Am I liable for a stone chip on another person's screen?
Discussion
I was out in the Caterham earlier. I overtook a car and continued going, when I got to the lights later, a woman started flashing at me from behind and kept shouting "you hit my car!!". Rather confused, I pulled over wondering how on earth I could possible have hit her car. She said "look, you hit my car with a stone when you passed" and pointed at a tiny dink on her windscreen. Followed by her asking what I'm going to do about it!
Could I actually be held liable for a stone chip on her windscreen?! It's like like I intentionally did it! I've had loads of chips myself and have never even considered chasing anyone about them, they're just a side effect of driving!
Any advice?
Could I actually be held liable for a stone chip on her windscreen?! It's like like I intentionally did it! I've had loads of chips myself and have never even considered chasing anyone about them, they're just a side effect of driving!
Any advice?
StuartGGray said:
Tell her to take it up with the local council who should have swept clean the road before she travelled on it.
If you ask me, it's indicative of the front-wheel-drive generation, egregiously.Apologies if you're not the Stuart Gray that that would mean anything to.
Cheers, Jim
In answer to the OP, yes, you are liable. If you were accelerating as you went past and she inhaled additional carcinagenic fumes that she would not otherwise have done you could also be prosecuted for manslaughter by negligence were she to die later because of it.
I think people who like to overtake should think before they act.
I think people who like to overtake should think before they act.
Even if a lorry tyre disintegrates and you get hit by a large lump of flying rubber writing off your car you will have no chance in making the lorry operator pay for your damage (So long as it cannot be proved that its disintegration was through negligent actions).
So a stone flicking off your tyre - nah, that's just st luck.
So a stone flicking off your tyre - nah, that's just st luck.
hman said:
Even if a lorry tyre disintegrates and you get hit by a large lump of flying rubber writing off your car you will have no chance in making the lorry operator pay for your damage (So long as it cannot be proved that its disintegration was through negligent actions).
So a stone flicking off your tyre - nah, that's just st luck.
I personally would have thought that is a totally different situation and one where you would be able to claim from the trucks insurance, regardless of negligeance or not.So a stone flicking off your tyre - nah, that's just st luck.
The plate won't cause worries - she will not be able to get your address/details from the DVLA due to Data Protection and they will advise her to go to the police to override this. The police will politely tell her she is mad as unless the stone has your DNA on it and witnesses saw you throw it at her screen, there is nothing she can do.
She may then call but then you could either ignore the call or keep answering 'Dong Fu Chinese Take Away...can I take your order, please?'
Seriously, she will have to calm down and forget this eventually, as she has no case whatsoever. If you do answer the phone and want to end it nicely, just tell her you cannot accept the damage was caused by your car and suggest she talk to a solicitor. The solicitor will quickly advise her to pay £20 to get the chip done and move on.
She may then call but then you could either ignore the call or keep answering 'Dong Fu Chinese Take Away...can I take your order, please?'
Seriously, she will have to calm down and forget this eventually, as she has no case whatsoever. If you do answer the phone and want to end it nicely, just tell her you cannot accept the damage was caused by your car and suggest she talk to a solicitor. The solicitor will quickly advise her to pay £20 to get the chip done and move on.
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