NYC woman gets t-boned, wakes up with a parking ticket on her rental car, loses its bumper, and it continued to get worse: ‘My life is not real’
Someone gift her an evil eye bracelet, please.
The hustle of New York City is legendary. But for creator Jasmine (@jasmine.alishaa), the city has recently felt more like an antagonist against her car.
On TikTok, Jasmine detailed a relentless streak of vehicular misfortune that turned a routine week into a chaotic endurance test. The “Get Ready With Me” video has reached over 113,000 viewers, and left every last one of them in awe.
A ‘T-Bone’ accident was just the beginning of the chaos
Jasmine’s ordeal began when her personal vehicle was t-boned. After dealing with the fallout of that accident, she secured a rental car, only to have her luck sour further.
Before even making it to the gym the next day, she woke up to a parking ticket on the rental. “I feel like that was my first sign to not even go,” she lamented. Little did she know that the morning ticket was only a grim preview of the afternoon to come.
A hit-and-run at the gym left her rental car ‘leaking fluids’
Things took s turn for the worse when Jasmine was inside a “Life Time” gym for an Alpha conditioning class. Outside, her rental was struck in the parking lot. The manager ran out to inform her that a driver attempting to park next to her had caved in the front passenger bumper.
The damage was severe enough that the car began “leaking fluids.” This forced Jasmine back to the collision center and then to Enterprise to exchange her rental. For a second time.
A ‘blurry’ witness video left the police unable to help
Although a personal trainer at the gym witnessed the hit-and-run and recorded the incident, the evidence proved useless. Jasmine described the video as “really really bad quality” and “really really blurry.”
When she presented the footage to the police and the collision center, they concluded it was “not helpful at all.” They could not identify the responsible party and hence they walked free. Reeling from the news, Jasmine asked her followers for advice on “getting rid of an evil eye” to break her streak of bad luck.
The logistics of rental car accidents and hit-and-runs
When a rental car is involved in a hit-and-run, the renter is typically responsible for the deductible. That is, unless they purchased the rental company’s “Collision Damage Waiver” (CDW).
In New York, leaving the scene of an accident that results in property damage is a traffic violation. But without clear video evidence or a license plate number, these cases are notoriously difficult to prosecute.
As Jasmine’s “blurry” video demonstrates, witnesses often struggle to capture actionable details in high-stress moments. This leaves the victim to navigate the insurance nightmare alone.
How to protect yourself after a parking lot hit-and-run
If you return to your car to find a “caved-in” bumper like Jasmine did, focus on securing your claim. As Jasmine learned, gym or business managers are often the first to know about parking lot incidents. Ask if the business has its own high-definition surveillance footage rather than relying solely on witness cell phones.
If the car is “leaking fluids,” do not attempt to drive it. Leaks often indicate radiator or engine damage that can lead to total vehicle failure. Call the rental company’s roadside assistance immediately.
Even if the video you secure is “not helpful,” a police report is essential for insurance purposes. It would help you prove to the rental agency that the damage was not your fault.
If all fails, check your insurance policy. Some personal car insurance policies extend coverage to rentals, which may have a lower deductible than the rental company’s flat-rate fees.
NYC is testing Jasmine’s patience
Jasmine’s story is a sobering reminder that sometimes the universe just won’t give you a break. But don’t let it break you. Even she made it to her dinner with Glow Recipe despite a predicted 90-minute commute. We just hope the second rental car has survived its first 24 hours.
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