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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think Dd probably didn’t hit this car?

18 replies

HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas · 14/07/2023 21:10

So Dd has been driving a couple of years and backed her car into our driveway last night, we live on a fairly busy village high street. So there was a car right behind her, so she’s indicating, reverses slowly as this car is stopped quite close behind her and didn’t back up any once he realised what she was doing.

she goes in the drive and ten minutes later the doorbell goes. A bloke is there and tells her he thinks she hit his car. Dd says well I never noticed any impact. He actually says to her, “well I didn’t think you hit me but I pulled up outside the chip shop and there’s scuffs down the side of my car”.

dd goes to look at her car and there’s no damage but the guy insisted on her phone number. Dh arrives home at this point and politely told him to jog on after he heard the story.

how the heck can both parties not notice any impact, then just because he notices a scuff on his car he assumes it must be a car which got within a couple of feet of him a few minutes earlier must have done it. But he didn’t notice it and drove off happily?

Dh also pointed out from a physics pov if Dd had hit him the damage would be on the front corner of his car and it was more down his drivers door according to Dd.

I have told Dd if he rings her to tell him who her insurance company is and to tell him to contact his insurance. If it goes this far and dd tells her insurance she didn’t hit him and there’s no damage to her car I assume that will be the end of it?

OP posts:
Elvis1956 · 14/07/2023 21:28

Personally I would call my insurer now and tell them. I would also call 101 and report it. Scuffs are not caused by being reversed into, that would cause a dent.

For future reference you should have photoed both cars.

EsmeSusanOgg · 14/07/2023 21:48

What @Elvis1956 sounds like the gent may be trying it on a little bit. I'd be inclined to call 101 before my insurance. Get a log of the incident. Then if he calls, talk to insurance and give them the 101 info. Make clear there was no collision and no contact and he pointed at damage in an area where it would be impossible for it to be were his story accurate. Highlight zero damage or marks on DD's car.

I would also ask your neighbours if any of them have ring footage/ CCTV - just in case.

HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas · 14/07/2023 21:48

Yes, when I got home I told dd to take photos of her car which she’s done. Would have been better if she’d taken photos of is as well. Yes, think it’s a good idea to contact her insurance, will do that on Monday. Thanks.

OP posts:
HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas · 14/07/2023 21:50

Next door have cctv but the angle wouldn’t capture whether or not there was a collision. But I guess it shows him happily driving off so will ask neighbour for that.

OP posts:
ArbitraryHaddock · 14/07/2023 22:22

This reply has been deleted

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Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 14/07/2023 22:57

I know it’s too late. But get front and rear dash cams installed. Very hard to argue with video evidence.

MerryMarigold · 14/07/2023 23:03

A car reversed into me out of their drive the other day (just didn't see me, it was daylight! I was parked). It was a big crash. I was quite shaken. Anyway, there was not even a scuff (not a dent). A scuff would be a scrape so a car moving alongside, not a bang.

Hibiscrubbed · 14/07/2023 23:05

He saw a young woman in a car and thought he’d chance his arm. I doubt you’ll hear anymore.

MerryMarigold · 14/07/2023 23:06

Also, someone once accused my child of causing a scuff on his car by opening the door and banging his car. My child very lightly touched his car when she opened the door. He was yelling at her about this scrape. I opened the door myself and the scrape was nowhere near where my car door touched his car. He was trying it on. I gave him short shrift.

NoSquirrels · 14/07/2023 23:08

Hibiscrubbed · 14/07/2023 23:05

He saw a young woman in a car and thought he’d chance his arm. I doubt you’ll hear anymore.

Yeah, this. He’s either on the make or a sleaze.

Newmumatlast · 14/07/2023 23:09

This happened to me but in a car park. The person didn't realise, I dont think, that my mum was in the car as she was slouched at the time. No impact. I wasn't even moving. Damage didn't accord with what they said even if I had been. Just clearly trying it on. I didnt tell insurer as there was no accident to report. But I did report it to the police incase they tried to report me and given its an offence to hit and run. Obviously made it clear that there was nothing to report apart from the allegation!

HangerLaneGyratorySystem · 14/07/2023 23:47

Something like this happened to me and my insurers just paid out! I didn’t even know.

HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas · 15/07/2023 06:52

Omg, they didn’t even write to you?! That’s awful as you didn’t have chance to refute it and then it affects your premiums.

OP posts:
PollyPut · 15/07/2023 07:39

@HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas so If DD as you say, did not see, hear or feel a collision and no collision was physically possible then
1 - I would call DD and tell her that if he calls, not to give any further details (e.g name or address) and definitely not her insurance company details - if she does this she could be seen to be admitting liability. If he knows her address but she has not given it to him (i.e. he followed her home and noted her address), then she should NOT confirm it (give it to him) as that might be seen as admitting liability. So far he has just followed her home and taken her address. She has not given it.

2 - tell DD to photograph the other car now (as well as her own, again, in good daylight) if she can.

I would tell her/you to NOT call her insurance company (either today when it'll be open, or Monday) unless they call her as you don't need to call them to say that you have NOT been in a collision. If the other party calls their insurers, then they will want photos from them before they call her insurers, who would then call her to confirm whether or not she was involved before they look at paying out.

PollyPut · 15/07/2023 07:43

Also, I'd gently speak to her about her personal safety in opening the door to unknown and possible irate men when she is in the house on her own - hopefully she put the chain on the door first.

Kinneddar · 15/07/2023 07:44

There's no way I'd be notifying my insurance company at this stage.

Hes at it. I bet you don't hear anything else. If he does get back in touch thats when you contact your insurance

Conkersinautumn · 15/07/2023 07:50

I have has someone reverse slowly into my car who literally didn't notice, but as noted above, it caused a compression around where the cars 'met' and I was able to get it out myself. No scrapes, but it is possible to not notice.

LookingWest · 15/07/2023 07:53

Sure he’s not chancing it just to get her number? Sounds really weird

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