dspeakes wrote:

> And how dare you say I don't care about the poor.
> You don't know a damn thing about me or the extent
> of charitable work I do.
>
> I am not here just to fight, but I will not stand
> by while someone gets beaten up by the clique on
> this forum who thinks they know everything.


OK, thought I was done but I'm not. You are upset because "how dare" someone who "doesn't know a damn thing" about you say they think you don't care about something. You don't know a damn thing about ANYONE here on the forum. How dare YOU judge or make determinations about what they are saying? Several of the posts you criticized were sympathetic and concerned .... yet, to you, they weren't. You dared to make judgments and insult several posters who made kind comments. But nobody better judge YOUR thoughts or actions.

Yes, dspeakes, I do agree with that one statement: How dare you?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2014 12:26PM by AustinMom.

dspeakes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Excuse me???? Have you actually read this
> thread? People were talking trash about gypsy,
> suggesting she was lying about things, and saying
> that her insurance should cover a rental car and
> pay for the stolen truck and when someone
> suggested she might not have comprehensive
> insurance the response was that of course she
> should have it, it's only $35 a month, as if
> anyone can pull $35 out of thin air just because
> some of the judgmental people here think they
> should tell her how to spend what little money she
> makes.
>

Perhaps you need to read the thread over again. At the end of page 3, NumberNineteen stated that he/she does not carry comprehensive insurance on their vehicle because it wasn't worth enough. My response, the first on page 4, was the value of the vehicle was usually less of a determining factor for getting comprehensive coverage than your ability to replace the vehicle if totaled or stolen. This was directed at NumberNineteen, not gypsymonkey, and was not directed at #19 as an insult or to suggest perhaps he/she should have comprehensive coverage. It was simply a statement that many people only look at the value of the vehicle when deciding to carry comprehensive when most personal finance experts would tell you that ability to replace the vehicle is much more important. This was the first time not having insurance was brought up in this thread. At no time was the discussion of not having insurance directed at gypsymonkey and at no time did anyone insinuate that gypsymonkey did not have insurance. Again, you're are simply being argumentative because it's what you are.

> I sure didn't carry comprehensive when I was
> driving a $1600 14 year old Plymouth when I was on
> a tight budget. Some people just have to take the
> risk and hope they are lucky. Not because they're
> gamblers but because they don't have a choice.

Most of us have been in tough places where we had to make these types of choices. Not really relevant to the discussion, just you wanting to be argumentative again.


> I point out that $400 is a lot of money to some
> people, that not everyone has a high-limit credit
> card in their wallet, and you've got the nerve to
> say I don't give a rat's behind about Gypsy or
> anybody else??
>

Nobody ever said $400 wasn't a lot of money. Please point me to where they did. And again, nobody was even discussing gypsymonkey when talking about comprehensive coverage and when one should or shouldn't have it. Again, you're just being argumentative.

> And how dare you say I don't care about the poor.
> You don't know a damn thing about me or the extent
> of charitable work I do.
>

blah blah blah, couldn't care less


> I am not here just to fight, but I will not stand
> by while someone gets beaten up by the clique on
> this forum who thinks they know everything.
> Someone has a bad day and is in trouble and
> bleeding and instead of showing some empathy it
> turns into a feeding frenzy of disbelief and
> accusations. Sorry, but I don't back down from
> bullies. I never have and I never will. But you
> just read back through this thread and see who was
> throwing the punches and who was defending the
> victim.
>

Yes, you are here just to fight, at least that's what it looks like because 99% of what you post appears to be fighting or trying to start one. But that's ok. I don't think anyone accused gypsymonkey of anything, please show me who did. Yes, there was quite a bit of disbelief, only because her story has a lot of holes and quite frankly doesn't make a lot of sense in some places. I don't think anyone has been bullied and I don't think anyone threw punches. Ok, I made a joke about using the right name, which was really just a joke because, you know, we all use fake names a lot. Perhaps that could be misconstrued as a punch? But I don't think so.

