Person opened their door as I reserved into a space - fault?

[thetapeworm]

I just think it's generally safer to reverse towards things that aren't (usually) moving rather than into a place with the possibility of pedestrians with trolleys, cars moving at speed etc. I feel much happier going forwards towards those.

Anyway it's pretty much polished out, just some scratches on the trim where the initial impact was and some light ones on the paint.



I still don't think I was to blame but I'll certainly up the already high levels of caution from now on.

I appreciate the therapy this post has brought, thanks.

[ElectricPics]

popeyewhite said:

ElectricPics said:

How could the OP have stopped if the door was opened suddenly? This is no different to the door being banged into his car when he was stopped - the other driver is clearly at fault.

Yes, you'd think so but that's not the way it works. A possible defence for the door opener might be "the reverser knew that someone was just about to get out of the car so why didn't they wait?". See a few elderley folks reversing/driving into supermarkets spaces nowadays with little awareness.

I couldn't agree less. That's not the 'way it works' at all. Someone opens a door into a moving vehicle - they're careless. There is no defence.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Riley Blue said:

This is one reason why I usually drive forwards into parking space between two cars.

So more likely to have an accident whilst leaving. Far safer to reverse into a space between two cars than reverse back out into the path of cars going up and down looking for a space.

[Mikebentley]

Sheepshanks said:

hutchst said:

Another good reason to buy a car with a reversing camera.

I don't know - cars I've driven with them, you tend to stare at the screen, which can't be a good thing.


The one thing that never ceases to bemuse me is reverse parking. It's been done to death on here and I know all the pros and cons but on balance it makes more sense to me to forward park.

No it doesn’t.

[Mikebentley]

Sheepshanks said:

hutchst said:

Another good reason to buy a car with a reversing camera.

I don't know - cars I've driven with them, you tend to stare at the screen, which can't be a good thing.


The one thing that never ceases to bemuse me is reverse parking. It's been done to death on here and I know all the pros and cons but on balance it makes more sense to me to forward park.

[popeyewhite]

ElectricPics said:

I couldn't agree less. That's not the 'way it works' at all. Someone opens a door into a moving vehicle - they're careless. There is no defence.

Yes they are careless, but the car driver will be blamed 99.9% of the time. See?

[anonymous-user]

thetapeworm said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

When you are reversing, unless you hit another reversing vehicle, anything that happens is down to you. As the person reversing, the onus is always on you to ensure the path is clear, and remains clear throughout the manoeuvre.

That would be my take on it.

That's kind of where I am with it too but it's pretty much impossible to avoid someone flinging their door into your car no matter how much care you take

in which case, what would you have done if a little kid had run out?

You are the one moving, it's your responsibility to make sure its clear

[dundarach]

Has anyone replaced opened door, for small child runing out....

I think if you were moving, it's your fault.

As annoying as it is, especially when people live in bubbles!

[hutchst]

thetapeworm said:

We have a reversing camera, I was looking at the screen at the time of the impact, wide as the angle is it doesn't cover the rear quarter when a door suddenly appears there.

OK so if she was in your 'blind spot' werent you equally in her 'blind spot' if she had driven in nose-first? Why is she more culpable than you?

[Riley Blue]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Riley Blue said:

This is one reason why I usually drive forwards into parking space between two cars.

So more likely to have an accident whilst leaving. Far safer to reverse into a space between two cars than reverse back out into the path of cars going up and down looking for a space.

No car park collisions in 40+ years of driving so I'll carry on.

[thetapeworm]

hutchst said:

thetapeworm said:

We have a reversing camera, I was looking at the screen at the time of the impact, wide as the angle is it doesn't cover the rear quarter when a door suddenly appears there.

OK so if she was in your 'blind spot' werent you equally in her 'blind spot' if she had driven in nose-first? Why is she more culpable than you?

She wasn't in my "blind spot" as such as I also have door mirrors that I'd just checked before going back to the reversing camera, unfortunately my eyes and brain can't do it all and even with one of those fancy 360 parking camera setups I doubt I'd have been able to react quickly enough to the door being opened.

