Young guy crashing into me. AIBU?

[WalfordEast]

I went shopping to my local Tesco express earlier. The parking outside is minimal- basically a long bay that you have to parallel park into. There is on street CCTV that over looks it.

Anyway- I was sat in my car and someone stopped to move into a tiny space in front of me- I honked my horn twice to indicate there wasn't enough room and that they would crash into me- but guess what. They carried on- and you guessed it, ended up crashing into me. Damage is a deep scuff and dent on the front drivers side. Scuff won't budge with T cut- it's gone right through the paint so it will be a spray job.

The young guy (I'd say 18/19) then moved off to the car in front, parked up and walked into Tesco without even stopping to apologise. I waited fifteen minutes and then had to move my car as my parking was running out, so left a note under his windshield wiper to say I had taken his registration number and I'd be contacting my insurance company and I left my number if he wanted to get in contact. I didn't follow him into Tesco as naturally I didn't want to cause a scene.

Anyway, about half an hour ago I got a call of a irate woman asking "what I was playing at leaving notes and my number on her sons windshield". I explained the situation in detail. I explained I was a reasonable person, and if her son at least apologised to me I may of been more inclined to let it go. I even offered to meet them in a mutually agreeable public place so they could access the damage themselves and to try and come to some arrangement for payment of damages so we didn't have to get the insurance involved. I'm only early 20s myself, so I'm perfectly understanding that insurance premiums for people our age can be through the roof. This was met with a barrage of verbal abuse. I then explained if she wasn't prepared to talk it through like reasonable adults, I'd have to contact my insurance and let them deal with it. More verbal abuse, and eventually I ended up having to hang up the phone. They have since rung 3 times but I'm not prepared to answer my phone- she was quite intimidating and as far as I'm concerned, I'm not in the wrong.

Some people may say let it go- but I don't see why I should:

1. I tried to warn this guy that there wasn't room to park, but he ignored said warnings.
2. He walked off without so much as an apology. If this was a serious incident, the police would be on his back.
3. The car is only 4 months old.
4. I'll have to loose half a days wages in order to get my car fixed up.

AIBU to get the insurance involved or should I just suck it up?

I didn't follow him into Tesco as naturally I didn't want to cause a scene.

Whats natural about that? Any interaction would have taken place, surrounded by people and CCTV, in Tesco. If someone crashed into me, I'd immediately make my displeasure obvious by pointing it out to them. I know people on mumsnet often react differently to things, but why on earth wouldn't you have spoken to him when it happened in this instance? Not having done so does might well be causing the other people to think you've made it up.

He knew he'd hit your car and just walked off, you need to report this incident to police within 24 hours to protect yourself. You also need to inform your insurance company and tell them about the cctv coverage. I wonder if he actually has insurance or a driving licence.

Yes. The police will definitely be interested as leaving the scene of an accident is a crime. In fact you will have to call them for your insurance claim.
Call your insurance company straight away. Of course yanbu. Not sure why you even need to ask tbh.

Any other witnesses op?

A guy did same to me once and I never got a penny from his insurance as he denied it and it was only my word against his.

Are you sure CCTV picked it up? Sometimes it he cameras move around etc?

I wouldn't have followed him into shop but I'd have asked people to be my witnesses.

Contact your insurer and the police. They've lost their chance to sort it out themselves.

Just be careful, because not so long back i had an old man bump into me then he tried to blame me, i know it wasnt my fault because i was swinging into a parking space and then he started reversing without looking and then had the cheek to get out and say that car cost me 16 grand or something daft like that!!! i said how dare you it was your fault!!

