Spit! What should I do? File a report or not?

[CyberGus]

I'm sorry but LOL. You think someone that spits on cars is "reasonable"? They 100% have mental illness, and with our new "justice system" in which crime is de-criminalized; we're going to enter a new era of vigilante justice. Especially any sane person left in these cities turning communist. This is only going to get worse.

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[dalton108]

I'm sorry but LOL. You think someone that spits on cars is "reasonable"? They 100% have mental illness, and with our new "justice system" in which crime is de-criminalized; we're going to enter a new era of vigilante justice. Especially any sane person left in these cities turning communist. This is only going to get worse.

This is like a twelve-year-old’s mentality. Everybody is bad or good, and isn’t it convenient that they just so happen to line up with your political beliefs.

It is ironic that your brain is a pattern machine, like you said, or a “different engine” as I prefer to call it. You can turn it off all the time, or you can use it. This is really your choice.

If you think avoiding unnecessary conflict makes you weak and you think that’s “alpha” behavior, buddy, you’re just wrong and you’re setting yourself up for a miserable, conflict filled existence.

And pro tip: Eagles don’t flinch at sparrows and chickadees trying to molest them. The most unhinged Seller’s Jay on the planet is not a threat to a fucking EAGLE! You’re projecting a whole bunch of bad assery, so then, comport yourself like a bad ass! “Hello 911?, this ‘fat girl’ spat on my car and I need halp!” IS NOT BAD-ASS, MY GUY!!!!

Being a crybully does not make you tough. Nobody is saying that this lady had the right to do what she did or that it was OK on any level, but you guys need to learn fucking proportionality (before the state teaches you). That’s what brains are for —discerning the difference between this and that.

Even dumbest dog on the planet knows the difference between threat and a nuisance. Only a brain damaged rabid dog will attack everything with equal force!

That’s insanity!

 

[funnbobby]

Right. It's surprising that a lawyer would make the mistake of thinking that reporting a crime (vandalism/harassment) risks litigation and associated fees, expenses and wasting of significant time. This is not a civil matter, it's criminal. Because there is plenty of irrefutable evidence, three videos of the same person spitting on the vehicle on three sperate occasions, it's not credible that reporting it would involve significant fees or litigation expense. The repeat nature proves a pattern of harassment. It's not like the deranged liberal is going to try to sue for simply reporting the crimes the videos captured. Cleaning the spit in future incidents (which are likely given the repeat nature of this harassment) would take more time and expense than filing a police report which is free and takes 10 minutes.

Documenting the crime, on the public record, regardless of whether the prosecutor decides to cite the perpetrator, is a smart thing to do in case anything escalates. It will show that you are a reasonable, no-nonsense, law-abiding citizen who doesn't lean towards vigilante justice but recognizes we are a nation of laws and leans on the law, rather than personally confronting the harasser (which could become dangerous or escalate the situation), to resolve disputes.

As a lawyer myself… WELL SAID!

 

[dalton108]

I dunno why so many people want and expect the Big Bad Nanny State to solve all their problems for them.

Here's an idea for next time: try knocking on the door and talking to them like a human being. Perhaps you can resolve the situation without resorting to pettiness nor involving law enforcement. Filing a report is still an available option if negotiation is unsuccessful.

They'd be much less lawlessness if we would take more time to talk to each other.

That sure seems to have worked in this case! Bravo, @Known-Background

Let the choir say, amen!

 

[Beetlebug62]

I parked my Cybertruck on my sister’s block in Philadelphia this weekend. To be honest, I’ve been afraid to do that for the past two years, so we almost always bring our Model Y instead.

Unfortunately, one of my sister’s neighbors repeatedly spit on my truck throughout the night. Sentry Mode captured the entire incident, including multiple instances of them returning to the truck, walking back into their house afterward, and later getting into a vehicle where the license plate is clearly identifiable to me today.

At this point I’m trying to decide what to do. I’m considering filing a police report, but I’m also mindful that this is my sister’s neighbor and she has to continue living there long after I leave.

For those of you who have experienced intentional vandalism or harassment that was clearly captured on Sentry Mode:

* Did you file a police report?
* What was the outcome?
* Did law enforcement take it seriously?
* Did you confront the person or leave it to the police?
* If you had to do it again, would you handle it differently?

I’m not looking to start a political debate or encourage retaliation. I’m genuinely looking for advice from people who have been through something similar and can share what actually happened in their cases.

I'm sure you've already decided what to do; but, if you haven't, I'd definitely not involve the police. As you noted, your sis lives there, and you don't.

I would make a couple dozen flyers, put them under people's wipers, asking if anyone saw the perp who spit on your truck, or has a security cam on the road, and that you're asking as the perp may have done other damage, so they should check their vehicles. Then everyone is alerted.

