Woman Claims I Reversed Into Her

[JediJim]

So this afternoon I went to a retail park with my wife and 3 year old daughter. I reversed into a parking space, took a little shunt, as you do, then straightened myself nicely into the bay. As I got out, my wife was in the process of getting our little one out ,when an older woman approached and said I’d hit her. I said I didn’t hit her as our cars were no where near each other, she then said no not the car, I’d hit her! Her car was behind mine, they were back to back with each other. Again I stated that I didn’t think I had, as I was careful and used my mirrors. My wife was sat in the passenger seat and is quite observant and she said that she was sure I didn’t hit anyone! The woman mentioned that another woman had seen it, but I never saw her and she didn’t hang about to say anything to me. She then went on about how I should drive more carefully as I could have hit a child! She then got into her car, out of courtesy I did ask her if she was alright. She said she was a little broken?, but that these things happen.!She then drove off and never asked for my details. I can’t say for sure if she took my registration or not but I didn’t see her do it.
Now firstly, when reversing if she was near her car that was behind mine, I’m pretty sure I’d see her! Especially if she was in her boot area. Secondly, why didn’t the alleged witness say anything to me? Thirdly, why didn’t the lady ask me for my details? Finally in a busy car park doesn’t everyone have a responsibility to look around for cars reversing into bays?
If I knowingly even clipped this woman I would have jumped out my car and apologised profusely.!

So my worry is what if she tries to make a claim? Would it be my word against hers? Or even my word and my wife’s against hers and her supposed witness? Who would the insurance company believe ? I mean the insurance company will ask me if I was at fault. But to my knowledge and belief I didn’t touch this woman with my car, but the insurance company would probably just want a yes or no. How if worse come to the worse and it went to magistrates court ,could I hand on heart say that I didn’t touch this woman if I was reversing?
Surely anyone could say that they were struck by a vehicle reversing and the driver can’t always say for certain if they did hit someone or not.
Obviously I will tell the insurance company the truth , but I’m worried that I’m dammed either way because I was reversing and it’s my word against hers.
This hopefully won’t even happen,it’s just that it’s now playing on my mind. Again, I didn’t see anyone whilst reversing and I’m reasonably sure that I didn’t hit this woman. Just a tad worried!

[Nicknacky]

What do you mean "took a little shunt"?

[wowfudge]

That's exactly what I want to ask.

[blueskypink]

Me too.

Also, not sure what you mean by people needing to look out for cars reversing into parking bays. If I was putting something into the boot of my car I wouldn't expect to have to keep looking over my shoulder to make sure I wasn't about to be hit by a car.

[JediJim]

I reversed into a car park space but wasn’t exactly straight. So I went slightly forwards, straightens myself up then reversed back again. That’s what I meant by a little shunt.

[LittleWitch]

In my world, if you shunt something you bump into it. Why would she claim you had hit her if you hadn’t? Very odd. I can’t imagine there’ll be any follow up, she wouldn’t be able to prove it.

[greendale17]

i reversed into a car park space but wasn’t exactly straight. So I went slightly forwards, straightens myself up then reversed back again. That’s what I meant by a little shunt.

Well a little shunt implies to me that you touched bumpers with something

[JediJim]

There wasn’t anyone there when I reversed into the space, she wasn’t at her boot. That’s the point. I’m saying that in any event when a car reversed surely people have a responsibility to watch where they are going. The woman says I hit her her, I don’t believe I did. She drove off and didn’t ask for my details. I would argue that in the event of a claim that I don’t believe this happened. But I don’t know who they would believe.

[SpottyGecko]

Doesn't shunt mean bump??

[NewtsSuitcase]

I think you're confusing everyone by using the word shunt. That word means that you hit something. Do you think you hit something?

Don't you have parking sensors? Mine go ballistic if someone walks within 2 foot of my car when I'm in reverse.

[NewtsSuitcase]

I'm not sure what the fuss is though anyway. She's clearly not injured so what would she be claiming for?

[VivaLeBeaver]

I wouldn't worry about it. She wasn't hurt so even if you did touch her she doesn't exactly have a claim against you and I can't imagine she will report it.

[SonicBoomBoom]

She can't claim unless she's injured, so don't worry about it.

But, as an FYI, no, pedestrians in a car park don't need to look out for reversing cars, it's the other way around.

[TobleroneBoo]

I know a lot of people who drive for a living that use shunt in this way, ie " it took them 3 shunts to get into the space"

It's just multiple goes

[prh47bridge]

But I don’t know who they would believe

If she makes a claim you will (I hope) deny hitting her. It may then end up in court (not magistrates, by the way - they don't deal with this kind of dispute) where it will be decided on the balance of probabilities. Your insurers will handle the whole thing. If it goes to court you will probably have to give evidence but you won't have to represent yourself. Your insurance company will provide a lawyer.

