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Original poster

Minor Collision - AIBU to think not my fault?

36 replies

Chickoletta · 30/07/2025 15:40

I was driving through country lanes yesterday and met another car coming in the other direction. He stopped and allowed me to pull into a passing place just ahead of us.

It was very tight indeed. As he edged past me, I shook my head and said ‘No, I’ll reverse’. He ignored this, folded in his wing mirrors and continued to edge forwards. I could not have been more tightly into the hedge of the passing place. I had a friend of a friend in the passenger seat who will confirm all of this - I was giving her a lift home.

As we got almost past each other, there was a slight crunch and we had scraped the back wheel arch areas of each other’s cars.

His car has a very slight dent and scratches. Mine has only minor scratches that I probably wouldn’t bother getting fixed. We got out and it was perfectly civil, exchanged phone numbers and took photos.

He texted in the evening to say that he will get estimates for the repair and be in touch.

How would you want to proceed? I want to suggest ‘knock for knock’. He was the one who was determined to squeeze through.

AIBU to suggest ‘knock for knock’ rather than going through insurers?

OP posts:
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tumblingdowntherabbithole · 31/07/2025 08:27

Gallowayan · 31/07/2025 07:58

His fault if you were stationary.

She wasn’t stationary.

Chiseltip · 31/07/2025 08:10

Chickoletta · 30/07/2025 16:14

I wasn’t stationary - we were both edging forwards to get past each other when the scrape happened unfortunately.

I’ve just rung my insurers and they have logged it as ‘for reference only’ for now. Thanks for the advice.

50 50 in that case.

Gallowayan · 31/07/2025 07:58

His fault if you were stationary.

UpsideDownChairs · 31/07/2025 07:41

It depends on the passing place - sometimes I can pull in enough, but if my arse is poking out a bit, once their nose is past the front of my car (ie. we definitely fit) I might edge forward too - but I would have been watching in my wing mirrors and known that our rear arches were going to scrape - it's the front that's the dodgy bit, once you can see how close the cars are in your wing mirrors it's silly that you hit TBH.

But yes, 50/50 seems sensible here.

Soontobe60 · 31/07/2025 07:37

AitkenDrum1970 · 31/07/2025 06:22

You’ve obviously never passed anyone in a narrow lane. That’s how it works, you both edge forward otherwise you’d never get past.

Show quote history

No it doesn’t! One car pulls in as far as they can whilst the other one edges forward. If both cars are moving there’s more chance that they will collide. I live on a narrow lane so do this kind of thing daily.

JustMyView13 · 31/07/2025 07:30

I would tell him to contact his insurance. You will have to declare this at renewal now anyway so may aswell avoid the aggro.

MissHollysDolly · 31/07/2025 07:21

its 50:50 as you were both moving. You should have rolled your window down and told him to back off and then you’d reverse.

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 31/07/2025 07:20

HappilyUrbanTrimmer · 31/07/2025 07:07

If you were stationary then it was 100% his fault. Go through insurers but inform them rightnow as insurers often have small print with a time limit for reporting which can be as short as 24hrs.but if you are lucky it may not be cutoff yet.

They were both moving.

HappilyUrbanTrimmer · 31/07/2025 07:07

If you were stationary then it was 100% his fault. Go through insurers but inform them rightnow as insurers often have small print with a time limit for reporting which can be as short as 24hrs.but if you are lucky it may not be cutoff yet.

suburburban · 31/07/2025 07:03

I think it’s always better to completely stop in these situations

Coconutter24 · 31/07/2025 06:59

You should have pulled into the passing place and remained stationary. The car can see where you are and can work around you, you moving makes it more difficult

NigelPonsonbySmallpiece · 31/07/2025 06:55

Why on earth is he going to be in touch with you? Is he expecting to claim off you/your insurance for his damage? If you were both moving then it’s 50/50 and you’d both be better off just sorting your own cars out.

Londonrach1 · 31/07/2025 06:55

Both moving so 50:50. Go through insurance and let them deal with it

LittleSoo · 31/07/2025 06:55

You said you would reverse but then you say you were edging forward? I think it's 50/50 in that case though id have just stayed still in the passing place.

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 31/07/2025 06:49

Why did you move once you were pulled into the passing place? Confused

ShiverMeLogs · 31/07/2025 06:44

spoonbillstretford · 31/07/2025 06:38

I live off one and do it several times a week. Either you go forward or back into a passing place or the other car does, preferably forward. You absolutely don't both try and scrape past one another in a narrow spot, and if your car is up to the hedge, you don't edge forward or you'll be scraping your car along it. Sounds to me like they both misjudged it and it's 50/50.

Edited
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This. I have never experienced both cars moving, there's no point in a paying place really if you're going to do this!

Littletreefrog · 31/07/2025 06:43

AitkenDrum1970 · 31/07/2025 06:22

You’ve obviously never passed anyone in a narrow lane. That’s how it works, you both edge forward otherwise you’d never get past.

Show quote history

That's not how passing places work.

spoonbillstretford · 31/07/2025 06:38

AitkenDrum1970 · 31/07/2025 06:22

You’ve obviously never passed anyone in a narrow lane. That’s how it works, you both edge forward otherwise you’d never get past.

Show quote history

I live off one and do it several times a week. Either you go forward or back into a passing place or the other car does, preferably forward. You absolutely don't both try and scrape past one another in a narrow spot, and if your car is up to the hedge, you don't edge forward or you'll be scraping your car along it. Sounds to me like they both misjudged it and it's 50/50.

youalright · 31/07/2025 06:37

AitkenDrum1970 · 31/07/2025 06:22

You’ve obviously never passed anyone in a narrow lane. That’s how it works, you both edge forward otherwise you’d never get past.

Show quote history

No you dont you pull over as far as you can why the other person passes

spoonbillstretford · 31/07/2025 06:32

Imnotsurewhattodobaby2 · 30/07/2025 16:21

If I was in a passing space tightly next to a hedge and someone was edging past me I wouldn’t move.

Yes, you don't move in those circumstances! Because you'll be scraping your car along the hedge.

AitkenDrum1970 · 31/07/2025 06:22

youalright · 31/07/2025 05:49

Why on earth where you moving if you pulled over to get out the way

You’ve obviously never passed anyone in a narrow lane. That’s how it works, you both edge forward otherwise you’d never get past.

youalright · 31/07/2025 05:49

Why on earth where you moving if you pulled over to get out the way

TizerorFizz · 31/07/2025 05:11

If you were moving it’s 50/50. Both of you were at fault. I thought you said he pushed through.

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 30/07/2025 16:25

You were both moving so 50/50

Lmnop22 · 30/07/2025 16:22

It may well be a 50/50 accident but you did the right thing to tell your insurer. For all you know he will now claim whiplash and lost earnings etc etc and if you don’t inform your insurer so they can investigate, they can withdraw indemnity.