With 1 Day Left In The Worst Year Of My Life, It Couldn't Get Worse Right?

Hello Everyone,

You just can't make this sh1t up! Yesterday I noticed some mouse turds in a couple of places in my building, so I started putting out the poison & spraying deterrent when I found this (see Bimini Blue picture)

I seriously wanted to cry as this has been the absolute (by far) worst year of my life already. This hood had dozens of hours of blocking, painting, wet sanding & buffing in it. It WAS laser straight. It was leaning up against the back wall of my paint room with plastic over it along with the doors. A stray bullet went through the outer wall, inner wall & right through the hood

Now the way my building is situated on my road only the last 10 feet or so of the 88 feet could be hit by a stray bullet. I live out in the country & everybody shoots out here (including me), but I have been here 20+years & never had anything like this happen before. Mom & Dad's house block most of my buildings back side & honestly it probably came from their neighbors as they do shoot, but not in my direction on purpose obviously. I will talk to them the next time I see them out, but they are good country folks. Not looking for any retribution, just wanting to ask they be more careful, as it could have been much worse...15 feet to the north & it could have entered Dads radio room where he spends most of his time. 10 feet to the south & it would have hit my 500 gallon propane tank. Hell...If I had been in that room, it could have hit me. Since it was covered with the plastic I have no idea when it happened, but I would assume spring, summer or fall of this year.

Can't wait for '24 to be over with & I am NOT leaving the house today!

Pictures are outside of building, inside of building, underside of hood, outside of hood, paint room.

God Bless & Happy New Year
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

...WOW, that is some triffling ass shit! So glad that nobody got hurt or God forbid killed. Yes, check with the neighbors and "counsel" them if they were at fault. Damn, that's some scary stuff. Hope 2025 goes much better for you.

 

So sorry for you Bill, that cuts you to the core

 

Damn Bill, that is terrible, and I feel for you.....Every time I'm having one of those days/weeks/months/years/life I keep telling myself "At least it's not ____" as in, "At least it didn't hit the house" or "At least I wasn't in there". It's the only way for me to see anything in a positive light sometimes, especially when it seems like it just keeps piling on and on as you've had. I know you are a good man with great Faith. I know you'll keep pressing forward, I'll keep you and your family in my prayers, especially for a better year ahead. One better day at a time.

 

Damn, glad everyone is okay. My old best friend AND my dog died last week, so, yeah, waiting for this year to be over.

 

Damn. While that damage sucks, it is just sheet metal and can be fixed. Whoever fired it needs to learn some proper safety, though.

 

Oh Bill. I’m so sorry that happened. It absolutely sucks, but when I opened your thread I was afraid of other stuff. Thank goodness you, Laura, Mom and Dad are ok. I sure share your let’s get the heck out of 2024!

 

So lucky you didn't get hit/hurt/killed! This new year could possibly be the best of your life.

 

Bummer,
Last day of the year..
One door closes but another one opens...
Other than that, it's a pretty good car!

 

Bill, I sympathize with you, my health, my daughters health, Brenda hit a dear and totaled her Magnum wagon and I wrecked her Ranch Wagon, fortunately no one was hurt, I'm praying for a better year in 2025 for all us.

Hopefully Melissa's & My health will improve,I'll get the Ranch wagon back on the road and the Good Lord will bless us with a great grand child this summer. HRP

 

It's a bummer, but as everyone commented, the good part is that no one was hurt. It sounds like you are
a really good neighbor, but a suggestion for you to consider: this is a very serious issue, it may be a good idea to deter
future incidents by "planting a flag." I'm sure your neighbors (if your neighbors were even involved - could
be out-of-town hunters for example) wouldn't want this to happen again, to you or them. There are usually rules
regarding where shooting is allowed (e.g., one hundred yards from inhabited dwellings). Consider filing a police/game
warden report regarding the incident. I'm sure they will never determine who did it, but the word will get around. And it may cause others to be more careful, themselves and their kids for example. This was probably not done on
purpose, but just carelessness. In my opinion you would not be a "jerk" for filing report, I would consider it
proactive. This incident could have went very badly, it deserves a serious response. Again this is just my opinion.
But if I knew this happened to my neighbor, it would spark a heightened awareness in me, my family and my friends.
Have a great new year, you deserve it.
don

 

Thank the Lord no one was hurt. Stuff can be fixed . Looks like 2024 was pretty good to you!

 

Along the line of Alexander Graham Bell ~ ‘When one door closes, another opens. But we often look so regretfully upon the closed door that we don’t see the one which has opened for us.’

 

That really sucks, but glad nobody was injured. But considering the distance a bullet from a hunting rifle can travel it might not be your neighbors who shoot. It could easily be someone over a mile away who was hunting and missed whatever they were shooting at.

 

Geeezuz...!
Here's to a Great New Year

 

I, too, was skeered by your title to open your post thinking something bad had happened to you, yourself.
I can empathize and feel your pain for what has happened to the hood but I'm also relieved that you still have only the usual amount of holes in your person.
Yeah, it's a pain. But it can be fixed. Like they say, "Whatever doesn't kill ya', makes you tougher".

 

Absolutely agree. Best case scenario the authorities will be able to determine who did it and they'll be on the hook to pay for repairs. Thats's unlikely but at least it will document what happened, in case it happens again, and hopefully makes people think twice about rifle safety.

 

You know you're a redneck when ...




