Car park ding- they drove off- now what?

[nixon1]

just been down to tescos for the weekly shop. Always careful about who I park next to. After we had paid for our shopping I looked out to see the same VW mpv parked next to me.

30 seconds later me & the missus are approaching our car and a lady is loading her kids into the back. I get right to the drivers side of mine and then a nice "thud" was heard. I look over and although the lady is holding the door open she saw fit to clunk her door into the side of my car causing a nice ding.

Obviously I said to her "you've just dented my car" and the reply was simply "where?", which was to be expected as she was hardly paying attention to life let alone my pristine car. I pointed it out at which point she calls her husband who is sat in the driving seat. He simply says "we'll need it to be verified"and dint even bother getting out to look. At this point I remarked "this isnt go to go anywhere is it and you've just damaged my car". They left.

I have tried to post here without swearing my nads off (naturally I'm fuming) but the problem is... now what? Someone damages my car in front of me and not only denied it but then left. I have the car's reg. No doubt the husband is in the local US air force judging by his accent and he demeanour so what should I do... inform the police, phone the local airbase or simply cough up for the dent and put it down to car park scum? Any other ideas welcome

[Rovinghawk]

Isn't leaving the scene of an accident without giving details frowned upon by the authorities?
It's minor but it's technically still a collision of two vehicles.

RH

[davepoth]

Did you write down the numberplate?

[AndyBrew]

unbelievable attitude, I have no idea what your legal stance is probably absolutely nowhere as its your word against theirs I guess I never park next to other cars in supermarket car parks, park right at the other end and always take two spaces just because of this kind of thing!!!

If I'm being honest I think you're going nowhere fast, if that had been me once I realised what I was dealing with I would of opened my door on their car and said their you go we are equal it it would be the only course of action delivering a smidgen of satisfaction

Worlds full of wkers, feel for you.

[Lucas Ayde]

nixon1 said:

just been down to tescos for the weekly shop. Always careful about who I park next to. After we had paid for our shopping I looked out to see the same VW mpv parked next to me.

30 seconds later me & the missus are approaching our car and a lady is loading her kids into the back. I get right to the drivers side of mine and then a nice "thud" was heard. I look over and although the lady is holding the door open she saw fit to clunk her door into the side of my car causing a nice ding.

Obviously I said to her "you've just dented my car" and the reply was simply "where?", which was to be expected as she was hardly paying attention to life let alone my pristine car. I pointed it out at which point she calls her husband who is sat in the driving seat. He simply says "we'll need it to be verified"and dint even bother getting out to look. At this point I remarked "this isnt go to go anywhere is it and you've just damaged my car". They left.

I have tried to post here without swearing my nads off (naturally I'm fuming) but the problem is... now what? Someone damages my car in front of me and not only denied it but then left. I have the car's reg. No doubt the husband is in the local US air force judging by his accent and he demeanour so what should I do... inform the police, phone the local airbase or simply cough up for the dent and put it down to car park scum? Any other ideas welcome

Call the police and inform them that someone damaged your car and drove out without giving you their details. You have a number plate and description of the occupants, as well as another witness (your wife).

[Animala]

If you had a camera phone should have taken a picture of the dent, their reg and the part of their door which struck your car if it had a visible mark. That may have prompted them to take more responsibility.

Failing that and they still don't give you their information try and see if the stores security camera caught anything (very unlikely) and if so then you have proof, but if not then I don't think the photos will be enough.

Wasn't really much you could have done without them taking responsibility or having a third party witness the damage being made.

That's what I think anyway....

[Ozzie Osmond]

Aren't these minor dings just part of the reality in which we are all expected to live? Nothing stays pristine for ever except the garage queens - and what's the point in that?

[Animala]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Aren't these minor dings just part of the reality in which we are all expected to live? Nothing stays pristine for ever except the garage queens - and what's the point in that?

Agree with "nothing staying perfect" and "these things happen" mentality and if he came out to his car like this I would say just shout your favourite swear and move on.

But for someone to do damage to it right in front of you and then insult you by not taking responsibility or even apologizing for it is just a mick take.