Anyway he asked for my details ect so i had no option but to ring my insurance, now i have heard even if you do not claim or the other person doesnt, your policy can end up going up by hundreds, so just be careful, you dont want to end up not being able to afford your own insurance.

could they bveb trying to call back because they realised they have been muppets? and might want to say sorry and come to an arrangment? then again they might just want to rant again.

i can understand not wanting to claim on the insurance. as it will go up even more. i have heard lots of people that try to sort it out side of insurance

Go to the police and ask for a self reporting form . Fill it in , and take it back . From what you've said so far, he has contravened section 154 of the Road traffic act 1988 , and failing to stop and exchange details is actually arrestable these days , a fact you might want to casually drop into the conversation should these people call again . Ring the insurance company , give them the details , and let them fight it out . Anyone who is in charge of of a car with that attitude should get the lesson they deserve ie , if you don't want it to cost your insurance , you should have damn well stopped and exchanged details , instead of behaving like a coward and doing nothing .

I'd have been out of the car like a shot to speak to him and taken photos of the cars and him on my phone. Call your insurers and contact the Council about the CCTV.

Do answer the phone and see what they have to say. Can you record the call?

The police will be interested as leaving the scene of any accident is a crime whether a small bump or not, Always take photos if possible. I'd answer and tell them you are speaking to the police and will tell them about the harassment.

Oh yes, the police got involved in my incident too. They couldn't take it further though as no other witnesses.

Get insurance involced.

Tell them of the calls and the verbal abuse too.

I suspect they will tell you to speak to 101 about it.

Did you photograph the car, positions and do a walk around?

Speak to the store now about cctv in case they wipe.

If anything then text her if you must communicate so that you have written evidence.

Report to insurance and text her to say you don't appreciate the abuse especially when her son has effectively hit and run your car and that all communication should be through insurance.

Block the number, you can do this on pretty much ALL smart phones and deal only with insurer. Who cares if his Mum is upset, she should teach her son some manners when it comes to driving.

Police weren't interested when I had similar incident.

Hope it's on cctv as I wouldn't be suprised if he Denies it if he the ks he can get away with it.

I'm really confused that you didn't confront him there and then. It will sound odd to any insurance company that you could have spoken to him directly as soon as it happened but chose to leave a note instead.

All you can do now is phone insurance company and put it in their hands. I wouldn't have anymore phone conversations with his mum or him.

Report to police. They will be interested and you can get crime reference encumbered. Police usually investigate the cctv then send to insurers. They investigated my cctv when someone hit money. Plus he walked away from the scene of an incident which is police matters.

OP, ignore those trying t make you feel unsure. You are not expected to accost a bad driver. It will not affect your claim, per se. Choosing to leave a not just means you chose to avoid confrontation with a driver who had already made up his mind to walk away.

Report to the police and insurance company as advised and let them sort it out for you.

Something similar happened to the dd of a friend of mine. They rung the police as the other driver had in effect left the scene of an accident wo leaving details (Illegal).
The Police rung them quickly, said it was caught on CCTV and yes it was clear they weren't at fault.
They also got the Id plate from the car (The dd didn't have time/thought about that) and contacted the owner themselves.

Seen that they keep ringing and aren't noce people, I would call 101 and also mention the barrage of abuse you get as well as the fact they are pestering you.
And let your insurrance know too.

Btw I can totally see WHY you didn't confront the guy there and then. Some people can be very aggressive (as the reaction fo the mum provews btw!).
When there is some issue in the street (let's say a fight), the advice of the Police is to NOT get involved. I think that can apply too to that sort of situation if the other person involved looks 'frightening' (whatever that could mean to you. It just means don't put yourself in danger).

As you will be in the CCTV footage itself you are able to request this - can't remember which act it is that covers it but you are legally entitled to it for £10 to cover costs.

Report it to police. He has failed to remain and report after an accident.

i'm not sure police would deal as leaving scene of accident as in a car park it's private property.

If there's on street cctv I don't think it can be private property or that people can contravene the law on it.

It's a local council one though, not private property.
And he still left the scene of an accident wo a backward glance.... (No way he didn't know as the OP had been beeping at him!)

If it is a bay at the side of a road, even if it is Tesco carpark, it would be classed as a public place as members of the public have ready access to it.