Sorry but it was the first thing that crossed my mind

You should be able to draw an imaginary line using the hole in the wall and the hole in the hood to determine where it came from. I think I'd map it out before approaching the neighbors just so they have a better idea exactly where it came from as it might help them figure out when/who might be responsible.

 

That stinks! Can you see where else the bullet hit? You could do a CSI investigation and see where it came from with some string. It is not a ricochetted bullet as the hole is round.
I will have to admit that I have injured my own cars over the years while shooting at varmints in the yard.

 

Glad you're ok.
I can relate to really bad days - or weeks - , although I've learned to *never* ask "wtf else ???". A guarantee that you'll be shown. ;D .
The bullet didn't do any more damage in the shop? I suppose since the hood is still in the same place, you could run a rod thru those holes & get a pointer to where the shot came from. If the bullet didn't exit the building, then it's somewhere in there. (Guess I type slow).
I also live in a rural area, & people shoot out here, me too sometimes. There are a lot of directions I won't shoot, due to houses/etc in that direction(not all in sight - you've got to know what's "downrange"). Sometimes I get *very* nervous, when I can hear the shots in a particular way. Haven't had any hit the house or gar, but last yr heard one ricochet off of one of my cars. Very unsettling... Never found the damage, or the bullet, or the shooter. & wife was only ~20' away at the time, both of us in the path, so at least the ricochet was a plus then...
Marcus...

& borntolose; That's funny!. I can just hear the one-liner. .

 

Sorry, but I couldn't hit like button.
My year was pretty good all in all. But, 3 months ago my BIL was diagnosed with cancer and was already too far gone to do anything about it. We came down to Florida in October to see him and my Sister. Had a good visit with them. We are actually down here now. He passed a few days b4 Christmas and the funeral was last Saturday.
Usually with something like what happened to your hood, it was me that caused it. Like a few years ago when I backed into a gas pump and damaged the left rear quarter of my '50 Ford. My wife asked why I wasn't upset, I told her I couldn't go back and change it. I could only blame myself.
In your case someone should be held responsible or at least no what damage they caused. Like others, I try to see the "good" side, no one was hurt.
Glad Laura is doing better and see you in September.

 

Here's to hoping 25 will be better to you. I have had to have conversations with neighbors about irresponsible shooting before. Some times it goes well, others it hasn't. Just had a conversation with my next door neighbor about shooting towards the back of his lot. There is a corn field behind his property and a pretty well traveled road on the other side of that. I pointed out that without a back stop a skipped round could hit a car on the road. He said the slight hill would stop it as you can't even get line of sight to the road. We had a short lesson on bullet drop, how far the rounds could travel, and what kind of kinetic force they would still have. His eyes got a little big and he decided the big stuff couldn't be shot in that direction. 22s wouldn't travel that far so plinking is ok, but not a good habit to be in.. Your hood looks like someone was using a larger caliber gun with a non-hunting round. The two metal walls should have really mushroomed a hunting round and there was still no mushroom effect as it went through the hood.. Did you find the slug? If it ran out of juice it should be near the front wall.

And remember as bad as you think the year was, you survived, your family is with you and the truly important things and people in life are still with you to start the next year. Think of all the positives and how the bad things just made those positives that much more positive.

 

Happy New Year! Perhaps no one needs to hear the words more. There is an old Scottish tradition of leaving your door open at midnight tonight so the old year can exit your home and allow the new year in. I might suggest opening the garage doors as well and perhaps the car doors. Better safe than sorry.

 

Unfortunately, lots of people* are going to be recklessly firing projectiles into the air tonight.

* especially in "the land of the gun"

 

Dang the luck right Bill! I can see the car the hood belongs too and am very found of those. hope yours and everyone else's luck is all good in 2025! We can all use good luck! Joe

 

... And I thought my year end was shitty, ya got all my sympathy! I had to say goodbye to my pal
last week

Wow, you have all my sympathy. Mine is ending on the same note. Had to say goodbye to my pal too. Then I find the vac advance unit on the nailhead is stuck. Phoned napa on a remote hope. The kid likely wasn't familiar with distributors, after some keystrokes, he's back
" I don't even show a listing for that"
Me: so, ya can't get one?
" no, sorry about that "
Ok , thanks, bye
On the phone to the reliable Buick store in Jersey, got the last one left in stock.With the exchange & shipping, it will run me 100 or so of our worthless dollars. A hour later the napa guy phones " I did a cross search(?) and found the part, it can be here in 3 days.
Doesn't compare to bullets flying.
In my own horizon , I sense some new change approaching and plan to seize the opportunity vigorously . Good luck to all who plan to do the same and Happy New Year to all!

 

That just plain bites. Should be easy to figure out the direction it came from. At least no injuries. Have a happy and safe 25.

 

That is a very good point. You can take your phone camera and line up the the holes. Zoom in and see what you get. The inner and outer wall are the best bet as the hood has been moved around but can be relocated to the original position with some work. The picture should show you the line the shot came from and is often times very enlightening. It might come in handy while talking with the neighbors if they say couldn't have been us and it shows their yard as a possible point of origin.

 

Bill I know how discouraging damage like that is just got done with some body work & bought paint .hoping for a better year in 2025 for you & yours

 

Well with the line of sight through the inside outside sheeting where did the bullet end up in the shop or did it stop at the hood? Now you don't have to buy a stick on bullet hole.