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'd call police on 101 and report as it is illegal to leave the scene of an accident, yes no one was hurt but it isn't the point. Definitely contact your insurance. Hope it gets sorted.

Next time they phone as well, put the frighteners on them say that you are recording the call and if they continue to phone just to shout abuse you will report them for harrassment, as well as dangerous (sort of dangerous, really I think, not a driver so IDK) driving.

You def should call the insurers, Shame you couldn't sort it out in cash. It'll affect your premium too.

The police won't be interested but if it makes you feel better go for it

Actually leaving the scene of an accident involves leaving without offering details even if you didn't cause the accident The OP also left the scene of an accident.

Do you have protected no claims?

sorry this happened OP - you're not even in the same building with "unreasonable"!

for now, I would ring 101 as well as insurer to get the incident noted. he walked away from the scene of an accident.

then ring first thing tomorrow to see re camera footage - hope you can get it

for the future, I would stop the person - I know it's nasty but it makes it harder for them to try and wriggle out of it. I wonder if he's driving uninsured? If so, be prepared for a bribe offer!

best of luck getting it sorted.

Actually she didn't , by leaving the note on the windscreen with her contact details on . She had no way of knowing how long the other driver would be , and that would be considered sufficient under the Road traffic act . The fact that the other party was successful in shouting abuse down the phone proves that she didn't leave false ones .

Get the cctv and call the police about the phone harassment

Then insurance will take care of this.

Insurance - definitely - and police. Sorry these people are so unpleasant and you had the misfortune of encountering them.

CALL 101

I shouted that because it's essential, you're insurers may ask for an incident number so you need to log this with the Police, don't forget to tell them about the phone calls too.

Incidentally, I record all phone calls, and everyone is in their right to do just that; you can't let anyone listen to it, and you can't share it... however you can write out a full transcript of the conversation if needed.

Sorry ... 'BUT you can't share it'

Police may be interested if OP is not being harassed by the driver and/or his mother on the phone now. Even if it is just to call the owner of the car and tell them to leave you alone now rather than actually visit them.

Sorry that's true, of course she left her number.

Phoning someone and shouting down them at the phone isn't harrasment though. This is a pain and annoying but it's life and probably happened hundreds of times today to different people. Don't let MN make it into something it's not. Call the insurers and get their advice

I can't believe you haven't gone through insurance. In my experience you're just asking for trouble if you don't. Please call them now and call 101 beforehand to get a crime ref. He broke the law by not providing his details when he hit your car as it's 'leaving the scene of an accident'. I had a young guy (by pure coincidence) run myself and my DH off the road when he was driving on the wrong side of the road on a blind corner, he refused to give his details as he was flat out refusing to accept he was on the wrong side of the road (and apparently we just like driving off road ). I called the police and he was pretty much forced to give his details otherwise they were going to arrest him.

The police won't be interested in a fender bender! I'm astounded people are suggesting they will.

I can't understand why you didn't just get out and tell the fella he scratched your door?

That's what usually happens in minor prangs like this, is and you exchange details. If the person refuses you just get their insurance details off the disc on the windshield. I can't believe you let him walk away and you left a note !??!!

CCTV ASAP - and the Police. Police unlikely to be interested in doing anything, but at least it's recorded.

As for causing a scene - you could (if brave enough) video the conversation.

I wish you sincerest of good luck but unless you have the CCTV (and maybe even if you do) this may be hard to prove if (as it seems) the perp and his Ma are gits.

Also be prepared for the "it's only a scrape on a car why worry" brigade.

Believe me, I've been there - my old Audi got rammed and scraped so much in various shop car parks I was starting to think people were doing it on purpose (maybe cos it was an Audi - it was a hateful car to drive).

O/T but when did wndscreen change to windshield?

I don't have my insurance details on the windscreen. Is this a thing now?

Scarlet - insurance details on a disc on the windshield? What?

Go to the police. He drove off without exchanging details, which as he hasn't remedied it is a crime. The police can access the CCTV but only if you give them enough notice and pester them like Hell.

The insurance disc, displayed on the front of the car. Is that not the case in the UK or wherever you are?

Insurance details on a disc happens in Jersey , but it's not a mainland requirement .

Get insurance involved, that's what it's there for.

Get insurance involved, that's what it's there for.

The police won't be interested in a fender bender! I'm astounded people are suggesting they will.

Not the point - it's to get it officially recorded.

With that said, I read of a (young) woman in Scotland not too long ago who was prosecuted for leaving the scene of a "fender bender"(sigh why are we turning into the USA?) in a supermarket car park. She lost her licence because she gained more than 6 points in her initial period of driving. Typically can't find a link to the story now - but police do act sometimes.