law advises us to protect the elderly." Me: " Well, Officer, what law is protecting me? The person who was hit by an elderly man-who now has to file this worthless police report with her insurance company, and then PAY for the damages, herself, and have her insurance rates increase, because you, in good conscience, will not site him as being at fault?" Officer: "Well, mam, I am sure the damage won't be more than a few hundred dollars so you should be fine."

Okay W.T.F? Did that really just happen? Yes it did.  I really don't feel like it was fair to me at all! Seriously, just because I am not 80 doesn't mean that he shouldn't have issued that man a ticket!

The upside is that a)no one was hurt b) My Hannah wasn't in the car c) the damage is minimal-in that I will need to have the bumper repainted and some work done to it to smooth out the big dent & raised portion of the bumper...but it is drivable.

Again, damage is minimal, but there is STILL damage (and if you look closely you can see that I am rocking the socks & soccer sandal look, remember I was coming from the gym before you judge me too harshly)

Now, I feel like people are judging me as I drive by with the bumper damage :(
Apparently, if you tell a Police Officer that you didn't know you hit some one's car, you won't be charged for it...so take that little bit of information and put it in your back pocket for a rainy day when you are behind (or in front of or next to) someone you don't really like.