Car crash debacle

[guesswhatteapot]

So I picked my son up from school and drove home the usual route. Pulled up outside my driveway on the left hand side of the road. We have a shop opposite and it's a main road so always busy with cars parked outside the shop. I sat in my car waiting for the traffic to go past, looked in my rear view mirror, no traffic. Started to reverse onto my driveway. Next thing a car hits the side of me and rips off the front of my car. She must have been parked across from me on the opposite side after going to the shop. She must have pulled out when no traffic coming, completely ignored my reverse lights and ploughed into the front of my car. We exchange numbers and she says she will text me later with her details... no text. I phoned my insurance company, my car is undriveable . I text her and she replies with "Your fault, I was stationary, you reversed into me, not going through insurance company, etc.
I replied that if she was stationary and I reversed into her A) why was the damage to my car at the front and not the back and B) why was she parked across my driveway blocking my access to my driveway?
AIBU to think that she just doesn't want to go through our insurance companies and is trying to blame me for this?

Surely if you are about to reverse, anywhere, you don't just look in your rearview mirror??

You look over both shoulders and in all possible directions!

Having said that, best of luck with the claim.

I had a similar situation a few years back, someone totally flipped the situation and claim I drove into them where it was clear from damage to my car they'd driven into me.

I was furious! The sheer brass neck! I didn't give an inch, made sure I'd clearly explained in the submission to the insurance company with diagrams and description and the insurance company, phoned them emphasising my points etc... made myself into a bit of a pain in the arse basically - thankfully they found in my favour and I had my car repaired at no cost to me. I presume you've got her registration so just say that you're passing it to the insurance companies to pursue and block her number tbh.

I hate to say it but she may not be insured if she's trying to avoid insurance getting involved. Best of luck OP, I know how infuriating it is!

Make sure you say about signalling in your statement.

Why are you entering into discussion with the other driver, beyond swapping insurance details and taking photos?

You really ought to stop. I had a similar incident and my insurance company was very clear about providing only the required information. You could actually jeopardise the claim, OP.

She has to be insured... she works in a primary school

In theory perhaps, but since when did theory guarantee anythoing?

If your were paying attention whilst reversing surely your would have seen them coming, rather than not noticing anything until they ‘slammed into you’.

The insurers will pick up on this so be careful how you word it in your statement.

Worth taking some photos of the damage on your car. You would think the insurers would do this before the car was repaired. However when someone drove into me once, the only photos of the damage that existed were the ones I took. By sending the insurer these photos I was able to prove that the other driver’s version of events wasn’t plausible, and they found in my favour.

Just a light-hearted anecdote, as it is now (obviously?) the case that police likely would neither attend, nor be interested - although maybe a report is necessary to get an Incident Ref No. (My friend's car - 4WD - was crashed INTO - thyey were on the wrong side of the road and nearly went under his vehicle in their small Citroen; the driver MIGHT have been drinking - but the police didn not come, and although not injured, my friend's vehicle was a write-off due to the location of the damage....)

Any way - my experience - which might show how times have changed in not so many recent years:

A long B (or C?....if there is such a thing) road that I sometimes take is very very straight for most of its' length but then has a few bends that become blind when the verge grasses grow tall/are not trimmed. There are no houses and it passes through some woodland and fields of sheep.

One Sunday morning a few years ago, I was driving down it (literally as has a gentle incline for most of it before levelling out). At that time I had a Passat, so not high enough to see over the tall grasses where the land was more open. I approached the second to last of the bends at a low speed - and encounterd three cyclists spread across the road chatting happily away.

The road was sinply not wide enough for the rules of physics to be broken and all objects occupy the same sapce. I came to a halt as they wobbled INTO EACH OTHER (note this....) and fell over like dominoes - onto the grass verge to their left - which was nicely wide enough for them to not roll down a small slope or hit the fence of the sheep's field.

They were - especially (sadly) the one woman - so pissed at me, just for being there I think...... I did not hit them at all.... No names were exchanged but the woman - with my consent - took a photo of my reg. plate and then screamed at me (NOT with my consent) that she was going to call the Police to inform them. I told her to go ahead, and drove slowly away, somewhat shaken..... I stopped in the next village and called a friend, and we went back to the "scene" and I took measurements and photos; also measured my car and estimated - although I knew roughly, - the dimensions of the three bikes riding as they had, across the whole road - which is at that point barely wide enough for two cars to pass one another, and can only be done with consideration and care.

These three were just pootling along (although fancy road bikes and clothing to match) - CHATTING away, which is the key thing - had they had their wits about them, they would have heard me coming, especially as it was an old-ish DIESEL car, which would give advance warning of it's approach.