> My "silver spoons" comment was directed primarily
> at Lisa, not at you. Lisa is the one who thinks
> $35 a month is nothing and anyone should be able
> to add that to their insurance premium to get the
> kind of insurance Lisa thinks everyone should
> have. I would think that if you have suffered
> poverty, you might be a little more sympathetic
> and a little more supportive of someone who stands
> up and defends someone who is obviously anything
> but wealthy.
>

I don't think Lisa's remark was one of "anybody should be able to afford $35 per month" as it was one of "anybody who's income relies 100% on them having transportation should be able to find a way to afford $35 a month in order to insure that they have that transportation." Of course, being argumentative, you're going to look at that statement in as negative a light as possible in order to have something to argue about.

> There are a lot of people who are struggling to
> make ends meet in this country. I don't just know
> several of them, I actively help them. And I
> don't appreciate when they get mocked by people
> who think everyone should live like they do. Some
> people on this thread have shown gypsy no respect
> whatsoever. Pardon me for sticking up for her
> when others were too busy doubting her story to
> consider that maybe she might not have the
> resources others do.


Again, you go back to the whole thing with gypsymonkey and again I'm going to reiterate that at no point did the not having insurance discussion, the one that you're being so argumentative about, have ANYTHING to do with gypsymonkey in the least bit. If you'd like to stick up for gypsymonkey why not go back in the thread and find someone who actually said something directed at gypsymonkey and start an argument about that. Could it be that the people you really want to argue with didn't say anything towards gypsy that you can argue about so this is the subject you chose instead?


Edited because apparently it takes me 3 times to spell sense correctly.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2014 03:58PM by bgriffin.

Since something was totally missed in the translation I have actually quoted myself. Apparently I should have been more clear about finding my insurance to be "cheaper" than coming up with thousands of dollars to replace a car, compounded by the loss of income. Having several permanent projects which must be completed on a monthly basis, being unable to meet those commitments could result in me losing them permanently.

In case it wasn't clear the first time, I was being specific to my situation. It wasn' even a comment regarding the OP and was in response to the comment, "The people who can pay a high premium........could replace the item on their own if they had to."

The single biggest investment and most expensive piece of business equipment I own is my car. The loss of anything else, video camera, computers or smart phone, would not prevent me from working. Choosing to make whatever sacrifices necessary to protect the one thing that allows me to earn a living is not a sign of wealth, just a prudent business decision.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
"After buying my car I could not have afforded to replace it if it was totaled or stolen........... Regardless, $400 or so a year was cheap compared to the alternative."

gypsymonkey
Posts:431


I apologize for that. I write $300,000 per month (not per year) and get 15% off of that - again per month.
When a "vacation counselor" works the "in-house" (owners of the resort) this is not impossible. Many do this in Branson, Orlando and Key West. Before my migraine stroke, I did this twice. Unfortunately with my migraine stroke (headache that seized several areas of my brain), I forgot my sales pitch and rebuttals. I was like a lame wagon horse. They didn't want to give me time to recoup so I was put out to pasture. I still on occasion have problems with memory and speech. The migraines are gone however I was warned to not be in stressful situations. The resort is still arguing about whether I am owed my commission since the injury was during the month where I wrote that much and not on a new month that was just beginning.
Anyway, those in resort towns know about resort sales paying well.

____________________________________________________________________________


From this last fire an amazing blessing has come to fruition. What a reveal in 6 months time!

gypsymonkey
Posts:431
[ PM ]
[Toggle User Visibility]

If you want an honest answer from someone that is driving/ living on the road - I average $1100 per month with 50 or less jobs being done at the top of the month. I could double that if I wanted to...

____________________________________________________________________________


From this last fire an amazing blessing has come to fruition. What a reveal in 6 months time!

Like This Post

gypsymonkey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am getting harassment from the police
> department. They are refusing to release
> information. They keep saying that vagrants cant
> have a vehicle. They are not listening to me.
> They are waiting for the insurance company to come
> & prove it is mine. Again on the premises that I
> was traveling & thus a vagrant. It was best &
> safer to leave the small mindedness of the tiny
> town. My insurance cant do anything until they
> have a report. They have to get the report since
> I am getting a run around. It is a mess.

