3rd party driving away from a bump

[miniandy]

Just had a call from my sister saying someone has bumped her car at the lights. She has pulled over, got out, and they have driven away. She called to give me the reg, and I said to go to the police as they have failed to stop. She can't see any obvious damage, but it is pissing with rain and she is a bit shakey.

She's been to the cop shop to report the other party for failing to stop (old boy in a Volvo) and the police have said that as there is no immediate and obvious damamge the 3rd party hasn't committed an offence! WTF! We will need to check the car over and take it from there, but the copper said they needed it reported in case the old boy said she caused damage to his car! In her Seicento! Can they just not be arsed to help or something?

[Jasandjules]

I think there is only a requirement to stop in the event that a person was injured or likely to have been injured, but if it is just vehicle damage they need to report it to plod within 24 hours.

[g_attrill]

No, if you cause damage to any property other than your own then you must stop at the scene. Only if you do not (or cannot) exchange details then you must report it as soon as possible, and in any case within 24hrs. Injury causing accidents must always be reported.

Gareth

[speedchick]

Quinny said:

Jasandjules said:

I think there is only a requirement to stop in the event that a person was injured or likely to have been injured,

How's her neck, maybe a delayed whiplash injury

Actually not as daft as it sounds, we got rear ended on a motorway sliproad and my whiplash did not kick in until the day after, woke up in the morning and I couldn't move. Just because it's not present immediately does not mean there is no chance of it.

[deeps]

Quinny said:

Jasandjules said:

I think there is only a requirement to stop in the event that a person was injured or likely to have been injured,

How's her neck, maybe a delayed whiplash injury

Our compensation society doesn't need encouragement.

[Frederick]

I know that when it happened to me, all I got was a letter giving me the TP's details and saying "no further action will be taken in this case" by the police... they're not going to be brought to book cos at the end of the day without witnesses to the incident, it's one person's word against another - couple that with the fact that 90%+ of normal, everyday motorists would probably not stop to give details because of threat of reprisals by the other party or just sheer bloody mindedness on their own part - leaves a perfect get out clause for scrotes who think they're untouchable when they just motor off into the sunset.

[miniandy]

I don't go in for the compensation culture unless I have directly lost out through no fault of my own. If my sister looses out (by way of ££ for repairs) we will claw them back.

However, as always it's one word against the other. What annoys us most is that the stupid old fool knew he bumped her and when she pulled over, he waved and drove off! She is more annoyed at the fact that the old bugger should not be on the road, and if she can she would like something done about it - it's just not the done thing to drive off after bumping into someone! How rude! But of course the local nick are next to useless..

[SJobson]

She could always say she thinks she may have whiplash - then not claim if she doesn't believe in it. The potential injury is enough to cause the police to do something, surely?