Are you the person who hit my car today in Sainsburys carpark?

[annaj]

So, an odd thing happened to me about midday today, in the Sainsbury's carpark.

We'd gone up with a load of recycling and I was parked by the recycling bins waiting for MrJ to come back with the shopping when a woman driving a silver Nissan pulled into the space next to me and hit my car on the way in.

I know she hit me, because I was sitting in the car and, well, it moved and I felt her car scrape along mine. So, I hopped out, smiled and explained that she'd just hit me, kind of expecting an apology. She said she hadn't felt anything and didn't think she had. We had a quick look at my car and couldn't see any damage, so she smiled, shrugged and walked off apparently entirely unconcerned that she'd hit someone and didn't even notice.

When I had a closer look, however, there was a big old scratch along my car and purple paint on the bumper of hers.

I took pictures of my car and her car then went into the shop to borrow a pen and paper and see if I could find her and by the time we got back to the car she'd gone.

So, if you were the woman in the silver Nissan who hit me, please PM me so we can exchange details.

I know it's really not a disaster and I don't want to be one of those people who gets really wound up about petty things and whinges endlessly and pointlessly on an internet forum, but it is kind of annoying and a bit weird and I'd like to get it sorted out.

[HonaloochieB]

I don't think you need to justify yourself AnnaJ, I think it's perfectly OK to use the forum for this sort of thing.

Hope you resolve the matter.

[Mark]

Sorry to hear about that annaj, you can ask Sainburys for the CCTV footage, they're legally obliged to give you any recording that contains you on it although they may ask for a fee (but they can't ask for more than ?10). If you can manage get the footage of her scraping your car then you can go down the criminal damage route.

[Jimbob]

i doubt you,d be able to go down the criminal damage route, as you would have to be able to prove the other driver was acting in an intentional or reckless manner, you wouldn,t even be able to report her for leaving the scene of an accident, as technically she didn,t, as by your own admission you both looked at the car and there was no visible damage. without her number, theres not going to be a great deal you will be able to do, and even with it, its one word against the other, and judging by her original attitude i doubt you would get much joy. put it down to experience and park like i do in the furthest corner of sainsbos, and even then some prick will still park beside me even though theres 20 spaces in either direction.

[annaj]

Thanks for the responses and support.

Jimbob, you're almost certainly right that I wouldn't get anywhere with this if I tried and, of course, I should have looked more carefully at my car before she left, but it was pouring with rain and I was a bit taken by surprised by the whole thing.

To be honest what bothers me isn't the damage to my car, which isn't major and it is only a car, but the other driver's attitude. Either she genuinely didn't know she'd hit me, which is a bit scary, or she just didn't care. Either way, it left me a bit upset.

But no point dwelling on it, I'll probably just get the damage fixed and as you say, put it down to experience.

[HonaloochieB]

I'm guessing that she might be of the 'just didn't care' persuasion, AnnaJ and perhaps does not hold the 'take responsibilty' standard that you reasonably applied. If you know you've damageg another's property, but they don't notice, 'fess up.

If yer one is readin', get in touch.

[annaj]

I'm sure you're right HonaloochieB.

Depressing, isn't it.

[bob]

Hi Annaj sorry to hear about the damage to your car but leagaly you don't need insurance to drive in a car park it's private land even though you have driven on a road to get there the scum bag that hit you can't be prosicuted by the police as it is not a criminal ofence you could take out a private case for damages but very costly sorry to be so negative but there it is.

Bob S

[will dex]

Halfords sell exact colour match kits for DIY scratch repair for nearly all cars -i know, ive used mine about 10 times due to incidents like annas (reckless parking..?) and also people accidentally scraping their keys along my car...

(about ?12, well worth it).

[snorky]

bob Wrote:

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> Hi Annaj sorry to hear about the damage to your

> car but leagaly you don't need insurance to drive

> in a car park it's private land even though you

> have driven on a road to get there the scum bag

> that hit you can't be prosicuted by the police as

> it is not a criminal ofence you could take out a

> private case for damages but very costly sorry to

> be so negative but there it is.

> Bob S

Not exactly true nowadays Bob - IIRC, if its accesable / useable by the general public, then Im sure theres a level of care/ consideration / insurance etc onvolved- this was brought in a few years ago to curb the kids who wheelspun their way around out of town shopping centres like lakeside - this is why learner drivers dont go to to trading estates like I did when I was about 14 with my dad.

You had better look into it though to be sure

[fractionater]

If you took a pic of the scratch and paintwork, then did you not think to take a pic of the number plate? - may have helped in id'ing the alleged offender.

[annaj]

Fractionater, I did take a picture of the number plate and I could, obviously, get the police involved and find her that way.

To be honest, I didn't start this thread expecting her to own up and right me a cheque and I realise there are various ways I could take it further if I wanted to, but I think all I really wanted was a bit of sympathy, which all you lovely people provided. Thank you.

I was upset about it at the time and I still find her attitude depressing and her parking skills alarming (I'm no expert when it comes to parking, there is at least one forumite who could tell you how many goes it takes me to get into a perfectly straight space, but I do know if I hit stuff) but it's minor damage that I'll just get fixed and forget about.

Life is too short to spend worrying about small stuff.

[HonaloochieB]

Good idea AnnaJ, is it a coincidence it's the first of December. I tthink not.

[Ladygooner]

I think we need to see the picture of her number plate - if only so that we can avoid her in the Sainsburys car park!

[ianr]

annaj Wrote:

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> Fractionater, I did take a picture of the number

> plate and I could, obviously, get the police

> involved and find her that way.

Or via a DVLA information request: http://www.dvla.gov.uk/foi.aspx

[bob]

Thanks Snroky I did'nt relize younnow needed insuranse to drive in a car park you learn something new every day

Bob S

[Jeremy]

Just get it fixed through your insurance - give your insurer the number plate and they will chase it up.

[Sue]

Let's be fair here - if she hadn't felt anything and neither of you could see any damage, why would she do anything other than walk off unconcerned?

I once ran into the back of a car in a queue at a junction.

It was a small bump, we both had a look, neither of us could see any damage but we exchanged details anyway.

Weeks later I was somewhat surprised to receive a massive bill via her company (it was a company car). Can't remember exactly what damage there was supposed to have been now.

My insurance company paid and luckily I have a protected no-claims discount so it wasn't a big deal.

So two points: First, even if there doesn't seem to be any damage, it's a good idea to get the person's details anyway - while they are still there! Second - as Jeremy says, you can claim through your insurance. Though of course for various reasons you may prefer not to go down that route.

[Jeremy]

Sue Wrote:

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> Though of course for

> various reasons you may prefer not to go down that

> route.

Like for instance... if the other driver was uninsured, you may lose your own no-claims bonus!

[ibilly99]

NO

[Jeremy]

Good post, ibilly99.

[ibilly99]

Thanks - it was Wittgenstein who said wherof one cannot speak therof one must remain silent !

[Huguenot]

Erm... you didn't. ;-)

[Keef]

*Says nothing*

[microbite]

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