Side swiped coming out the tunnel - they didnt stop

[DSLiverpool]

Coming out of the Birkenhead tunnel tonight 5.45 in the dark I was in the second from the right booth going to the right flyover and I noted a volvo coming out just behind me on my right (the booth at the end).
I eased ahead of him to avoid us both wanting the single lane flyover simultaneously and from way over to my left was a white hatchback I saw approaching at the last second and a squirt of throttle meant he hit the rear nearside door rather than the front door or wing. (jamming on wasnt an option I saw it milliseconds before it hit me plus in the rush hour I may have got tailgated)
By the time my brain processed it I was at the mouth of the flyover and committed to driving its length which I did knowing that a lay by was 100 yards after the exit in Borough road.
I got there and waited looking inquiringly at small white hatchbacks but none pulled in behind me so I drove home.
I called the tunnel police who have cameras before and after the booths LOOKING AT THE BOOTHS so I was past them when I was hit. I have a incident report number
I will suck it up its a 10 year old Outback but it was mint - needs a door pulling straight and some paint on the wheel arch.
Anything else I should of / could of done ?

[DSLiverpool]

Door will pull out, the arch is scraped - I was beside myself then I realised its the winter hack (but I do really like it) so not the end of the world

[DSLiverpool]

Good point on the checking of the other tolls however I don't think tunnel police are "normal" police and they only police the tunnel nothing else.

[DSLiverpool]

Tunnel police are not crime investigators hence no follow up.
I have pics of my cars damage but they never load correctly

[DSLiverpool]

Both doors and rear arch need paint and the rear door is pushed in
How much ?

[DSLiverpool]

Or £400 at a decent indie - it's paint front door trim, back door fill paint and rescue trim, rear arch extender and a smidge of rear bumper.

[DSLiverpool]

surveyor said:

Sounds more like Cheshire than Merseyside

Prenton garden suburb don'tcha know! - it's not a small job but I will get a third quote

[DSLiverpool]

Update update update

Tunnel police just called saying a chap has called them saying he clipped a car and stopped on the flyover waiting but I didnt stop (I stopped at the end of the flyover for 10 minutes)

Now up till him calling the cops he had got away with it so reasons are:

• He had a weekend to sweat on not reporting an incident
• He thinks my rear nearside crabbed into his car and can claim
• He has 9 people with whiplash in his fiesta
• Something I havent thought of.

The Tunnel cops will allow us to exchange details for insurance purposes but not to contact each other directly (!)

Anyone care to guess how this plays out ? I have to drop in tomorrow to fill out a form.

[DSLiverpool]

Chaps I have his name and address do I visit or report to insurance ? It's officially with cops now so on a database I assume.
Happy for him to pay and avoid insurance but is that correct.

[DSLiverpool]

I am on CCTV as stopped on the main road at the time of the crash and the duration of my stop.

Do I go round ?

[DSLiverpool]

I am going to try and get his number and call ..... why not, nothing to lose. If it goes as a 50 / 50 then I will fight it tooth and nail as he hit my rear door whilst both travelling in the same direction!

[DSLiverpool]

Agree with that but we have Cctv showing me in booth 2 and him in 7 or 8 with myself directly in front of the flyover ramp.
Arguably we both need the flyover exit and he had to traverse the lanes.

[DSLiverpool]

Spoke to a nice chap after calling directory enquiries, he said he didnt see me (silver car / dark night) and hadnt reported it to the insurance. I said I have 2 quotes of £450 and £480 and would accept half of that amount if he wanted to settle and pay for the damage.
He is thinking about it.

[DSLiverpool]

Well after 2 weeks of faffing about he wants to go via insurance grr how do I explain not reporting it to them till tomorrow ?
It's £400 damage to my car and £450 to his

[DSLiverpool]

I didn't do anything and still have the dent but out of the blue my insurance have asked for a diagram to apportion blame on the guy who hit me. Could this happen as he went through his insurance ?

I've done this

Edited by DSLiverpool on Thursday 23 February 10:52

[DSLiverpool]

I did - I didn't see him till he hit the back of my car - no way 50/50 I was driving straight on.
I think the leaf Take off caught him out and it ran away with him.
How can him hitting my rear quarter be 50/50 ?

[DSLiverpool]

herewego said:

DSLiverpool said:

I did - I didn't see him till he hit the back of my car - no way 50/50 I was driving straight on.
I think the leaf Take off caught him out and it ran away with him.
How can him hitting my rear quarter be 50/50 ?

If you left seconds before him then it's beyond me how he managed to hit you. He should have just slotted in behind you. Maybe he thought you were a Micra and didn't want to get stuck behind you so tried to out-drag you to the slip and failed.

Electric cars really do accelerate faster than you expect and I think his throttle control caught him out - I have made a HUGE point in my defence that I reported it within 45 minutes to tunnel police - he took 48 hours !!

[DSLiverpool]

I submitted the pic and statement by email this morning and got a call this afternoon stating the other chap had not admitted blame but in their opinion (and after checking where he was heading) they cannot see how the other insurance company will not admit liability. They say it will take about a week - let's see

If they admit liability I get my car fixed with no excess to pay.

[DSLiverpool]

Just to put this to bed I didn't claim as excess more than repair, he started a claim and I submitted the pic in the thread. My insurance didn't ever hear from them again one way or another.
My insurance closed the claim and said it doesn't need to be declared as no £ was paid out.