Doug- No offense at all, believe you me, I would not want to be behind me either...... Not looking forward to it, but oh well, slow and steady gets the course.
CP- Do not really know of the girl you are talking about as I always go with the wife now...... In Tarpon Pointe, I had one of the first Town Homes they closed on and then I also was one of the MORONS who who bought into the highrise condo. I remember when I closed on it. My price was 727k, appraised at 990k and I had it listed for 675k, with not one bidBRUTAL!!!
Was good for a long while though. I was just a little late and I learned my lesson really quick. Had a house on right next to Tarpon Pointe that I bought for 575k and got busted by feds 9 days later. Sold it for 585k ( lost my ass with RE fees), then it sold 9 MONTHS later for 1.1 and then sold for 340k 2 years later. Crazy ass market. Only primary homes for me here forward!
It's doable ( driving a box truck), but borders on CDL endorsement. I avoid being too near iffy looking vehicles, when possible. If I don't like the looks of the load in front of me, I'll pass it ( esp. a truck carrying gravel).
I assume a guy driving a rental truck to be a non-pro driver, so I try to avoid them. I know I can't drive the thing like a pro trucker.
With sufficient practice, one can pretty easily use side mirrors to serve as rear view for everything up to one car length behind you.
So admittedly, if one is not practiced, it could present a challenge.
As for the second portion, in standard vehicle rental contracts when the lessee Declines insurance coverage (a deliberate declination is required), they at the same time agree to accept full liability for any damage done to or by the leased vehicle.
The lessee - regardless of current financial status would still have a civil claim against them by the lessor and failure to satisfy that claim would leave them suffering affiliated damage to their financial credit.
Additionally, depending on the state in which they were driving the vehicle, they could be cited for failure to drive with liability insurance and face potential criminal charges depending on the amount of damage to persons and/or property.
====
Meanwhile, the lessor more than makes up the potential loss of their property (in case where lessee damages or totals the vehicle and fails to pay the claim) by the amount of money they rake in for the people who DO accept the collision/damage insurance sold in-house.
For most companies, it ranges from $15-30 per day (equivalent to an annual charge of between $5-10,000).
The simple actuarial facts are that it's a relatively rare occurrence for the vehicle to suffer significant damage. And so the odds of significant damage in combination with a driver who declines the coverage and also fails to pay the claim are rather long.
Thus the huge amounts the lessor pulls in from those who DO buy the coverage is actually one of their most profitable cost centers.
I drive one of those trucks everyday and they are easy to drive. Make sure you get an automatic transmission instead of a stick. Know how to use the blind-spot mirror, it is very helpful. Don't forget the speed limit is the same as a semi-truck and you cannot drive in the far outside lane on an expressway. So you know, they get about 10 MPG.
I'm sure they won't lease to anyone without insurance Doug.
I'm sure they won't lease to anyone without insurance Doug.
Wow, old thread. I made it ok, but was nervous as hell at first then got better. Thing only went 70 and was a very rough ride. All in all it was a good trip. I do remember the whole way thinking to myself that I had not done anything in my life that qualified me to be able to drive this huge ass thing.
