Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Car crash in car park, who is at fault?

41 replies

Seldon · 02/08/2021 17:44

In a car park today, a van reversed into me while I was part way through a manoeuvre. Diagram attached. I was in some bays perpendicular to another set of bays.

I had reversed to do a three point turn around the back of a van. I had just stopped and was about to drive off, when the van just reversed into me and hit my side rear.

I was there first, and he reversed, but as I was in a manoeuvre and in an unexpected place, could he claim I was to blame? AIBU to think I was not to blame.

YABU - I'm not to blame
YANBU - It's a 50:50 accident

(I know life is a bit more non-binary than that, but interested for views).

Car crash in car park, who is at fault?
OP posts:
Needapoodle · 02/08/2021 18:33

As you were both reversing unless there is cctv it's going to be 50/50.

Wjevtvha · 02/08/2021 18:36

You didn’t do anything wrong but I’d be prepared that you might end up 50:50

Clangerschick1 · 02/08/2021 18:44

Any insurance company worth their salt can prove you were stationary with the accident damage. If you were reversing /moving at the time of collision the damage from the van would be scrapes and scratches all down the side of your car. If as you say you weren’t moving then there will just be a dent where he hit you. They will only need photos from the partner garage or will have it inspected.
If you weren’t moving you were not at all at fault.

delilahbucket · 02/08/2021 18:50

This will settle as 50/50. Chances are you were in his blind spot and to be honest if you have pulled behind him from that parking spot I would be a bit Hmm as to why your car was in that position considering where you have pulled out from. In most carparks, there will be giveway markings right where you have reversed over. Yes the van driver should have been looking, but if I were in his spot and saw you reversing out, I would not expect you to finish your manuoeuvre where you did.

quizqueen · 02/08/2021 19:03

If your car was already in the main the driving area of the car park and he was in a parking bay, moving out, then he is to blame. Same as if, you were in a road and he was reversing off his drive.

Waspsarearseholes · 02/08/2021 19:41

You can't drive sideways into the back of a van so if the damage is consistent with a van hitting you then it should be pretty clear cut.

Original poster
Seldon · 02/08/2021 19:50

Chances are you were in his blind spot and to be honest if you have pulled behind him from that parking spot I would be a bit hmm

But there’s literally no other way to leave the car park. Are you supposed to wait for the van driver to finish his supermarket shop?

OP posts:
icedcoffees · 02/08/2021 19:53

@Seldon

Chances are you were in his blind spot and to be honest if you have pulled behind him from that parking spot I would be a bit hmm

But there’s literally no other way to leave the car park. Are you supposed to wait for the van driver to finish his supermarket shop?

I think PP is saying that your diagram makes it look as though you reversed out very widely?

To me it looks like you've reversed out right into his blind spot and so there was no way for him to see you when he reversed.

Sirzy · 02/08/2021 19:55

So you stopped in his blind spot for 10 seconds?

Original poster
Seldon · 02/08/2021 19:58

It’s a tight car park, so no other way to get out

OP posts:
FixTheBone · 02/08/2021 20:03

Feel sorry for you OP, it should be their fault but unlikely provable.

Incidentally, a good follow on to the why you should park reversing into the bay thread from a few days ago....

Original poster
Seldon · 02/08/2021 20:04

I did just visit his house to sign the insurance forms and luckily he agreed to sign that I was stationary, he was reversing and he wrote he reversed without looking. This should hopefully be enough

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 02/08/2021 20:10

@Seldon

Just to add the accident happened in France where we have left hand vehicles. I had a great position to see the van, and the van driver was on the other side
If you were in France, I'm not sure what would happen in the U.K. is necessarily relevant.
Duchess379 · 02/08/2021 23:15

He clearly hasn't looked before reversing so he's at fault.

atlastifoundit · 03/08/2021 00:17

Well he reversed into you, because the back end of his vehicle hit the side of yours, and you were not moving at the time.

That makes it his fault.

TheSkatesOfCoachBombay · 03/08/2021 00:21

He should have checked before reversing out of the bay. He should be aware of his blind spot. As you say he's said you were stationary.

I mean for all he knew you could have stopped and be pulling in to a vacant bay. Your prior manouver doesn't matter.

You are in the through road, and he's just reversed in to you.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread