Shunted car, bloke drives off.

[Graham.J]

My sister and brother in law were out for a meal tonight when one of the chaps att he restaurant came over to them and told them someone had driven into the back of their car and just driven off.

The chap had got all the other car's details, so my sister went off to the Police Station after the meal where they were told that there wasn't much they could do and that there wasn't much point in chasing it up.

Now, I've had a look at the car, it's not particularly bad but it needs a new rear bumper.

Where do they stand with this, I was under the impression driving away from the scene of an accident was an offence?

Any help would be much appreciated,

Thanks in advance,

Graham

[lanciachris]

quietly fumes that the police refuse to take action for anything like this

[Munta]

I recently had a similar situation where some reversed into my car. A neighbor saw the incident and took the number down. Both the police and the insurance company were interested. In the end, the bloke admitted responsibility given the weight of evidence.

The police have a responsibility to act upon the information. Someone has driven off not informed the police within 24 hours (I assume). As such, a crime has been commited. Make sure the police raise a crime number (as is your right especialy when claiming against your insurance). They will then have an unsolved crime which will add to their statistics. Its in their interests to keep these down.

Good luck. Don't let them fob you off. Its their job to look into things like this.

[parrot of doom]

Whoever told you not much could be done, was talking bollox. You have evidence, a witness, and possibly evidence on the car that drove away.

If they don't show interest, complain.

[ed22]

Similar thing happened to my wife in Tescos car park a few weeks back. Some chopper in a pseudo 4*4 drove into teh side of her while she was stationary. Both got out, the driver claimed that there was little damage. (He'd actually put a great dent in the rear wing of the A4) Then the git said he was going to get a pen from his car and drove off!!

Fortunately a MOP saw it and gave my Mrs the details.

Apparently, the law DOES include such incidents *ie being on private property) and the BiBs here are now looking into it.

He should get a letter in the post soon from the local police!

[BliarOut]

Go back to the police and make sure it's reported properly. Leaving the scene of an accident is normally frowned upon IIRC. If the desk jockey (who is often a civvie in our shop) won't take it seriously, politely ask for someone who will.

I am sure there is plenty they can do, it's if they can be arsed.

[Dwight VanDriver]

Where did the prang take place. On a road or Car Park of the restaurant?

DVD

[kevinday]

Dwight VanDriver said:

Where did the prang take place. On a road or Car Park of the restaurant? DVD

I did not think that this mattered, if the public have access to the car park.

[burwoodman]

Go down to the police station and get an indicident number or whatever it's called. If they drag their feet call the police compliants authority. This is what I did. Within days I had a DI on the phone resolving the issue.

What more do they want

[Graham.J]

ed22 said:

He should get a letter in the post soon from the local police!

I think this is what they said, just before saying they wouldn't bother following it up.

BliarOut said:

I am sure there is plenty they can do, it's if they can be arsed.

They gave my sister a hard time with regards to producing her documents which she couldn't do - she lives in Cambridge and was down here (in Surrey) for the night and is off to Cornwall on holiday for a week today, so going back up to Cambridge to come all the way back down here, to then have to go to Cornwall about 2 days behind is not really what she wants at the moment (pregnant).

Dwight VanDriver said:

Where did the prang take place. On a road or Car Park of the restaurant?

It was on the main road.

burwoodman said:

Go down to the police station and get an indicident number or whatever it's called.

They've got one I think.

Thanks for all the help, I think they'll try and sort something out and hopefully no complaints will have to be made.

Many thanks

>> Edited by Graham.J on Tuesday 15th February 14:32

[AMG Merc]

Graham, I was rear-ended whilst stationary, the bloke drove off and I still got him to court, got him fined and got the repair money - and, I didn't involve my insurers!

Firstly, you need to report it to the police - I did this within 20 mins and they put out an immediate bulletin to local mobile BiB. In due course the BiB will get around to writing to the registered keeper!

Send DVLA £2 for them to give you the registered keeper's name and address (they only do this in hit-and-run incidents and similar).

Get around to the house in the daylight - you might see the car on the drive (I did!) - photograph the damage (you'd be amazed as they don't always make repairs straight away!).

Send a letter to the registered keeper (even better deliver the letter by hand!) with a repairs quote asking for the payment.

If you have legal insurance with your car insurance they can do most of this for you but it'll count as a claim and you'll lose your excess and maybe your NBC.

The above may net you the cash or you could forget it but it's not that difficult or time-consuming a process.


>> Edited by AMG Merc on Tuesday 15th February 18:02