If it does go to court it won't help your case if you come across as uncertain as to whether or not you made contact. Don't let her claim put doubts in your head. You knew there was no-one behind you when you reversed into the space. Your wife says you didn't hit anyone. So state confidently that there was no contact and stick to that.

[NoParticularPattern]

I knew what you were talking about RE: shunt and straightening up. Think it’s a dialect thing!

With regard to the woman I don’t really know what you can do other than wait and see. I had similar happen to me once in the car park at our local supermarket. I was reversing out of the bay (always careful as people use the car park as a cut through and no pavements etc so people appear from nowhere). I actually saw this woman walking along the other side of the car park make a mad dash across to my at and start hammering on my back window (whilst actually stationary as a car had just gone past). She then proceeded to start wailing that I had hit her and how I was dangerous and not fit to be out. I eventually got out of the car (had to pull into the space I was coming out of as the two foot I’d pulled out meant I couldn’t open my door!) at which point she carried on telling me how dangerous I was. It wasn’t until someone else came over, with me stood there all , that she just scurried off. Thankfully this person gave me their details and said they had seen what she was doing, but I was terrified for weeks that I was going to get a police officer or someone turn up that investigate! There wasn’t a lot of point me reporting it as a) nothing happened and b) I didn’t know who the woman was since she didn’t stop long enough to give me any of her details.

I guess you just have to sit tight and wait- you can’t realistically report something that didn’t happen so I guess you have to wait and see whether she bothers to report whatever she thinks happened to her insurers or the police. I do wonder if the car park has CCTV though? The one I was in didn’t, but if it was a bigger store or a multi storey then possibly they might have?

[Blodplod]

“Took a little shunt” implies that you hit something, and judging by your later explanation that people need to look where they’re going again implies that someone was there who you hit. Half her fault and half hers I should imagine. It’s unlikely she’ll do anything as she didn’t take any details. This is one of the main reasons I’m forever grateful for my reversing camera.

[Blodplod]

Half hers and half yours I meant

[ivykaty44]

I would report it and as it’s a shopping center there would be cctv over area

If she then tries to put in claim use cctv as evidence

[NewtsSuitcase]

Shunt means to shove or turn something out of the way by hitting it.

Not trying to be annoyingly pedantic but if you do get a police visit I suggest that you don't use this word if that is not what you mean.

[CircleofWillis]

I remember another car park thread a few weeks ago. People who seemed to understand the law regarding the matter said that a reversing car would almost always be considered at fault in an accident as they are performing a dangerous manoeuvre so should be extra vigilant. So you have to be the one looking our for pedestrians.

No one here knows if you ‘hit’ the woman or not. It sounds as if you feel you were being sufficiently vigilant and if you were going very slowly it is hard to believe you would not have seen her or she would not have seen you.

Perhaps you startled or annoyed her in some way and she decided to exaggerate in order to teach you a lesson.

Perhaps you did bump into her as you were looking in the other direction or speaking to your wife.

If she didn’t take your details, produce a witness, call for help and appeared uninsured perhaps you will hear no more about it. You could ask if there is cctv evidence in the car park to put your mind at rest.

[LoislovesStewie]

Does your car have that annoying assisted parking thing where it beeps if you are too close to an object? Mine beeps like mad if a person walks behind! If it didn't beep, and was working, I would say you didn't hit her.

[JediJim]

Sorry for using the word shunt everyone.Its used in the Hgv industry and Bus/ coach industry. I drive large vehicles for a living. When I said shunt I meant straighten up. You know when you reverse into a bay then drive forward to straighten up then go back again. My car doesn’t have sensors, but I went back slowly looking in my mirrors. My wife also backed me up.
Just worried that you never no what people do. Especially when she said another woman witnessed it, despite them disappearing, and neither of them asking for my details. Of course I hope nothing at all comes of it. I could tell my insurance company but as this was an alleged incident where no details were exchanged I think they would say see what happens. People do fabricate and exaggerate claims, I see this in the driving industry a lot. Thanks for your advice.

[wheresmyphone]

I had this recently. Got worried. Phoned the none emergency police number who referred me to action fraud. Basically they said as other driver did not attempt to get details at the time they had no chance of a claim.

[RhythmStix]

So many people are chancers. A while back a woman alleged I had hit her car whilst reversing and I was dumbfounded - I hadn't felt a thing. She ranted and raved and wrote down my reg number and so on. It all happened a few streets away from where I was running some errands, so I did my errands and then decided to investigate further - her car was parked outside what I presumed was the owner's house. So I went over to it and started to film the front of the car, where she alleged I had hit it. Of course there was no damage at all. She came ranting and shouting out of her house and I basically tore a strip off her, told her I knew she was lying, had photographic proof of no damage and she could basically do one. I told her if anything came of it I would deny everything and she had no witnesses so she was fucked.