The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends aspirin for men aged 45-79 and women aged 55-79, as long as the prevention of heart problems outweighs the risk of gastrointestinal hemorrhage. They do NOT recommend preventive aspirin for men younger than 45 or women younger than 55.

My Mom had a intestinal hemorrage last year. A few more minutes between her office and the hospital and we could have lost her. She was taken off her blood-thinners.

So, from a completely non-sciency POV, I wouldn't go on an asprin regimen unless explicitly instructed to do so.

P-C, your rate shouldn't go up. If you think the tenant will be non-hostile you can ask her for the boyfriend's number, but it might be best to first either jot down his license plate # the next time he visits or ask your landlord to do so if he comes by when you're out. That way, even if the BF never calls you back (and he may well not), or if you think he might be nasty about it and you don't want to deal with it personally, you can just give your insurance co. his plate # and they'll do all the rest.

Oh, interesting idea. I didn't know I could do that!

No added stress, I promise. Someone clipped our driver's side car door mirror off a few months ago, and since someone else saw it and jotted down the license number, the whole business never rose above "minor nuisance." Never even got to "mild annoyance," let alone anything close to stress.

It doesn't look so bad in the light of day, honestly. I mean, yes, the paint's been scraped clean off in a few places, but it's not OMG UNSIGHTLY. Just, oh crap, I need to get that taken care of before it rusts and decomposes or whatever.

P-C, I recommend you report the vehicle as sustaining a Hit and Run with witness.

Like, to the police? I don't want to go THAT crazy. It's just a scrape.

Gronklies. Feeling a bit better this morning.

beth, take care of you.

Aims, much ~ma for Ollie.

P-C, the boyfriend may want to pay for the damage without getting insurance involved to save his rate from going up. You could approach it that way.

P-C, I would get your car in for an estimate or two a.s.a.p. In California, you have to report an accident to the DMV within 10 days if the damage is $750 (I think) or more or if anyone was hurt by law, and both insurance agencies have to file a report with the DMV. The fellow that hit your car may not want to report because of the increase to his insurance, and that's generally not a big deal (despite the law above) if he actually pays - but he should do so within that 10 day limit if he doesn't want you to report.

P-C, the boyfriend may want to pay for the damage without getting insurance involved to save his rate from going up. You could approach it that way.

Yeah, the damage is pretty minor, so he'd probably be better off that way.

P-C, I would get your car in for an estimate or two a.s.a.p. In California, you have to report an accident to the DMV within 10 days if the damage is $750 (I think)

Okay. I don't think it should be that bad, but I can take it into a body shop and see what they say.

Okay. I don't think it should be that bad, but I can take it into a body shop and see what they say.

Yeah. Even "minor" collision damage can often cost far more than one thinks to repair.

Thanks for the aspirin info Teppy. I'm not in any of those categories so I'll hold off on the preventative.

The impetus for the question was some thinking about how I've dodged every bullet that felled my family. Alcoholism, smoking, insanity, etc. I'm not sure what role the aforementioned played in the prevalence of heart disease...a lot, I suspect...but if there is a preventive I could employ, I'd be happy to do so.

Even "minor" collision damage can often cost far more than one thinks to repair.

Waaah.

I called the body shop I went to before, Uptown Body and Fender, and the woman pleasantly greeted me. I said that yesterday my car was scraped and I wanted to bring it in for a quick estimate, would that be okay?

"Sure," she said pleasantly, "we're here to help you."

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. And when I go there, they will make me a cappuccino while I wait.