As others have asked in the thread, I do not understand why the police would not release the information to you.
1-Is not the vehicle register under your name? Somewhere, in the state that the license plate is from, the truck must be currently legally registered. If it is under your name, then why would they object, vagrant or not?

2-Do not you have a driver's license with you since you are driving, thus proving you are the owner of the car?

While in college I used to drive an old gentleman to medical appointments and errands using his car so I was not the registered owner, but they would do everything when he was present as he was the owner. The registration and all information was under his name, even though I drove the car and parked it near my house (perk of the job was that the car stayed with me.)

This thread started out about Gypsy's problem with her truck being stolen and many posters addressed that issue, expressed sympathy, and tried to be helpful with suggestions. Yes, I read the thread, every entry, and as I remember it several were discussing how her insurance, if she had insurance, might kick in and help her. Because some said this or that extra insurance would be good to have doesn't mean they're insensitive to the fact Gypsy may have opted out because of a lack of ready funds. It is not irrational for someone to say that certain coverage at $XX per month is a good buy.

When Lisa or any other poster talks about buying insurance for good coverage, that is information someone might need to know. Lisa and other posters can pay for insurance they need because they have made choices that make that possible.

Gypsy has made a choice to live her life on the road and take her chances. I applaud her for following her dream but I refuse to believe it was the only choice for a woman as intelligent and skilled as she must be. That was a deliberate choice, I do not criticize her for her choice, and I do not criticize others who suggest additional insurance would have been helpful.
If I made the choice to live in my vehicle on the road across the country, I would make certain I had my affairs arranged so that I was insured to the hilt. If Gypsy did not do that, she made a different choice and it is not my business.

From this long thread I gathered that many, many posters were concerned about Gypsy and her plight. From this long thread, you apparently gathered that many were thoughtless and lacked understanding of being poor. There again, we have choices -- in this case, as to how we understood the thread. I understand being poor. I seriously doubt you understand BEING poor. You probably understand looking at the poor and wanting to help the poor, and I do not doubt your assertion that you do help the poor. However, that is not BEING poor.

Posters should not be criticized in this case for not assuming that Gypsy is poor. I do not assume that Gypsy is poor. She has a different life style, which she chose. Her vehicle was stolen, and I sympathize. My vehicle has been stolen four times in my lifetime. I was not on the road, and I had access to another vehicle each time, all as a result of my choices. That doesn't mean I don't feel for Gypsy. I feel for Gypsy's current problem and have no doubt she will work her way through it. I do not feel sorry for Gypsy. She is an independent woman and I'm willing to bet she does not want pity from any of us.

It's not a good thing to personally attack other posters because you don't agree with them. It's one thing to say, "Well, I disagree and let me explain why, perhaps we can work this out" and it's another thing to mistreat someone because they differ. A consistent pattern of attacking others will eventually get you the response you have coming.

Last May we had an accident which wrote off the car. We were denied not only a police report but also the name of any witnesses or the other party involved. Normally you exchange this information at the scene but when you are removed by ambulance, you don't have this option. When we asked for the information we were told it was protected under the privacy laws. We were told if we wanted to challenge the liability findings that we would have to go to court and the court would release the witness/other party name to us. This was incredible to my way of thinking but that's the way it was for us, and it wasn't worth the cost/stress of fighting the case in court.

As for getting the documentation out of the truck, I can see that happening as well. If the towing service realizes the extent of the damage to the vehicle, they probably see their only chance of recouping some of the costs are by denying the owner access to the vehicle (including documentation) until they get some if not all of the outstanding charges. They probably realize that no one is going to pay a $300 towing bill for a vehicle they no longer have a use for.

GM: If the truck is an older model, you might be able to get an axle through a scrap yard and get it switched out for not too terribly much money.

@Bena,
the OP said, "They keep saying that vagrants cant
> have a vehicle. They are not listening to me.
> They are waiting for the insurance company to come
> & prove it is mine."

