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.

if a strange man threatened me in a secluded spot and pulled a police ID and the whole thing felt sketchy as hell I too would report it to the police.

Exactly. OP did very well to get herself out of there, and I'd be surprised if the men really were police. She was made to feel unsafe in a very vulnerable position.

Personal safety comes before everything else, and this is recognised in the law, as long as we act reasonably. In this case she did just that by leaving a threatening situation.

https://www.met.police.uk/foi-ai/metropolitan-police/disclosure-2023/april-2023/guidance-alone-policemen-encountering-alone-women/

according to the above, he should have called through to another on duty officer via video call to prove identity and reassurance. He doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

So even the police told you that you should have reported it to your insurers. Did you?

You should have said you would go to the nearest police station to verify who he said he is then given your details if all was genuine.

I would definitely do an online report. If he was a police officer then he should know how to behave.

I would have taken a picture of him and his "police ID".

I wish I had, I didn't have the presence of mind when everything seemed to escalate so fast x

He only become angry after she refused to exchange details and tried to flee. Anyone would get angry at such an inconsiderate and selfish person. I've had twats like the OP hit my car and drive off before. They left me to pick up the £400 excess fee. This entire situation is the OP's doing. She caused the crash and then she escalated the incident. The bloke shouldn't have to pay out for her mistake.

You don’t get to decide whether you’ve damaged someone’s car by looking at it. That’s not your job. I’ve been hit by another car, looked like no damage but underneath the bar have crumpled (as it’s designed to do in an accident) and cost quite a bit to fix.
You know you probably hit his car and you’re deflecting with all this intimidation nonsense.

I’m amazed the police said it didn’t need reporting to them seeing as you haven’t exchanged details. Everything online says you must do one or the other.

The Road Traffic Act (1988) states that anyone driving a motorised vehicle, including a car, van, motorbike or scooter, that is involved in a collision that results in damage or injury to another person, vehicle, property or animal (dogs, horses, cattle or sheep), are required to stop. They must also provide their vehicle registration, name and address to anyone ‘with reasonable grounds to be asking for those details.’

what is the time frame for reporting an accident?
All road traffic accidents are to be reported to the police within 24 hours of the incident taking place. You can call 101, the non-emergency police number to do this.
This includes providing the police with details of any damage done to buildings, parked cars, even when there were no other people involved

https://www.true.co.uk/advice-hub/articles/what-should-i-do-if-ive-had-a-car-accident/#:~:text=The%20police%20should%20always%20be,however%20lead%20to%20future%20issues.

You possibly pranged his car, YABU for refusing to exchange details and being physically smaller than him is not an excuse for running away …

I’m confused about this, zero feelings. You’ve got a huge thread about how frightened and intimidated you were but when you had the chance to log it, you couldn’t be bothered to hang on the line as you were being put through. And now you ‘might’ log it online?

@sandrafarringdon66

“Just rang 101 - got thru to the first line of reporting, the call handler advised that I didn't need to report the collision (if one happened) to them, only to our insurers”

The OP said this, as though it should be news to anyone who is insured to drive a car.

@Utterlyconfusednow exactly. The facts are pretty clear really aren’t they?

Everyone of us on here - in reality - would be pissed if someone hit our car and then denied it. Had the man not just parked and was still present to be aware of what happened, OP would have left the scene without reporting, which is an offence.

Just because there’s no obvious damage doesn’t mean there’s no damage. They could very well find out afterwards that something is broken/misaligned etc. Anyway, they filmed it so likely got your license plate and proof of you driving off so I’m sure they’ll be reporting it.

OP has a duty to report a pair of intimidating men pretending to be police. I would assume, for womankind.

@Utterlyconfusednow and how do we know that they were both impersonating police officers?

We do know that OP tried to vacate the scene after hitting another vehicle.

Actually if you read the OP the man was shouting from the offset

What you’ve done is illegal regardless off damaged you’ve left the seen of the accident without leaving details or reporting it

Totally agree with this.

he had absolutely no right to pull out his police badge

We don’t really know anything do we?

The police would be very interested to know about these alleged imposters though, I would imagine.

I agree I’d do this. Seems the safest option. It’s a shame OP didn’t get pics of both cars.

@popcornpower2025

”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.”

Yeah, OP had hit his car by parking in a space that was too small.