I'd rather prefer to see if someone responds. Then you know who in the neighborhood is helpful. Also, the perp knows and you see if they respond. Could be unintentional comedy.

I'd also consider putting the exact times on the flyer, for fun, to make the perp wonder how did you know the times? Anyway, give it some thought, it could be fun.

 

[funnbobby]

In the old days you would file a police report and they would charge them with criminal trespass or vandalism or petty larceny.

Then you’d Go in front of a judge and Fatty McFatty would end up cleaning your car and 20 police cruisers for the next 90 days as part of community service.

Problem solved. Public is also made aware of the individuals identity, which shamed them hopefully into never doing it again.

As I tell my kids… Don’t make decisions based on fear. Stand up and do the right thing when appropriate.

 

[DFW]

File a police report with the time, Day, location and any other information.
Problem
If you do not it will escalate too much much worse.

Police may or may not do anything that you can view
But
For now that is the only thing to do.

 

[dalton108]

Look, some of you have lost your entire minds. I told OP that I would do a screenshot of the video and put that on her door with a note that it’s not gonna be tolerated. Do it again and we’ll have problems, or specifically, “there will be consequences.”

That was advice for OP, who is clearly having strong feelings about this. Boys/girls, none of that is what I would actually do. My truck has already been spat on, and let me tell you what I actually did: I walked around to the front of my car, opened my frunk, took out one of the Clorox wipes that I keep in there, wiped the little bit of spit off of it, threw it in the trash, and went on with my fucking day! Whole thing took 30 seconds!!

I did not go into my camera to see if I could find out who committed this heinous crime. I did not post about it on this forum. I didn’t tell my wife about it. I didn’t go to the security folks at my building looking for answers. No damage was done to my car! It was saliva!

They, presumably, wanted to damage my ego, and they weren’t successful at that. I have not rethought my car purchase. I did not ponder whether they actually were making a good point about Elon. I did not think of 1000 cool insults for them based on their political affiliations, weight, hair color, age, skin color or gender. I gave them exactly the amount of thought that they were worth:

None!!!!!

I don’t fucking care who did it. I have a whole fucking life that I need to live, and I’m not giving somebody rent-free space in my head by being pissed off for minutes, hours, or days about something so small. I’ve got a 140-person law firm to run! I have shit to do.

Is your time not important? Valuable? My time is money! Who’s going to compensate me for my time, raging about, and then chasing down the spitter? So that they can be subject to a stern talking-to, a max fine of $25 (in Philadelphia where OP is), or most probably, absolutely nothing??

Why on Earth would you want to give some imbecile THIS MUCH power over you for nothing?!?! IF YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING TO CURE WHAT’S WRONG WITH OUR SOCIETY BY TAKING ON SOME NINCOMPOOP WHO SPAT ON YOUR CAR BY BRINGING THEM TO “JUSTICE,” YOU ARE INSANE. DO YOU HEAR ME? YOU’RE FUCKING CRAZY!!!! Some of you did not fully absorb what @CyberGus was saying about the nanny state.

If I had walked out and there was a dent in my car that was going to cost me thousands of dollars to fix, or some other meaningful damage, then I might have escalated both my investigation and how much time I would spend chasing down the perp. But since my difference engine works exquisitely well – I did none of those things!!!!! [As I said to OP, my blood would’ve been boiling too, but then— because I’m not a fucking salamander, I can discern reality and tell my reptilian brain, “Hey dude, you’re safe. It’s nothing, carry on;” and then do so.”]

You have absolutely no control over what life throws at you. You have every bit of control over how you react to it. Some of you are hysterical over a tiny slight that didn’t even happen to you and are ready to go full Dirty Harry/First Order over the rough equivalent of a bird pooping on your goddamn car!!

FFS, GET A GRIP!!!!!! Literally, control your emotions!

 

[funnbobby]

Look, some of you have lost your entire minds. I told OP that I would do a screenshot of the video and put that on her door with a note that it’s not gonna be tolerated. Do it again and we’ll have problems, or specifically, “there will be consequences.”

That was advice for OP, who is clearly having strong feelings about this. Boys/girls, none of that is what I would actually do. My truck has already been spat on, and let me tell you what I actually did: I walked around to the front of my car, opened my frunk, took out one of the Clorox wipes that I keep in there, wiped the little bit of spit off of it, threw it in the trash, and went on with my fucking day! Whole thing took 30 seconds!!

I did not go into my camera to see if I could find out who committed this heinous crime. I did not post about it on this forum. I didn’t tell my wife about it. I didn’t go to the security folks at my building looking for answers. No damage was done to my car! It was saliva!

