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 you bothered to read my OP you would know you're wrong and could save yourself a lot of time typing out pointless posts. "The tone of the interaction...only changed when you refused to give your details". That isn't true the man was shouting and belligerent from the start and I didn't trust him with my details.

@zerofeeling you don't say that in your original post. That only comes later when you're re-telling your story. In your original post you said he shouted over "why did you try and park in such a small space" as he was walking back to the car. Then he asked for your details and you refused.
Later on in your posts he's now "lost his head" and "shouting". It's hard to know what to believe because your story is not consistent and seems to be whatever version has the best chance of giving you validation.

In my original post I said he shouted - not 'shouted over' which you've substituted and which has different connotation. I said he fronted up to me - do you know what that means? I said he wasn't interested in looking at his car but immediately demanded my details and started on about the legislation.

You're so busy on your own little trip you don't bother to read or understand properly.

Just to address incorrect information here: most, probably all, insurers do require the policyholder to inform them of an incident regardless of fault or intention to claim. Some have time limits for doing so. Breach of this element of the contract can have far-reaching consequences.

@BrickBiscuit well then I'm not sure why OPs insurance company told her she didn't need to notify them.

@zerofeeling i can't be bothered to try to reason with an unreasonable person. I don't care about the outcome of all this. It's clear that you are a concrete fixed thinker, that thinks you can do as you please. You are unable to understand how to behave in a car accident or your legal obligations. It would probably be best for everyone if you didn't drive anymore. Good luck OP.

😂

I found that comment, and I'm not sure the OP has interpreted what they said correctly. Insurers require that information in real time as it affects your risk profile and their liability. I would be interested to hear what the OP's T&Cs say.

Just because you couldn’t see any damage doesn’t mean there wasn’t any, some one reversed into my car and came to tell me, the only visible damage was a crack in my bumper which they replaced as he works on cars, but it later come to light a few months later they had bent the fan and it wore a hole in my radiator which was a cost to me then. Having had this happen to me I’d probably be as cross as the gentleman was

As the OP is clearly still confused as to her responsibilities, I'll repeat what I posted early on in the thread, which has a direct link to the law. Read the quoteback.

The OP was required to stop and give their name and address to the victims (policemen, witnesses ......).

Having failed to do that, they needed to report the accident.

They failed to give the victim their name & address, because they allege that they felt intimidated, and they failed to report the accident because they allege that they were given incorrect legal advice when they tried to report the incident.

OP on a strict legal reading if this came to court you would be found guilty. I think that you should take legal advice (IANAL) and probably make a proper report about the incident.

You only have to watch auditing videos to know that 999 call handlers don’t know their arse from their elbow as far as knowledge of the law is concerned.

Road Traffic Act 1988, Section 170

(2)The driver of the F1mechanically propelled vehicle] must stop and, if required to do so by any person having reasonable grounds for so requiring, give his name and address and also the name and address of the owner and the identification marks of the vehicle.
(3)If for any reason the driver of the F1mechanically propelled vehicle] does not give his name and address under subsection (2) above, he must report the accident.
(4)A person who fails to comply with subsection (2) or (3) above is guilty of an offence.

I made a proper report of the incident the day it happened. Haven't you read any of my posts after the OP?

Honestly don’t know why anyone is bothering anymore. Just pray to god you never encounter her on the roads

No, I didn't argue with him. I said let's exchange details which he didn't want to. It's a shame you feel it's acceptable to shout and swear at people when involved in a collision. Just a hint - it doesn't help anyone!

I gave him my insurance details. He didn't have his but I had his number plate and name. He turned on to the forecourt into me as I was reversing!

How an earth do you know she wasn’t in danger? She may not have been, but I’d give the benefit of the doubt and err on the side of caution based on her initial post.

Plus if the two men were police, she’ll no doubt hear from authorities anyway as they’ll expedite the matter in work. They have video evidence and I assume took photos/video of her car.

I’ve sort of cut to the end but what’s all this ‘give your details’ business? Are we in the habit of handing over our personal details, like our addresses to an intimidating bloke on a country lane who may or may not be a cop?

Yes - because that person should be ruled out as a suspect for the person who assaulted the toddler. A child is injured and you are close by enough to have injured them or to have maybe witnessed someone who did you will be detained for questioning. There is no universe in which you get to say ‘not me guv’ and leave. Also proof does not have to be absolute - in a civil court you only have to prove something on the balance of probability. Two cars, loud noise, too small parking space is the definition of the balance of probabilities.

We are required to do so following an accident under the Road Traffic Act, yes.

Following an accident, yes.

So why after hearing “a loud crunch” did you inspect your car if you didn’t think there was a strong possibility there had been an accident?

lets remember as has already been pointed out to you, cars can be damaged with no visible sign of damage, so saying there was no visible damage doesn’t cut it. He had reasonable cause to request your details so if after getting his car inspected he could contact you with regards to a claim if there was hidden damage.

Yes, it's a criminal offence not to.

I did think I must have hit him, despite not feeling any impact, because of the noise - I've said this numerous times now to you and others. Then I looked at his car and saw there was no sign of damage which I tried repeatedly to get him to look at but he refused.

The part you're conveniently skipping over is that the man said a number of times "it's not about the damage". He was trying to intimidate me into handing over my personal details, not because I'm a CF who damaged his car and tried to run away - as a Police Officer he knew he would he could track me easily through my number plate - but because he was enjoying his power trip and making a lone woman feel like shit.