Who is at fault here? (Minor car bump)

[Faultwho]

I was reversing out of a car parking space in a supermarket earlier so obviously going extremely slow, looking in my mirrors as I did and I wasn’t distracted in any way. Parking sensors didn’t go off at all until there was suddenly one very long BEEEEEEP and a bang simultaneously. First thought was I’d hit someone somehow so I was absolutely terrified but thankfully hadn’t, I’d bumped into someone’s car.

She was basically turning the corner to enter the car park and I was parked in the corner spot next to the entrance / exit. I did not see her in my mirrors and my parking sensors had no idea she was there until I’d already gone into her. It was split second stuff but I’m imagining she must have been going too fast around the corner? Got her details and gave her mine, she was extremely irate swearing and shouting at me. No damage to my car at all but I have a big car, hers had a small dent to the rear door.

Who is realistically at fault here? I doubt the supermarket CCTV will cover it since it was the furthest spot from the shop and I’m sure they usually tend to just cover the shop entrance/exit? May be wrong though!

You were at fault. This is why you should reverse into parking spaces.

You were at fault , it’s irrelevant how fast she was going .

You were at fault as you were entering the path of her oncoming vehicle.

generally the person reversing.

https://www.autoclaimsassist.co.uk/car-accident-reversing/#:~:text=When%20a%20car%20is%20stationary,or%20pedestrians%20are%20in%20danger.

Sounds like you were at fault.
Always reverse into parking spots

You were at fault, you reversed into her.

You were, I did this several years ago when it was very busy just before Christmas.

Let your insurance company know and don’t worry about it. It was an accident, that’s why we have insurance.

Reversing is classed by insurance companies as a "dangerous manoeuvre". You're reversing out into her path so you're at fault. However many insurance companies resolve car park bumps as 50/50 so don't be surprised if it goes that way.

You are depending on your excess it might be cheaper to pay for her repairs.

I think it's sometimes helpful to reframe it as "responsible" rather than "at fault". You didn't do anything wrong in terms of the maneuver..it's not always possible to reverse in and even if you'd been going forward you wouldn't have seen her round the corner. The other pp are right that from an insurance perspective it's your fault but you don't deserve to be sworn at. It's an accident. The word implies no intent.

You
Insurers only do a 50/50 when both parties are reversing

Sorry - 100% you.

You went into the side of her then? Definitely you, sorry!

If it makes you feel better I managed to hit a post whilst parking in sainsburys this afternoon 🙃

Yep it's you

You...sorry.

Always reverse into car park spaces. I never understand why people reverse out. It's dangerous.

For everyone saying reverse in, did you miss where due said she was at the supermarket.
Unless I you are all shopping at aldi then you ain't getting a hessian bag between the cars without scratching never mind a trolley.

Mine didn't

I wonder if a car was at the end of their reversing manoeuvre so the moment of becoming stationary and someone pulled into the car park entrance and drove into them, who would he at fault.
If the reverser still had car in reverse gear but had stopped the manoeuvre vs just at that moment took it out of reverse but had not yet put it inti 1st or drive, would that make a difference?
Just pondering at what point it is the fault of one car or the other. Because obviously at the exact moment the car goes out of reverse, it is not reversing and the car driving into it has just driven into the back of a car. But the fraction before when the car was still in reverse gear ???

You're at fault from how I'm reading your post!

If you hit her back door with your car, 70% of her car must have gone past you already surely or you'd have hit her front end? You didn't see the car (despite saying you were checking the mirrors) until it was almost past you?

If you’ve hit her rear door, then you weren’t looking as much as you thought you were. Half her car has made it past you before you’ve hit her. Absolutely you should have seen her and stopped.

Yes always reverse into the space even if you won’t be able to open the boot to unload your shopping.

My reading of it was you were using mirrors not looking in the direction you were travelling, why not?

When I reverse I undo my belt and look in the direction I am travelling that was how I was taught to do back 30 years ago.

Mirrors never tell the full story.

This is why you don't just use your mirrors (unless of course you are driving a van or something else of extremely limited vision laterally from the back of the vehicle - in which your caution needs to be stepped up a few levels).

Direct observation is always more reliable - it gives you a lateral view and also the benefits of peripheral vision. If you had been looking over your shoulder in the direction your car was turning, you should have been able to see the car coming before it got behind you. The mirrors and parking sensors will only potentially alert you fractions before the third party gets into a collision zone coming from that sort of angle.

Trouble is that there are many self reinforcing errors that can creep into driving. You do something, nothing bad happens, so you keep doing it. Anyone who has been taught by a driving instructor to pass the UK test will have been taught to look over shoulders, but most people stop as soon as they pass their test - 'cos they know best...

100% your fault I'm afraid, you shouldn't rely on parking sensors/cameras, you still have to turn your head and look in addition to using your mirrors. If there's no damage to your car I wouldn't worry too much, the insurance will sort her car and you might just have to pay your excess for the claim.

Not much of a conundrum. The person hitting the stationary vehicle would be at fault.

OP I think you might want to give your parking sensors a bit of a clean as they can play up if they have dirt on them. She must have been behind you for a while before you hit her as you hit her side, not the front corner of her bumper. For that reason, I think you'd be found at fault.