So when I got home, I did call the Police, also in "the days" when it felt OK to ring them for advice (and I promise this wasn't the sixties, just a few years ago). I also reported it as an Incident, but was told that, from my version, there was nothing to address by them - as I had suspected would be the case.

I also reported it to my Insurer the next day, which I thought would have no consequences - but it did, ehn it came to renewal I'm sorry to say.

However - later the same week, I was called BY the Police and told that I needed to be inerviewed for "Leaving the scene of an accident". So, they visited me; I showed them my photos and diagrams - AND told them that there was already an indcidemt on record- which they did not know about!!! So, even though the Police did take an interest and follow-up - based on the cyclists making a report - they found the whole thing somehwat laughable whhen they heard what had actually happened, especially as one of the men wanted to claim against me for damage to his cycling leggings - which if I remember, were a particularly fetching shade of purple.....

So anyway - long story short. I do NOT think the Police would take an interest nowadays in the way they did (back!) then, and given what happened with my friend's genuine accident.

In the case of the OP - reversing onto a drive is ALWAYS tricky, although agree it is best to be able to drive off when leaving. But every angle needs to be clear and you actions need to be broadcast as visibly as possible - I would not have relied on ANYone to just realised that I was reversing from the lights....Indicating is also essential I would say. And of course, the patience that seems to be lacking these days.....

I wish you luck with it OP. The hassle of it all is so stressful.

(Interesting to read that reversing into someone is usually deemed fault, as one of my neighbour's friends once did so in an aggressive manner - without indicating, quickly, and in a white car in daylight so the reversing lights were not particularly obvious, nor could I have anticiapted him doing that in that spot - and even then he got out and came at me telling me was going to "f**k me and my car up for driving into the back of him

Steriod rage I think....)

You have her reg number.

That's literally all you need to pass over to your insurer to deal with it. Don't engage with her any further.

TBH though, I wouldn't be surprised if it comes out as a 50/50.

Having been in this exact situation, I would advise to cease all comms with her, and all comms to go through your insurance company.

You do not want to say or do anything that may undermine your claim.

They have in house lawyers, who will contact each other and come to a conclusion.

@DumbestBlonde

Those cyclists had priority over you and you should have stayed well back, slowed to their speed (leaving a big gap between you and them) and waited until it was safe to pass.

The Highway Code advises against riding more than 2 abreast, but it’s not an offence to ride in a peloton.

Those people were somebody’s mum/wife/husband etc and incredibly vulnerable on the road. They have just as much right to be using the road as you do.

What a horrible attitude you have. In a lot of countries, the party with less power is automatically in the right in the case of an accident, I think the same approach should be adopted here.

I bet you’re the sort of person who goes screeching past horses and other vulnerable road users too.

Just give her reg you your insurance company. that's what you pay them for. They will deal on your behalf.

I have been involved in an accident where a car hit mine and left the scene providing no details.

I contacting my insurance first of all, they provided me with a courtesy car on my insurance. Then I reported the incident to the police and got a incident number. The claim was passed to a special team that look after claims when drivers are uninsured or leave the scene. So either way your insurance should look after getting your car fixed and providing a courtesy car.

Police said they would look into it, but didn't really have the staff to do so thoroughly so I went to every office/business and asked for cctv. I found the evidence and told the police. He's been charged and all paid for.

So you need to not communicate with the other driver. Report to the police and your insurance company. Try to find video or dash cam footage from somewhere.

Why, oh why do some folk seem to think insurance is just money they throw away every month, and they'd rather tie themselves in knots and risk aggro, just to avoid an increase in premiums?

Why also is there this culture that people can hash it out on the roadside and the most aggressive/crafty individual gets to 'decide' what happens next?

@guesswhatteapot You don't need to debate anything or exchange messages with her. Just go through your insurance company.

[quote GreenWillow]@DumbestBlonde

Those cyclists had priority over you and you should have stayed well back, slowed to their speed (leaving a big gap between you and them) and waited until it was safe to pass.

The Highway Code advises against riding more than 2 abreast, but it’s not an offence to ride in a peloton.

Those people were somebody’s mum/wife/husband etc and incredibly vulnerable on the road. They have just as much right to be using the road as you do.

What a horrible attitude you have. In a lot of countries, the party with less power is automatically in the right in the case of an accident, I think the same approach should be adopted here.

I bet you’re the sort of person who goes screeching past horses and other vulnerable road users too.[/quote]
They were coming TOWARDS me at a blind bend. I was going slowly enough for the road, but could NOT see them.
They were stupid to ride that way - given the environment.

