Unpleasant altercation - who was the most unreasonable?

[zerofeeling]

Took my dogs out today and was trying to park in a small space between two cars on a country lane. As I was inching back to fit into the space I heard a loud crunch 😖

The two men from the car behind had just set off on their walk, as I got out of my car one of them was heading back towards me shouting why did I try to park in such a small space. I said sorry and inspected the front of his car - couldn't see any damage at all, and apart from a tiny paint scuff nothing on my car. I said to him 'i can't see any damage, it doesn't look like I hit you'
Man just glanced over at his car then asked me for my details, I asked is that necessary and said again there's no damage. He said that's not the point you have to give your details if you've been in a collision. He was much taller than me and sort of fronting up to me repeating that he wanted my details and me refusing, saying I don't think it was a collision, I think I might have hit something underneath my car. (For info my Mum and a friend have both been scammed on their insurance by people who claimed all kinds of things after very minor prangs)

Then he took an ID wallet out of his pocket and flipped it open to show a photo and badge and said he's Police. I couldn't tell if it was genuine or not. He held his phone up and said he's filming me refusing to comply with the law.
By this time the other man had come back and also filming me and I started to worry - I'm in a secluded area, with two men who are much bigger than me. I told them I felt intimidated and are they trying to scam me?

I got in my car and tried to shut the door but 1st man held onto it to prevent me. I asked if he's trying to detain me and he said no but I will if you don't give me your details, I've identified myself to you as a police officer. I said you've got no right to detain me. Eventually he let go of the door and I had to turn the car round as the lane is a dead end. Once I turned round he said again that I'm breaking the law by refusing to give my details after a collision and he started to recite the Caution they give when you're arrested! I drove away very shaken up, no idea what consequences to expect.

You should have just taken photos of both cars and then given him your details , if you’ve taken photos he can’t scam you

Sounds dreadful. I don't believe that any real policeman would do that, not least as if you lodged a complaint he'd get roasted for such bad behaviour.

I bet he made sure you couldn't see his name either. I hope you're Ok

Sorry, I'm confused - what was the loud crunch, if there was no damage?

Yo have 24 hrs to report the potential accident to the police.

I think it must have been on the underside of my car bumper - I haven't had a chance to look yet.

This! Surely you know whether you hit his car? Did you check under your car if you thought it was something that scraped the end? If you really did hit his car and were just planning to drive off I could see why he'd be annoyed about that and would want your details although if he was a Policeman, he was off duty and should have called the Police

Thank you, I appreciate that. I'm ok but quite nervous about what he could do if he's genuinely in the Police.

Why didn't you just give your details?

You should report this incident. If he was not a police officer that is very worrying and if he is I would be stressing that these two made you fear for your safety and this is also an offence.

I definitely wouldn't have driven off if there'd been any sign of damage - I've had that done to me and it's really shit behaviour. I couldn't see under my car and he didn't seem at all interested in checking his car or mine just went straight in to demanding my details.

I'd contact the Police. State that you didn't hit the other car and left for your own safety. You didn't need to give him your details and his behaviour was intimidating.

I mean you heard a loud noise and they were claiming you hit their car. The most likely thing is that you hit their car. So you need to give your insurance details, you can't just drive off.

He didn't need them and had no right to demand them in the way he did. He should have concentrated on checking his car and getting a photo, if there was damage.

It's a fair point but I couldn't understand his belligerence in demanding them when there was no sign I'd actually hit him - like I say I know ppl who've been scammed. Seemed like he was out to cause trouble and intimidate.

It’s hardly unheard of for police to misuse their power.

But you still heard a loud noise (like an accident) before they even spoke to you. How can that be a scam?

If you hit a car, you need to exchange insurance details, damage isn’t always obvious.

You are at fault here, you heard the crash, you knew what you’d done, why wouldn’t you give them your insurance details?

He didn't see if I hit his car because he was walking away at the time and I didn't feel any impact, only heard the crunch.

There could easily be unseen damage to the bumper, you were a bit of a CF, you heard a loud crunch, ime scraping for e.g. a rock is a definite scrape sound, crunch will be you hitting them. I would be annoyed at you as well.

You were wrong for not giving your details over, it would be a bit of a leap to assume scam considering what happened.

However he was infinitely more wrong for not allowing you to access your car. After a lot of scary police behaviour I seem to remember something was put into place that meant lone women were absolutely entitled to get to safety and call the police from there if they were unsure about being alone with a policeman. Did you get his name?

For that reason I would be making a formal complaint against him, and he has the video footage to back it up as well.

just because you were in the wrong initially, doesn't mean he hasn't fucked up big time. Hope you're OK, I would have been terrified by that.

It’s easy to say with hindsight OP but I’d have given my details - not because he was possibly police but because you weren’t sure if you’d damaged his car beyond the scratch mark (presumably that was from your car?).
a loud crunch sounds like bumper to bumper but perhaps it wasn’t even his car. He clearly thought it was though so perhaps he saw something that you didn’t and reasonably expected you to give him your details.
Aside from the rest of his actions I think I’d contact the local police and detail everything that happened- that way if he takes any action your memory of events has been given and is as fresh as possible and the police can determine what, if anything, needs to be done. Otherwise you will spend energy on worrying unnecessarily.
Accidents happen and that’s why we have insurance- the intimidation you describe explains the fact that you failed to give him details- a bit - but you probably should have just given them when he asked, taken photos yourself and left it there. Easy to say afterwards though

You're in the wrong. Hth.

Sounds like the bloke is one of those twats who purposely parks so no one can park next to him and is annoyed that you managed it anyway. The space can't have been that small though if you were able to get out of your car from it. Surely you'd be able to see in your mirrors if you were at an angle to hit anyone. I agree with PP that ringing the police and telling them about the incident (and that you're sure you didn't hit anything) is the best course of action.

Sorry OP but if you not watch the news, a real policeman is capable of really shit behaviour. I suggest that the OP contact the police herself and explain the situtation.

He probably heard it too?