RE: bmw-digest V9 #209

[david.bowers@xxxxxxxxx (David Bowers)]

John, Mike and all you other guys with great cars, that non-"Bayerisch
Motor Werken" owners seem to love to hate - (must be because it reminds
them that they all have such unbelievably small Johnson's!!!)

First of all, I joined this list yesterday, and it looks like a great
forum - thanks to Richard for hosting it.

Anyway, on with the show ... I was driving in a residential area in N
Chicago about six weeks ago in my Arctic Silver '97 M3/4.  It was a 25
MPH zone, and I was doing about 30.  This loser standing by his van
starts waving at me (I guess he wanted me to slow down).  I looked
around and couldn't see any kids playing or any other apparent dangers,
apart from this crack-pot, so as I was so close to the limit, and this
jerk wasn't wearing a uniform, or pointing a gun at me, I just ignored
him and keep going at the same speed, figuring he was obviously nothing
more than the self-appointed self-righteous freak-show of the
neighborhood.

About 100 yards later the road came to a fork.  I took a left, and the
road looped around and ended up back on the road I had been on before,
going in the opposite direction.  In the meantime, the afore-mentioned
"gentleman" had, unbeknown to myself, raced down to the end of the road
which led into this subdivision, and was waiting there, parked right in
the intersection (I would guess he would have had to have gone
significantly faster than I had been going, to have gotten there before
I did).  I drove around him - he was gesticulating like some kind of
loon, and I felt no desire to stop and have a chat with him, especially
with my wife and three young kids (ages 7, 5 and 3, who were *really*
scared by what happened next ;) in the back.  He walked in front of my
car, at which point I slowed down, and once he was on the drivers side
of the car I put my foot down.  As I did so, this brains-trust must have
either kicked or punched the back panel of my car, because I heard a
loud bang, further investigation later on revealed a large dent!

I guess I should have gone to the cops straight away, but figured that
with out-of-state plates, a foreign accent (hey, I drink Bud!  What
about them Cubs?!) and the fact that I had been speeding somewhat (maybe
5, certainly no more than 10MPH), and given that this freak might try
and say that I had tried to run him down (now there's a satisfying
thought!!), that *I* might end up paying for this guy's
instability/temper, by having my work visa revoked ...

My emotions wanted me to get out at the time and have a "chat" with this
winner, but decided against it ... given that this guy was so unstable
(he tried chasing me in his VAN!!!) I guess I probably have to thank my
self-preservation instincts, although I certainly didn't feel this way
at the time!

I would be interested in anyone's opinions as to whether or not you
think I did the right thing?  Should I still report this, especially as
it happened over a month ago ... what do you think the local cops
attitude would be (or could I report it to the Illinois State police?)
Whilst I managed to push the panel back out, it is still not perfect.

BTW - anyone know of a good repair shop in the Chicago area (I have just
recently moved here) where I can get this fixed?

Best regards, Dave

PS I was mildly amused to see the mini-flames on a list such as this.  I
would have expected this from a FORD or CHEVY bunch - it just goes to
show ...

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