[Moos3h]

Is it the case that incidents on private property (such as a car park) are not considered 'accidents' in the same way as something that happens on a normal road?

I could be completely wrong, but I thought I remembered something along these lines.

Sucks, either way - I've had something similar happen waiting for my OH at the train station car park.

[tercelgold]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Aren't these minor dings just part of the reality in which we are all expected to live? Nothing stays pristine for ever except the garage queens - and what's the point in that?

Boats have the same problem but they use fenders to protect the body work, those with long lines and a large net find it easier this way.

nixon1 said:

I have the car's reg. )

http://www.askmid.com/askmidenquiry.aspx

Edited by tercelgold on Saturday 9th July 16:36

[Oldandslow]

I would report it. If he is USAF he may get in disciplinary problems for getting in local legal diffs and want to settle it.

[Ari]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Aren't these minor dings just part of the reality in which we are all expected to live?

No!

[Lucas Ayde]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Aren't these minor dings just part of the reality in which we are all expected to live? Nothing stays pristine for ever except the garage queens - and what's the point in that?

So I can drive up beside your car with you looking on, throw my door open and put a ding in your motor and then just drive off with you shrugging your shoulders putting it down to Karma?


It's one thing to just accept it and move on with it when you come back and find that someone has dented your bodywork in a car park without you seeing it happen - it's quite another when you actually witness it, confront the person who did it and have them deny it and drive off.

The OP has himself and the wife as witnesses to the incident, the reg. # of the vehicle and a public car park in somewhere like Tesco is subject to the same laws as the road.


The police may or may not do their jobs and follow it up but the OP should report it.

[wolfie1978]

unfortunatly you'll get nowhere. a few months back i watched an old bint reverse into my parked car and drive off. i got her reg and went to the police with it and a description of the driver. they paid her a visit and she denied it, absolutly naff all you can do about it.

[Blakewater]

I've had it happen to me and had witnesses but only ever family. I don't think your wife will count as an independent witness either. A couple of kids were messing about in the car next to mine and kicked the door into it hard leaving a very big dent. The mother came back and I challenged her about it. She checked and confirmed the door of her car lined up with the dent in mine and we swapped phone numbers. That evening she leaves an answerphone message saying she didn't damage my car and I can't prove she did, which really I couldn't. She'd probably gone home and spoken to her husband about it who said deny everything. The same happened with a customer at work. A woman who was a mobile hairdresser reversed her 4x4 into his car, accepted responsibility at the scene and then denied everything later. She had her name and number on her car so everyone knew who she was. It stinks but I doubt you'll get anywhere with it. You shouldn't have to consider parking dents to be a fact of life. People should have respect for other people's property.

[XDA]

nixon1 said:

Always careful about who I park next to..........I looked out to see the same VW mpv parked next to me.

This is your problem, you thought it was "safe" to park next to a MPV.

MPV usually equals fat lazy ignorant people who don't care about other people vehicles and/or children who'll quite happy force a door wide open, into the side of another car.

I never ever park next to a MPV for this exact reason.

[anonymous-user]

i work in a supermarket and my car is covered in these dings and ive got no choice where to park sometimes as our store is so busy, its disgusting tbh, i got a 1k quote to get them all fixed!, i had a guy do it right in front of my eyes and even stare into my eyes without even apologising and then cracking a joke about it too, i felt like punching him in the face.

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 9th July 18:50

[Deva Link]

johnmayer said:

If having a dink on your car upsets you always park across two bays. Saves the heartache.

I simply don't take mine to supermarkets, other than Costco.

[traffman]

I tend to park well away from the usual porridge that fills a retail park.

As for parking across two bays , well that just makes my piss boil.

[rufusgti]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Aren't these minor dings just part of the reality in which we are all expected to live? Nothing stays pristine for ever except the garage queens - and what's the point in that?

Yes. This is true. We can get upset when it happens or just accept it. Either way its incredibly unlikely anyone else is going to pay for the damage. The fact is it happens. So if your likely to get upset dont park there.

I'd certainly put it down to a fact of life. In Spain they happily park nose to tail then just push your car out the way. It's what bumpers are for.