Say you’re off-roading on rough roads and go backpacking overnight. When you return to your car, you find it’s been broken into. You don’t have any cell signal. Do you drive to the nearest town and call the police? Do you need to take pictures before driving? And what if the car is undrivable?
This is a tough situation. If the car is still drivable, take pictures of the damage and drive out to get help. If it’s not drivable, take pictures, hike out, and call a tow truck when you can. Either way, file a police report, but keep in mind they probably won’t do much. If you have coverage, file a claim and move on from there.
Keith said:
This is a tough situation. If the car is still drivable, take pictures of the damage and drive out to get help. If it’s not drivable, take pictures, hike out, and call a tow truck when you can. Either way, file a police report, but keep in mind they probably won’t do much. If you have coverage, file a claim and move on from there.
I’d be more worried about someone breaking into my car while I’m out backpacking. The thought of not being alone out there would freak me out.
If the car isn’t drivable, you’ll have to find a spot with signal and call a tow. Definitely take photos and video before touching anything. You’ll also need to file a police report, either at the scene or at a local station later. If you have insurance coverage, file a claim and see if they can help cover the damage.
Is there an insurance-related question here?
I think this might belong in a different forum…
Take as many photos as you can, especially of the damage. If there are other cars nearby, check if they were broken into as well. Make sure you note the time you left and when you came back to find the damage. If the car is drivable, head out and call the police once you have signal. If not, you’ll need to hike out for help. After contacting the police, call your insurance and report the damage if you have comprehensive coverage. Just remember, insurance likely won’t cover personal items stolen from the car—those might be covered by a homeowner’s policy, but it can get tricky. Also, try to protect your car from further damage, like covering broken windows with plastic. I hope this is just a hypothetical situation!
Zen said:
Say you’re off-roading on rough roads and go backpacking overnight. When you return to your car, you find it’s been broken into. You don’t have any cell signal. Do you drive to the nearest town and call the police? Do you need to take pictures before driving? And what if the car is undrivable?
If you have a recent iPhone, they can call for help via satellite if you have no signal. If the car is drivable, take some photos and either fix it yourself or file an insurance claim.
Zen said:
Say you’re off-roading on rough roads and go backpacking overnight. When you return to your car, you find it’s been broken into. You don’t have any cell signal. Do you drive to the nearest town and call the police? Do you need to take pictures before driving? And what if the car is undrivable?
Meanwhile, on the ‘adulting’ forum, people are asking:
- How do you handle being called ‘cute’ at work?
- Does anyone else really love food?
- Why is becoming an adult so important when you hit your 20s?
Zen said:
Say you’re off-roading on rough roads and go backpacking overnight. When you return to your car, you find it’s been broken into. You don’t have any cell signal. Do you drive to the nearest town and call the police? Do you need to take pictures before driving? And what if the car is undrivable?
Meanwhile, on the ‘adulting’ forum, people are asking:
- How do you handle being called ‘cute’ at work?
- Does anyone else really love food?
- Why is becoming an adult so important when you hit your 20s?
Haha, probably because you’re not a teenager anymore!
Zen said:
Say you’re off-roading on rough roads and go backpacking overnight. When you return to your car, you find it’s been broken into. You don’t have any cell signal. Do you drive to the nearest town and call the police? Do you need to take pictures before driving? And what if the car is undrivable?
This sounds like the start of a horror movie…
Zen said:
Say you’re off-roading on rough roads and go backpacking overnight. When you return to your car, you find it’s been broken into. You don’t have any cell signal. Do you drive to the nearest town and call the police? Do you need to take pictures before driving? And what if the car is undrivable?
If it’s undrivable, I’d use my car’s SOS feature, which works through a satellite connection. You should never leave the car if you don’t have to. And honestly, insurance is the least of your worries if you’re stuck in a survival situation.
Zen said:
Say you’re off-roading on rough roads and go backpacking overnight. When you return to your car, you find it’s been broken into. You don’t have any cell signal. Do you drive to the nearest town and call the police? Do you need to take pictures before driving? And what if the car is undrivable?
If you’re spending time in remote areas, you should really invest in some satellite communication gear. Some newer phones have the option, or you could get a device like a Garmin InReach.