Advice required, "possible" drunk driver sideswiped my RR

[Bobajobbob]

Evening all, I'm looking for a few opinions on what to do about a right royal pain the @ss that happened today.

I have a pretty big drive and normally park the cars safely away from the road or in the garage but today because I was running in and out quite a few times and the dog has a habit of trying to escape through the gates I left both my Vantage and Range Rover parked up on the street briefly this afternoon. The road is is wide and straight and generally very quiet except for the odd learner driver doing 3 point turns so I didn't think twice about leaving the cars there while I went to fetch son number two to take to the local cricket nets.

I was just walking back out of the house when I heard an enormous bang followed by 20 seconds of scraping so I run to the gate fearing the worst. 100 yards down the road I could see a BMW sideways in the middle of the road and a huge gouge in the tarmac running back to my cars......ugh.

I ran out and at first glance couldn't figure out what had happened. The Vantage was absolutely fine and it was only looking closer that I could see that the front left corner of the RR had been hit. The damage at least superficially didn't look too bad which didn't seem consistent with the massive bang and the BMW stranded up the road. Thumbs up for Land Rover quality I guess though until it is checked out who know about any underlying issue.

I walked up the road to the stranded car to check the guy was OK, which he was, and to give him a piece of my mind, which I did, and we talked and he gave me his details and apologised profusely and said he only lives round the corner. The impact had ripped the front wheel off his car which he had to just leave abandoned in the middle of the road to walk home. He said he would call the RAC to move it.

My problem is that I had an inkling at the time that he might be pissed, but thinking is one thing and knowing or judging is another so I let it go. Not sure what I could have done other than call the police I guess anyway and would they have come to an accident like that? Not sure.

Anyway when I got home I googled the guys name and a story came up from the local newspaper about him having been convicted multiple times for drunk driving and having hit a stationary ambulance.This made me pretty angry because even though I can't prove it I'm pretty sure the guy was pissed and he was obviously incapable given that he managed to hit at some speed a stationary parked RR on a long wide straight road.

I hope that there won't be any issues with his insurance and I'll get the car fixed up but it leaves me feeling just a little bit bitter and concerned that this guy is driving around in this state and will probably get away with it. It was only a miracle that I didn't have 3 kids in that car at the time as they had just got out.

Is there anything I can/should do?

[Bobajobbob]

A few pics to add some colour.


Gouge shows where his wheel failed having hit the front left of my RR.



Looking back his car is in distance on left at angle just behind other parked car.





RR was parked just behind Aston you can see up the road before I moved it back onto my drive for closer inspection.



Never trust man in pink trousers....

Edited by Bobajobbob on Sunday 29th May 23:33

[Bobajobbob]

His excuse was that he was distracted by his phone ringing.

[Bobajobbob]

kbooker said:

You really should have called the police... from the pic's I'm struggling to understand why you didn't?

Edited by kbooker on Sunday 29th May 23:09

I phoned the insurance emergency line and asked if I should call the police and they said for this kind of accident it was probably not worth it. It was only later that I googled the guys name and found out the "history" and at that point it seemed to be too late. Maybe I should call them tomorrow.

[Bobajobbob]

It strikes me now looking at the photos again how far his car went. Either he was going very fast or was hoping to get away or both.

[Bobajobbob]

kbooker said:

you suspected he was drunk, surely that's worthy of a call to the cops...I wouldn't have let him out of my sight

With hindsight yes. At the time I was perhaps naively and stupidly pretending to me concerned for his wellbeing.

[Bobajobbob]

ashleyman said:

I don't understand where the BMW ended up after hitting your car. Do you have a photo of the BMW in relation to your RR or is it the one with the car off in the distance?

Your damage is on the front, so he bounced off your RR and then hit the floor, or the tyre deflated and then he continued to drive?

If that scrape mark is him attempting to carry on driving after hitting you then I'm even more confused. Looking at photos and reading your story just makes me think he probably wouldn't have stopped unless he was physically incapable of doing so - which it looks like he was so he stopped where he stopped further up the road...

I'd be calling the police tomorrow AM and reporting this as well as doing the usual claiming from his insurance.

The BMW is the car in the distance on the left at an angle in the middle of the road. He narrowly missed another parked car and ended up pulled in slightly behind it. With hindsight and your advice I'll give the police a call tomorrow.


In the picture looking back from the front of his car you can't see my RR in this picture as I'd moved it onto my drive by this time. It was parked just in front of the silver Aston which is still there.

Edited by Bobajobbob on Sunday 29th May 23:29

[Bobajobbob]

Thanks for all the feedback and advice. I had already made up my mind to call the police this morning when they knocked on my door. Someone else had rung them to warn about the car in the middle of the road and it had immediately flagged up as he is disqualified from driving for the previous conviction. They went to his house and arrested him last night but only realised another vehicle was involved when he told them this morning. It appears that he did have insurance even though he is disqualified from driving, go figure, though I'm dreading the insurance conversations and I may have to go to court to give evidence.

The front suspension of the RR must have taken a massive impact so I won't be driving it though it must be said it took the impact very well. These things are as tough as they look which is good to know.

[Bobajobbob]

garyhun said:

I don't wish to sound rude but why do people come on here asking for advice when it's obvious what the course of action is.

You think he was pissed, you phone the police. Why would you not?

You are of course right but at the time it didn't seem obvious. Insurance company said don't bother and if I had called police there would have been nothing I could do to keep him there. I didn't know previous history and it could have been genuine accident with his slightly odd demeanour explained by shock.

[Bobajobbob]

Sheepshanks said:

The damage to the BMW does look out of proportion - wonder if it was damaged elsewhere and finally gave up the ghost while passing the RR?

Mind you, there was a thread a couple of weeks or so ago from a dismayed BMW driver who tapped a kerb and the wheel fell off.

I still can't figure out how, at least on the surface, there is very little damage to the RR and yet it must have been a significant impact given the damage to the BMW and the noise of the impact. RR is being picked up tomorrow to be checked over so I'll find out soon enough there is something more serious under the skin.

[Bobajobbob]

RR was picked up today. Alignment was definitely out of whack when I moved the car this morning. Hopefully not seriously.

[Bobajobbob]

Herbs said:

Any update from CCTV?

Good point. I will check with neighbors though at this point it is academic as he has admitted guilt for accident and driving while disqualified. Only thing he gets away with is the drinking piece and cctv wouldn't help with that.

[Bobajobbob]

The guy was a monumental nob for driving while disqualified, likely driving drunk while disqualified, crashing into a stationary car on a straight wide road with no traffic, leaving the car in the middle of the road and wearing pink trousers.

I don't wish ill on many people but I'm willing to stick my neck out and speculate that this isn't the first time he has driven around while drunk and disqualified so I hope that the message gets through this time before someone gets hurt.