Al2

Can't believe this has happened tonight after reading the thread earlier today about car park dinks!

Decided I'd stop by at Tesco's on the way home from work for some essentials, i.e.
So..... I was sat in my Civic after doing my shopping, just sorting myself out - phone on, CD in, all that kind of stuff - when I noticed this Focus reversing towards my car. I was still in the parking bay (at the far end of the car park - habitually that's where I park), but without the engine running.
I seem to remember this moment of fear (similar to when you see an automatic garage door closing on your car! ) but I remained paralised, not knowing what to do. I guess I just expected the car to stop in time ...... but no.....it just continued!
Next minute my whole car shook - the bloody Focus had reversed straight into me!
I leapt out of the car ready to confront the driver, still not believing she hadn't seen my car..... but no she obviously hadn't!
My immediate response was that I'd like to see the damage in daylight, as it wasn't obvious in the dark, so I asked for her insurance in order that I could check out the damage the next day, but the silly cow seemed more concerned with the damage to her own car.
However, I couldn't believe how little damage had been caused to mine - hell these Hondas are built well, and I told her so! Just a small nick in the front bumper (paint removed about an inch long). The impact had actually moved my car sideways by a few inches!
Next step....insist on her insurance details.
It was then that she started giving me grief about it not being worthwhile to go through insurance, etc., etc.
At this point another car pulls up and the driver starts saying 'I'm a witness, I can see there's no damage, what's the problem?' They obviously knew each other (and even looked alike), but the young girl who had just pulled up started saying things like 'how do you know I know her?' (Heeello.... you're talking to each other like mother and daughter!!)
It was obvious just listening to them.

However.... the reason for posting this is the fact that I feel I should have pushed it further. The woman who actually reversed into me seemed too keen on it not going through insurance. With hindsight, I should have checked basics like a tax disc, but I just didn't think of this at the time.

The outcome..... she offers a cash settlement.... I ask for 40 quid, and she hands it over, no questions asked.

Was I stupid not to pursue the insurance line, and if it proved she hadn't got any, what would I have stood to gain?

moff

The simple answer is yes you were stupid You should have taken all her details no matter what the silly cow had to say. Now if you find more damage you are going to have to pay out of your pocket. Hopefully the

P 1

Al
Sorry to hear this.
I once had an incident where someone backed into my parked car (CRX) in a car park whilst I was stood next to it facing the other way talking to someone . She backed into my rear bumper missing ME by about one inch! She then gave ME grief for my attitude when I told her what I thought of her driving and insisted on her insurance details. It seems some folk think that navigating by touch in car parks is perfectly acceptable
Hope you get this sorted.

Neil.H

I would have insisted on her details personally, silly cow. If you get any grief, you have her number plate (you did write down her number plate didn't you?) and the

blue_jester

Not sure how things stand but it may be potentially difficult to "insist" on insurance details as IIRC you only HAVE to hand them over if someone is injured.

Also don't know where things stand as I suppose it's private ground - PC Plod may just turn up and say "private land, no-one hurt so it's a civil matter, byeeee."

So I would always say that I had whiplash so that the other driver legally has to give their insurance details, though still don't know about the private land situation - any lawyers reading? Unlikely as they wouldn't be able to charge it to a client

Of course may be wrong on this but it's something I remember reading ......... (maybe it was in Honest Johns column in the Daily Telegraph but maybe just like all the other urban myths????)

Paper Lawyer

I vaguely recall a case whereby a private car park was deemed to be a public byway but I don't recall the circumstances - I think the decision was very much policy-driven on the facts of the case

These days I am paranoid about what damage could be hidden by your bumper so I would have insisted upon insurance details and told the woman that you'd get the car checked over and you may consider settling without involving insurance company (maybe the worry would force her to be more careful in the future )

euan

you should have insisted on her details.

I think the obligation to stop and exchange details is if there has been damage IIRC (I remember the son of friends of ours got into a lot of grief for not immediately reporting the council barrier he had managed to drive into and bend).

A lot of traffic law does apply to roads defined as "roads to which the public have access" (ie doing donuts in Sainsbury's car park could get you done for dangerous/careless driving). Whether the detail thing applies to this definition of roads I am not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I also would worry about any more serious damage to your that was not immediately obvious. Bit of a cheek of the women to say insurance not worth bothering about - how she compensates you is up to her, but she should still have exchanged details.

(could be she offered you cash because she is not insured? anyone not insuring their car is scum of the earth in my book - don't know if plod are worth tipping off about this?)

rahula

This sounds a risky move to me. If you now find out that there is more damage that first suspected it could lead you to have to pay yourself. The reasons are twofold. Firstly you haven't got any of her details and even if you did your acceptance of her cash could be taken as a settlement of the claim. Hopefully however there isn't too much damage.

You are entitled to her details at the time of the accident including Reg No. and home address if they don't have their isnurance details to hand even in a public car park. If they insists that they will settle it in cash you can have your car checked out and let the person know the cost and take it from there.

eSeM

Same thing happened to me a few years ago except that I wasn't in the car at the time.

I took her details (new 5 series BMW) and then took my car to get a quote for repair. I emailed her the details of the quote and and asked if they wanted me to go through insurance.

I got a nasty email from her husband saying that he didn't think that she could have caused any damage. So fcuk em ......

I put it through the insurance and claimed for *everythng* I possibly could including hire car while mine was being repaired

Kate

Getting the details is always useful in case more damage has been caused than originally thought. A mate of mine had a similar thing where they refused to give details so he took a photo of the car and number plate on his phone.