She could have checked her mirror before opening the door I guess and prevented all of this discussion

Thankfully at the speed I was going had it been a child randomly running around between parked cars I'd have most likely made them cry as they bounced off the air bump on the rear quarter but nothing more. I'd have some serious questions to ask their guardian though. It would have pretty much been the same as the child running into a litter bin IMO.

If you're driving along a regular road and a child runs out into a situation whereby no amount of talent would allow you to prevent the impact are you to blame?

[ElectricPics]

popeyewhite said:

ElectricPics said:

I couldn't agree less. That's not the 'way it works' at all. Someone opens a door into a moving vehicle - they're careless. There is no defence.

Yes they are careless, but the car driver will be blamed 99.9% of the time. See?

No, I don't see. The person that opened the door is also a car driver. It happened to me. The person that opened that door was at fault. Their insurance company confirmed that and paid me to get the damage repaired.

[eldar]

popeyewhite said:

Sorry I've made two comments in the post you reply to. Which one are you addressing?

The former.

[Engelberger]

The irony of having a dashcam and the time you may find it useful it is of no use.

Perhaps more cameras are needed?

As annoying as damage is to a car I would move on. Pointless and expensive to involve insurance. If had been me I would have let one of tyres down.

[Greendubber]

Good job with the polish, I bet that plastic panel isn't too expensive to replace if it bothers you enough.

I'd be hacked off with the stupid mini driver too but ultimately I don't think I'd want to push it too hard with them.

[Zarco]

popeyewhite said:

Riley Blue said:

This is one reason why I usually drive forwards into parking space between two cars.

Certainly more chance of stopping when someone suddenly opens a door.

Better chance of a collision coming back out again too

[thetapeworm]

Engelberger said:

The irony of having a dashcam and the time you may find it useful it is of no use.

Perhaps more cameras are needed?

"No use" isn't quite accurate as it's clearly recorded me reversing really slowly into a space next to a car with a closed door. If I watch on a device with sound I suspect it'll also have the noise of the door hitting the car, our reaction and the conversation I had with the woman.

Yeah it didn't capture the actual door being opened but it goes some way to supporting my claims, certainly more so than no camera.

I'd welcome more coverage though and as someone into 360 photography maybe I need to look at a 360 camera on the roof

Thankfully this time it's annoying rather than costly or ending in a mysterious car park child being hurt so I'm grateful.

[cmvtec]

OP - I would have said it was the other drivers fault for opening their door into your car. She should have checked before swinging her door open with gay abandon.

I try not to park next to anyone else wherever possible. The Volvo has a big 3" crease in one of the doors because Mrs Cmvtec doesn't agree with me, she always complains that I park too far from the entrance.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Riley Blue said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Riley Blue said:

This is one reason why I usually drive forwards into parking space between two cars.

So more likely to have an accident whilst leaving. Far safer to reverse into a space between two cars than reverse back out into the path of cars going up and down looking for a space.

No car park collisions in 40+ years of driving so I'll carry on.

Damn, only 39 years for me, reversing it. I'll change my ways immediately.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

ElectricPics said:

popeyewhite said:

ElectricPics said:

I couldn't agree less. That's not the 'way it works' at all. Someone opens a door into a moving vehicle - they're careless. There is no defence.

Yes they are careless, but the car driver will be blamed 99.9% of the time. See?

No, I don't see. The person that opened the door is also a car driver. It happened to me. The person that opened that door was at fault. Their insurance company confirmed that and paid me to get the damage repaired.

If this happened whilst you were reversing, I'm going to stick my neck out and say I don't believe you. Unless the tp actually fully admitted that it was all their fault. Which is rare.

I work in an industry that deals with large lorries. We get many claims where the lorry is parked, driver is about to reverse, having got out of the cab to ensure it's clear, when a car pulls up right behind him, despite the sign that says "if you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you".
The lorry driver has no chance. But it's 100% of the time the lorry driver's fault.