They, presumably, wanted to damage my ego, and they weren’t successful at that. I have not rethought my car purchase. I did not ponder whether they actually were making a good point about Elon. I did not think of 1000 cool insults for them based on their political affiliations. I gave them exactly the amount of thought that they were worth:

None!!!!!

I don’t fucking care who did it. I have a whole fucking life that I need to live, and I’m not giving somebody rent-free space in my head by being pissed off for minutes, hours, or days about something so small. I’ve got a 140-person law firm to run! I have shit to do.

Is your time not important? Valuable? My time is money! Who’s going to compensate me for my time, raging about, and then chasing down the spitter? So that they can be subject to a stern talking-to, a max fine of $25 (in Philadelphia where OP is), or most probably. absolutely nothing??

Why on Earth would you want to give some imbecile THIS MUCH power over you for nothing?!?! IF YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING TO CURE WHAT’S WRONG WITH OUR SOCIETY BY TAKING ON SOME NINCOMPOOP WHO SPAT ON YOUR CAR BY BRINGING THEM TO “JUSTICE,” YOU ARE INSANE. DO YOU HEAR ME? YOU’RE FUCKING CRAZY!!!! Some of you did not fully absorb what @CyberGus was saying about the nanny state.

If I had walked out and there was a dent in my car that was going to cost me thousands of dollars to fix, or some other meaningful damage, then I might have escalated both my investigation and how much time I would spend chasing down the perp.

You have absolutely no control over what life throws at you. You have every bit of control over how you react to it. Some of you are hysterical over a tiny slight that didn’t even happen to you and are ready to go full Dirty Harry/First Order over the rough equivalent of a bird pooping on your goddamn car!!

FFS, GET A GRIP!!!!!!

Well, I agree that this is not a felony, but basically a petty misdemeanor.

I think what the OP is attempting to seek out is the appropriate strategy to deal with it without OVER-escalation.

The problem is or rather the difficulty is choosing a course of action where the punishment fits the crime.

And that is a very personal decision as far as what one feels is appropriate being the victim in this case. It’s really up to them as far as how far they want to pursue this.

There’s always the Clorox wipe option as a low conflict strategy.

Or there’s the more aggressive option of going to the police station, filing a police report and insisting that they investigate and cite the neighbor and have the prosecutor pursue charges against the neighbor.

Depending on how passionate one is about enforcing the penal code and establishing boundaries against this sort of behavior will determine which course the OP is most comfortable pursuing.

And yes, the rest of this thread is just all of us venting our own personal beliefs, and superimposing that discourse on top of the circumstances around this event.

That’s the beauty of private forums and enthusiast based clubs like this one!

 

[HaulingAss]

I would definitely confront the woman. Tell her or show her the evidence and say “I’m giving you the opportunity to apologize for what you have done, if you refuse I will file a police report a with evidence.” Most likely you will get an insincere apology but even so you will feel better that you confronted her, made it known you have evidence to prove she did it. If you do nothing it will be on your mind for a long time. Should have could have.

Forcing her to apologize under threat of filing a report sounds like a power trip to me. And it's exactly what her original action represented, a power trip. It's a petty response. This shouldn't be about making you, the victim, "feel better", it should be about holding the person accountable (which an insecure apology doesn't do), it just makes her more likely to escalate. Filing a police report, with the videos attached, is the best way to protect yourself. It's a very basic thing to do. Even if they decide not to press charges, you will have documented the harassment in case her irrational behavior escalates.

 

[HaulingAss]

Or there’s the more aggressive option of going to the police station, filing a police report and insisting that they investigate and cite the neighbor and have the prosecutor pursue charges against the neighbor.

In most jurisdictions in the U.S., it's not even necessary to go to the station to file a police report, you can do it online and attach the videos.

I wouldn't even request that they file charges, they could simply visit the perpetrator and let her know they know what she has been doing and warn her they will file charges if the harassment continues.

 

[HaulingAss]

I dunno why so many people want and expect the Big Bad Nanny State to solve all their problems for them.

Here's an idea for next time: try knocking on the door and talking to them like a human being. Perhaps you can resolve the situation without resorting to pettiness nor involving law enforcement. Filing a report is still an available option if negotiation is unsuccessful.

They'd be much less lawlessness if we would take more time to talk to each other.

That sure seems to have worked in this case! Bravo, @Known-Background

You seem to think the perpetrator is a reasonable person. I can assure she is not, she has proven it three times. It's naive to think she's reasonable.

We all pay taxes and are subject to the same laws, there is little to fear from using the system to ensure law and order. Confronting the perpetrator is more likely to escalate the situation than using the proper channels.

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