May be it is watching movies, but does not the police have a way to track who the owner is based on the license plates , somewhere in a database? Why would the insurance has to prove ownership? If GM is the owner, does not her DL prove her identity? I assume she has a DL since she is driving. The tow track company is just waiting for the insurance company to pay their bill to release the car. Usually insurance companies have someone who tells you what to do and how to deal with this bureaucracy. As for getting the information release, you issue a subpoena, and you can do this yourself, so the names on the report are released. There is a lot of paperwork involved in all of these but I still do not understand why would not the police be able to find immediately who the owner of the car is and verify the id of the OP. They definitely are able to find who the car owner is when a camera ticket is sent to the car's register owner.

BTW, you can purchase the crash report at [www.getcrashreports.com] if your state participates, and usually the guidelines state that the police has to give you a copy of the crash report within 48 hours.

Did not GM report the truck as stolen? Did not the police give her a copy of the theft report? She is supposed to sing the bottom of the form since she is making an official theft report. All the links I looked at RI state the procedure on how to get the police report, and they may just have to blackout the names and contact info of witnesses, but you do get the police report. eg [northprovidenceri.gov]

What to do in case of theft general info:
"It will be helpful if you can provide the police with a photograph of your car, regardless of the quality. A visual depiction of the stolen car will help police officers in your area to be on the look-out for any vehicles that resemble it.
Once you've given the police all of the information they request, your next step should be to call your insurance company. They'll want the same basic information as the police, as well as the location of any keys and the names of individuals who have access to your car. You should also prepare a detailed list of any items that might have been stored in your vehicle, such as CD's, electronic equipment, floor mats, jumper cables, tools and anything else you can think of. Some insurance companies will reimburse you for the full value of those items while others will only give partial reimbursements.

If you still owe money when your car is stolen, you will need to make a separate call to the financial institution with whom you have financed the car. They will probably want to speak directly with your insurance company, but you should answer any questions they have.

In all likelihood, both your insurance company and leasing company will need copies of the police report you filed. If you neglect to call the police, your chances of getting your claim approved decrease considerably. Make sure to ask the police where you can obtain copies of the police report (usually at the local court house).

And finally, make sure that you don't become a vigilante when your car is stolen. Searching for your stolen vehicle on the street can prove extremely dangerous and is better left to law enforcement. If, however, you do find your car after you've reported it stolen, don't immediately approach it. Instead, use your cell phone or a nearby pay phone to report your findings to the police. You have to realize that the thief might not be very far away and you don't want to risk a confrontation. Furthermore, the police are more likely to make an arrest if you don't disturb the situation."

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2014 06:24PM by KateH.

Where R U in New England? U posted Tuesday This is Friday R U still in New England?

bestofbothworlds Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A local library can also help out in a pinch and
> the screens are much larger than a 3".
If you are in your home state you might even be able to use a computer at a state college or university library. They stay opened later. It might help if you had a library card from a public library in the state or something else that shows that you live in the state.

Also, as another poster said, many hotels do have business centers or sometimes just a desk top. I have even been in hotels were I have used the desktops without charge.

Boy would I love to share this with some of my shoppers who give me really pathetic excuses as to why they didn't get their shops in on time (or at all)!!!

judyschedules Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Boy would I love to share this with some of my
> shoppers who give me really pathetic excuses as to
> why they didn't get their shops in on time (or at
> all)!!!

Yeah, "my dog ate my shop report" pales in comparison, doesn't it?

@Gypsy, I hope you're able to get this whole mess resolved soon. I know it can sometimes be difficult to navigate the social structures of small-town America, especially when one is (perceived as) an outsider with limited resources. I also know that it can be incredibly difficult to regain one's footing under challenging circumstances such as the ones you are currently experiencing. I wish you and your dogs much luck and will be thinking positive thoughts for you all.

Rentals aren't always covered if the vehicle is totaled in order to encourage a quick settlement. Different scenario if vehicle is repairable. Found out to our sorrow when our Jeep was totalled.

I'm so sorry you're going through all of this, Gypsy.