Maybe I missed that part out
(God, why does MN not have an edit option??)

I didn't come up behind them trying to run them off the road,which is how it must have read for you to come back at me like you have.

I have seen many groups on there - and understand what you'rs saying.
I also ride a bike (and horses, sometimes even riding one and leading another, inclusing little kids) myself so understand the rules fully, also help my wheelchair bound friend learning to use a pony and trap - ON THE ROADS.
Advanced driver, Riding & Road Safety Instructor (some time ago) - and even passed my Cycling Proficiency Test

Apology accepted x

if youve phoned the insurers then stop contacting her theres no need they'll sort it out

[quote GreenWillow]@DumbestBlonde

Those cyclists had priority over you and you should have stayed well back, slowed to their speed (leaving a big gap between you and them) and waited until it was safe to pass.

The Highway Code advises against riding more than 2 abreast, but it’s not an offence to ride in a peloton.

Those people were somebody’s mum/wife/husband etc and incredibly vulnerable on the road. They have just as much right to be using the road as you do.

What a horrible attitude you have. In a lot of countries, the party with less power is automatically in the right in the case of an accident, I think the same approach should be adopted here.

I bet you’re the sort of person who goes screeching past horses and other vulnerable road users too.[/quote]
maybe try reading the post again she wasnt overtaking them

And I didn't hit them. I came to a standstill the moment I saw the - I know I said that bit in the post.

I think it has lost something in the telling - nevertheless don't extrapolate from the story - which was really about Police involvement, which would never happen now, just a few years later - that I am a selfish road user. Very very very wrong, stranger

@DumbestBlonde

If you didn’t see them, then by definition you were going too fast for the bend.

Your stopping distance should never be more than the distance you can see ahead of you.

Your driving caused the cyclists to crash, hence you were in the wrong. You seem to think it’s actually amusing that they were unable to uncleat in time to avoid the crash too.

My husband and eldest DS are both club cyclists - people like you are the reason my heart is in my mouth every time they go out on a group ride

Your nasty comment about their kit says everything we need to know about your attitude too.

Not expecting an apology, just having to ensure my DH’s life assurance is up to date largely due to attitudes like yours.

@DumbestBlonde

And I didn't hit them. I came to a standstill the moment I saw the - I know I said that bit in the post.

I think it has lost something in the telling - nevertheless don't extrapolate from the story - which was really about Police involvement, which would never happen now, just a few years later - that I am a selfish road user. Very very very wrong, stranger

Had you not been there, they wouldn’t have crashed. Ergo, you caused the crash.

Hand it over to the insurance company and let them sort it out. You shouldn’t be engaging with her at all.

Get CCTV from the shop if it might cover it, or anything else that will. I stupidly didn't and thought the damage would show it was obvious someone had reversed into the side of my stationary car. They went 50/50.

You mention you have contacted your insurance company, do you have the option of a courtesy car on the policy? If not ask if you are able to claim back taxi fees

Maybe she is suggesting she was already driving on the correct side of the road while you were reversing and your car swung out and hit her. Since it is wrong to reverse while traffic is driving on your side of the road, she would not be at fault. You are supposed to stop reversing and resume when the road is clear.
Not that I am suggesting this is what happened, but it may be what she will claim and the damage to the cars sounds like it will be consistent with that because the collision would occur in a similar place in both scenarios.
As pp suggest, ask for CCTV of local businesses or ask if neighbours in street have Ring doorbells etc.

drivers who have done something really stupid (as she has) tend to make up all sorts. Just hand over to the insurance company. You've got plenty of evidence from the damage.

if she isn't insured there are also mechanisms. Shit drivers tend not to bother with insurance.

I'm afraid you are in for a whole lot of hassle, as she may well continue to lie right up until the case goes to court. She will then realise that lying in court is called perjury and gets you sent to prison and suddenly her story will change.

been there..

[quote GreenWillow]@DumbestBlonde

Those cyclists had priority over you and you should have stayed well back, slowed to their speed (leaving a big gap between you and them) and waited until it was safe to pass.

The Highway Code advises against riding more than 2 abreast, but it’s not an offence to ride in a peloton.

Those people were somebody’s mum/wife/husband etc and incredibly vulnerable on the road. They have just as much right to be using the road as you do.

What a horrible attitude you have. In a lot of countries, the party with less power is automatically in the right in the case of an accident, I think the same approach should be adopted here.

I bet you’re the sort of person who goes screeching past horses and other vulnerable road users too.[/quote]
I read that as the cyclists coming the other way.