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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If you scrape a car that blocked you in

105 replies

Gbwjvjdnfnfirnfc · 14/07/2023 18:49

Just that really. Your car doesn't have sensors, somebody has parked illegally in a car park and block you in making it very difficult to exit, and despite best efforts with lots of dry steering, you scrape the car trying to get out. What is reasonable to do next

OP posts:
blueluce85 · 14/07/2023 18:50

Own up and pay for the damage!

Oysterbabe · 14/07/2023 18:50

You try and find the owner or leave a note. If you hit a parked car it is always your fault, however badly they are parked.

Clymene · 14/07/2023 18:51

Nothing. Serves them right

itsgettingweird · 14/07/2023 18:51

Take pictures of what happened.

Inform your insurance company.

Leave your details.

Awrite · 14/07/2023 18:52

Did you take photos to prove they were parked illegally?

Noshowlomo · 14/07/2023 18:53

Honestly, if they had knowingly blocked me in, I wouldn’t do anything

stayathomer · 14/07/2023 18:54

If it’s in a carpark sure the third is going to be CCTV? Has someone said go looking for the person ask inside or leave a note

Daphnis156 · 14/07/2023 18:55

It would be tempting to do nothing- especially if your car has little or no damage.
If you report it to insurers you'll just pay more next time, regardless of whether a claim even occurs.
Of course if you were observed by cameras, you might need to do it by the book.

Blanketpolicy · 14/07/2023 18:57

You leave a note with you details for the insurance.

You made the decision, took the risk. The damage if 100% your fault.

LePetitChat · 14/07/2023 18:57

I’ll probably be shot for this but I’d drive off.

if they were legally parked and I’d scraped the car I would absolutely leave a note.

buf if you park like a dick and something happens as a result then that’s on you.

To flip it, if I was parked illegally and my car got scraped because I had blocked someone in I wouldn’t be expecting a note either.

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 14/07/2023 18:59

It doesn't matter that they were parked illegally or blocking you in - you can't just damage their car (intentionally or otherwise) and drive off anyway.

I get that it might be tempting to just drive off, but sods' law will be that someone has CCTV or a ring camera and catches you in the act anyway.

Frabbits · 14/07/2023 19:07

You fess up and exchange details. You hit them, that's your fault.

BoobyDazzler · 14/07/2023 19:13

If they were parked like a twat I wouldn’t do anything, it’s their own bloody fault.

I’d have checked for CCTV before I did it.

ginghamstarfish · 14/07/2023 19:26

I'd look for cameras and if I couldn't see any, would not leave details. Their fault for being a selfish and inconsiderate idiot.

Original poster
Gbwjvjdnfnfirnfc · 14/07/2023 19:41

Interesting mix of views here. I am strongly on one side of the fence and was perhaps expecting more people to be like me. Which perhaps we all can get in the trap of thinking like. Thank you everyone who responded.

OP posts:
Whatwaste · 14/07/2023 19:43

itsgettingweird · 14/07/2023 18:51

Take pictures of what happened.

Inform your insurance company.

Leave your details.

Literally nobody would do this.

Whatwaste · 14/07/2023 19:43

Gbwjvjdnfnfirnfc · 14/07/2023 19:41

Interesting mix of views here. I am strongly on one side of the fence and was perhaps expecting more people to be like me. Which perhaps we all can get in the trap of thinking like. Thank you everyone who responded.

Do not mistake Mumsnet for real world views!

justasoul · 14/07/2023 19:45

Similar happened to me (though on the street, someone boxed me in and scraped them on the way out) - I left a note on the windscreen apologising and with my name and mobile number. Never heard from them though. Other car was about 15 years old so maybe the owner wasn’t terribly bothered.

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 14/07/2023 19:50

Whatwaste · 14/07/2023 19:43

Literally nobody would do this.

Show quote history

Well, I did just that the other week when I accidentally scraped a car who had parked well over the lines at a supermarket and almost blocked me in.

NerrSnerr · 14/07/2023 19:55

I'd leave my details. There could be someone watching from nearby who might leave a note with your reg number if you drive off.

Sewingdufus · 14/07/2023 20:22

2 wrongs don’t make a right. Take photos and leave details.

Amby1 · 15/07/2023 07:16

I'd leave details. As others have said, you don't know who is watching (cctv, pedestrians, other drivers), but also simply because it's the right thing to do.

I've had my car dented and scratched twice recently and I always park properly in the middle of the bay. It is quite frustrating and upsetting, but I like to tell myself that karma will catch up with these people eventually.

GabriellaMontez · 15/07/2023 07:26

As a pp said. This is not the real world.

NoTouch · 15/07/2023 14:39

It 100% the drivers fault. It is expected when you drive a couple of tonnes of car you do so with due care and attention, you are not supposed to drive into anything no matter what it is and where they are.

By law you need to leave your details and pay for the damage, if you don't you are committing a criminal offence - a minor carpark bump could result in a fine and up to 6 penalty points.

Thankfully there is a law for those who shirk responsibility for their own actions, more CCTV and dashcams to find them and decent people who will take the time to report.

MereDintofPandiculation · 15/07/2023 14:46

The person whose car was scraped will take a picture, put it on Facebook and ask for witnesses, CCTV footage, doorbell footage etc.

If you're unlucky, someone else will put it on Facebook "If this is your car, I saw the car that caused this damage and I have the registration number".