Gypsy's a survivor. From previous posts on other threads, it's clear that she's been through a lot, lot worse in life. Kudos to her for the original post and sharing the innovative means of getting the reports in on time. The rest of all of the crap that she went through that day, it's part of the deal and she seems to accept it. There's a lot of serenity in acceptance.
She walked away from the forum two days ago. I hope she comes back to hear some of the explanations offered since then, that most of the attacks weren't intended as attacks, and if any really were, that she would just write them off with the multitudes who simply don't get GM's whole big picture.
She and her dogs are out there somewhere and are going to be fine. I hope she comes back to tell us how she got there.

Gypsy has actually not walked away from the forum. Although Gypsy has not posted within the last 48 hours, she has continued to log in. She was logged in here as recently as 3:30 this afternoon.

Geez, I don't blame her for logging in to check but hesitating to post.

I disagree with those who think the total reaction of posters on this thread has been positive, far from it.

Many yes, all no.

Hope you are hanging in there Gypsy. This has to be the crappiest week ever.

I am checking with a relative in law enforcement to see what she may suggest (if anything) to help speed things up (if that is even possible). I will report back if I have anything encouraging to post.

Shop2LiveinFL Wrote:

>
> > There is a big difference between what the
> usual
> > "bum" looks like who is wearing a plaid shirt
> and
> > a backpack and what a backpacker looks like,
> even
> > in my experience when the backpacker is coming
> > home after several days without a shower.
>
> I guess you have never done a thru-hike on the
> Appalachian Trail.

No shop, I have not done that but I have been on week long backpacks in the woods...perhaps the bums where you live look different than the ones where I live and certainly most of the back packers around here these days do not look at all like bums. I am sure somewhere there are the backpackers I have always been accustomed to but for the most part it is a really high tech business here in la la land and just the gear alone could buy someone rent for a month or two. I do not think I would often mistake a backpacker for the street people in Los Angeles. But also, not having ever met Gypsy, I doubt she looks completely like the bums around here. She is what she described as a rubber something...Gypsy, I had never heard that term before but I do remember rubber (tires?) was part of it.

MDavisnowell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This thread started out about Gypsy's problem with
> her truck being stolen and many posters addressed
> that issue, expressed sympathy, and tried to be
> helpful with suggestions. ...............



That was an amazingly well written response.

I feel bad prolonging this too long thread but just could not help posting that we dropped comprehensive on my husband's vehicle several years ago. It is in good shape, runs well and we certainly have the money to pay for comprehensive insurance. It did not seem to make financial sense to me to continue the coverage as the amount we would get if the vehicle was totalled was only a few years worth of the annual cost of the extra insurance. I am sure insurance rates differ a lot from state to state but I did not feel it was worth it to keep shelling out an additional several hundred dollars a year just in case we got into an accident when all we would end up getting in the end would be about $2,000. I would rather bank that money since I can afford to and be my own insurance. Someone with little or no savings might feel differently and may not want to chance losing the car and not be able to afford a new older one.
I am just posting this because I really feel the worth of insurance is a judgement call and was surprised that some here thought it a necessity. Yes, if you have a new model car where the insurance would pay enough to purchase another like car but once the car's value falls below a certain amount it is not so clear cut.

After working for different police forces in British Columbia, Canada, I NEVER leave my insurance papers in the vehicle. I always carry them in my purse and have photo copies at home. I have never lost a purse so I believe it is safer to carry the docs with me. Any scrot that steals a vehicle can get important information about you from the insurance docs. I am not willing to take that chance.

Good luck with your problems as they sound horrendous. I hope they get sorted out very soon. Thank god your dog was not in the truck when it was stolen.

I am wondering what the update is... I would hope the insurance co. has arrived by now and sorted things out.

The thing is, according to my cop relative - ownership of the vehicle is easily determined by a simple running of the plates and or the Vin number on the vehicle. Unless it is registered to somebody else there should not have been this dilemma with proving ownership of the truck. It is very perplexing why this is even an issue.

The tow company situation, yes. That is SOP - they will not allow you access to the vehicle until the tow fee is paid (and insurance should pay that so I wouldn't shell out the cash either in this situation) for obvious reasons. If it is not driveable you may very likely abandon it if there is nothing else you need out of it. Apparently there is a very short list of exceptions to that rule - such as to obtain prescription meds or a baby seat - otherwise no access at all.

