Modern Vespa

First, thank you everyone for all the kind messages. Shows what a good community Vespa people are.

I'll update everyone as the story continues to unfold. I'm insured by GEICO and so far they have been nice but no one has inspected my scooter yet. It's been a week. I'm calling them tomorrow and see if they will get the ball rolling. I will let you know how I am treated.

As far as the fix or replace question goes, I think it will be fixed. Vespa's are tough little machines.

I was pleasantly surprised to find my dealer on this site, Alex at Lewisville TX Vespa. His message :

"Jim,

Good to finally see you on the board!
Too bad it was to tell your accident.

(Still waiting on your insurance company to send an adjuster..)
Will have an estimate for the repair by tomorrow most likely. "

Alex has treated me real well. If he says it can be fixed like new, I believe him.

I don't know anything about the driver yet. Don't know if he was the owner of the truck, insured, etc. etc. I'll just trust that DPD will do a good job.

Interesting footnote:

Today was my birthday and my wife bought me a protective jacket, an Olympia Air Glide II. Says she wants to keep me around a while. I'm a lucky guy in so many ways.

I let you all know how this story unwinds. I'm just wanting to get back on the road. Be glad when I am reporting that to you. Thanks for all the support.

Jim L.

I wouldn't rely upon the cops to do much, especially in Dallas. I had a car stolen in Dallas when I was in high school. The cops found the car before it was reported, and it got back to me. However, the kids who stole it were given our home address by the police department. Their father showed up at our door and threatened us. We called the cops; they ignored it. They also dropped the ball on some evidence or something, so the prosecutor could never get a conviction, even though the cops witnessed them in the car.

The Austin police are not much better. When we were rear ended, they called the registered owner of the truck. He had sold it, but the new owner never registered it. He had his name. We found some previous addresses for the guy and tried to stake him out but never found him. The cops pretty much ignored it, because the registered owner had not hit us.

You may have to pay for stuff, or your insurance, if the cops don't try to find this guy. If they don't seem to be doing anything, then you might want to investigate a little yourself.

Also, the motorcycle insurance estimators seem to take forever to come out. Mine, Progressive (I know ), took several days to get to the dealer.

I hope everything goes very smoothly and that they find the guy. Good luck.

Jim, Hope everything works out...as far as I can gather your insurance is on board with working with you...let us know how Geico works for you...

Lastly..."Happy Birthday!"

(Some how I ended up with two threads on this subject on this site. So as to not loss anyone interested in this story, I have posted this entry on both threads)

Not much to update. I was to have my 300 back this week (it's being repaired) but now it won't be ready until next week. Total damage $3200. Will have to wait until next month for a replacement seat from Italy. Appearently Vespa didn't expect for seats to wear out this quickly. Guess they forgot about accidents. The existing seat from my bike will be put back on (not damaged too bad) until the new seat arrives.

GEICO adjustors have been very nice but it's still annoying. Their website is suppose to let you see the police report when they have it. But they have twice shown the report as having available and I've yet to be able to open it.

If the other person is an uninsured motorist, my deductible is to be $250. If I was at fault the deductible would be $500. If the other party is at fault and insured, then GEICO is to try to get their insurance to cover all expenses including my deductible.

GETCO has cut a check for repairs minus the full $500. They state they have sent a letter to the registered owner of the hit and run truck asking for insurance information. If they don't hear from him in 10 days then they will consider him an uninsured motorist and send me another $250 check. Guess this is their complete attempt to recover all cost from the other party. And if the police are doing anything about the drunk hit and run driver, I haven't heard a word about it.

So next weekend I will let you know how the bike looks and runs. If I can figure out how to put a picture of the bike repaired on this site I will. I don't have any pictures of it damaged.

So the bottom line is that I've owned a bike for a month and half now and so far have gotten to ride it about 20 miles (not including the time I spent airborne when hit).

A few of you who know the Dallas area have asked exactly where the accident happened. I was east bound on East Royal Lane and stopped at the traffic light at Harry Hines Blvd when rear ended. For the future I have chosen a different route from my home in Los Colinas to my office in downtown Dallas that does not go through this particular interesection. Too many bars in that area.

My injuries have healed well with only some minor signs of injury on my right arm and elbow. Those should be gone in a couple more weeks,

Thank you everyone for your well wishes.

Glad to hear that things are moving along and you are healing well. I hope you can get something out of the drunk but don't hold your breath. That is a bad intersection. A lot of idiots there at all times of the day. Thanks for the update.