Boutique Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Geez, I don't blame her for logging in to check
> but hesitating to post.
>
> I disagree with those who think the total reaction
> of posters on this thread has been positive, far
> from it.
>
> Many yes, all no.
>
> Hope you are hanging in there Gypsy. This has to
> be the crappiest week ever.
>
> I am checking with a relative in law enforcement
> to see what she may suggest (if anything) to help
> speed things up (if that is even possible). I will
> report back if I have anything encouraging to
> post.

A heartfelt and productive post. Perhaps your relative could recommend some surround services to help with the rest of the issues. The "down and out" situation is not normally associated with mystery shopping. It should be.

The police don't have to obey the law, just uphold it. That isnt how it should be, but that is reality. If they feel threatened by GM's way of life, they can do anything they like to make sure he pays for it, legal or not.
I take it from the responses on this thread that many forum members here have had little contact with law enforcement. Or rather, little contact with typical law enforcement.

@GypsyMonkey: my heart goes out to you and your baby dogs. Don't let the b***ards get you down!

I think it's taking things way too far to say anyone was 'attacking' Gypsy... were people questioning some parts of the story that didn't seem to fit together quite right? Yeah... but how is that 'attacking'? Maybe those people were trying to understand things more thoroughly and accurately, to better offer advice and be helpful.

Some people offered advice on how certain problems Gypsy was having *might* have been avoided... problems that might arise if this situation was to happen again, and/or to anyone else. Things that, if they'd been thought of and done ahead of time, might have minimized some of the damage. That doesn't necessarily mean they were 'attacking' Gypsy, or blaming her for anything... only playing Monday Morning Quarterback. Who doesn't do that after a terrible situation? Every time something crappy happens to me, I try to figure out what I could have done differently, ahead of time, to minimize damage. The discussion around that, I see as a good thing; as it's always good for us to think of such things to possibly prevent heart/headache in the future.

Unless I'm forgetting a post or few, the only stuff that came close to 'attacking' was't directed at Gypsy. And even that... well, que sera, sera. Whatever. Most were supportive of Gypsy and trying to help her in various ways.

I'm glad Gypsy is OK and that her precious dogs weren't in the vehicle, too. And I hope that when she gets more settled again, she'll join us.

I can access all of my vehicle and insurance information right from my smart phone - and in fact I don't even need to carry a paper insurance card - I just pull it up on my phone whenever I might need it.

sandyf Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would rather
> bank that money since I can afford to and be my
> own insurance.

That's the entire difference. If you could not afford to replace that vehicle yourself would you be so quick to drop comprehensive? The whole point of the comprehensive insurance discussion was that ability to replace the vehicle was more important than the value of the vehicle. Your post seems to indicate that you don't pay for comprehensive because the value of the car is too low, but then later you seemed to indicate that you could afford to replace that vehicle if you had to. I would suggest that the ability to replace was actually the driving factor in that decision.

Around here comprehensive is also required by the lien holder. Once the vehicle is paid off, it becomes optional.

Nobody is attacking Gypsy. Others have offered advice for the future, and others are trying to find what exactly is happening in order to help. As Boutique found out from her relative in law enforcement, ownership of the vehicle is easily determined by running the plates or the vin. Thus, the questions that people have trouble understanding and have been asking in different wordings, either direct, or stating that there are some holes in the story are:

1) Is the truck registered to GM? If yes, why cann't the police determine ownership by running the plates? If not, why can not GM get a letter or what ever paperwork is needed from the registered owner?

2)Since GM drives around, does not this mean that she has a driver's license? Why is not that enough to prove her identity and ownership of the truck to the police if she is the registered owner?

3) Why would the police refuse to provide a police report? It is a public document and they readily provide it. One just needs to follow the instruction show to get it. Only the info about the thieves might be blacked out but that is not a requirement for the insurance. Plus, if GM made a police report about the theft, then she must have one of the copies since she must have signed it.

This is not somewhere in the middle of nowhere. It is in Rhode Island and they have guidelines for everything and are pretty good in following them.