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.

It’s a shit scam to park up and walk away and hope someone crashes into your car!

In a secluded spot.

Nah, sit at home and have a bottle of wine or two. That way if the police turn up for you leaving an accident they can breathalyse you too!

I would be pretty pissed off with you as well op

I'd say he's already reported you for fleeing the scene of a collision without providing insurance details.

😂

It’s not too late to report it. I would make a report to the police.
Please ensure you read or get read to you your account that it says what you want it to as the Police have a way of subtly and not so subtly changing ‘your statement’ so it’s suits their agenda.
it’s your word against his as there is no evidence of damage and you have made no omissions. .
Also I would have thought he will not be wanting to play the full video of him/ his mate man- handling you. If there is any suggestion of prosecution then you need to make a counter complaint of common assault.

if he was a policeman he would be able to locate your details through your reg no so he does sound a bit dodgy. You did the right thing.

What did your insurers say?

Report the fact you may have bumped his car to the police so it's on record should he contact them. Also explain the reason why you didn't exchange insurance details at the time. If he's that bothered he'll report it himself and the police can arrange contact. If he doesn't then the chances are there was no damage or he wasn't really a cop. Or both.

This is right. The offence is failing to report within 24 hours. However, I suggest you do not admit any collision if you don’t know one happened.

I think you should have given details whatever you thought happened. Give your details and let insurance sort it out - no damage, no claim.

Yes he heard the same noise I did and turned back. We both made the same assumption that I'd hit his car but when I went to the back of my car I was surprised to see no sign of damage on his car. I would have expected him to start examining his car for himself but instead he just started demanding my details and saying that damage didn't make any difference to reporting a collision.

I would absolutely report this incident to the police, get a report on this asap because worst case scenario this man is a police impersonator and the po-po should know about it and best case scenario he's real (which I doubt but whatever) and if your insurance or any company chases you there's an official police report that explains why you gave no details. I have police in my family and no out of duty cop pulls out the badge to intimidate a woman who has done nothing wrong, it sounds highly unprofessional.

Just because you can’t see any damage doesn’t mean there isn’t any. If you did hit his car you could have damaged his parking sensors or cameras (if he has them).

You should have simply taken a photo of both cars and exchanged details. He was likely belligerent because he (rightly or wrongly) believes that you hit his car and were refusing to give your details.

Even if he was the police his way of speaking to you and his actions are completely out of order.
I would go to your local police station and report what happened to you tell them everything you have said on here ... you wont be in any trouble they will be though and even more so if he is a policeman you dont intimidate people this way he was out of order .. no damage to cars so nothing to worry about
Report the incident though xx

If you are feeling anxious that you’ll be reported for not exchanging details call the non emergency police number and explain that they said they were police officers and were being threatening and you felt vulnerable so left but would like to report your details to them.

So you didn’t take any photos of either car?

Or look underneath your car to see if you had scraped over a rock?

You should have taken photos of both cars. When he started upsetting you then you should have called 101 to check who he was. I’d be wary too op. Yes you should have given details but he sounds intimidating and aggressive.

Obviously I don’t know if OP hit another car or not BUT there was a loud crunching sound as I parked my car on the driveway when I got home yesterday. So loud that DH leant out of his office window thinking I’d hit the bins or something. I’d hit nothing… I’d driven over an empty plastic water bottle! It was incredibly loud!

Many posters have told the OP to contact her insurers/police regarding giving details. OP doesn’t seem interested.

You do need to report the (possible) collision. Tell them you left without exchanging details because of their aggressive and intimidating behaviour and you are reporting from a place of safety.

What wouldn't a real policeman do?

I think you did the right thing, they do sound like scammers. Intimidating and recording you without permission- I don’t believe for a second they were real police and, if they were, they were not acting professionally. They could have taken pictures and noted your registration to report you if they were in the right. And to the point - if they were identifying themselves as police went they weren’t, you definitely did the right thing driving away. I can’t believe how many posters would rather let themselves be scammed or intimidated here

YABVU OP.

I accidentally reversed into someone’s car the other day whilst parking- like you it was very slow but heard a crunch but couldn’t see any discernible damage bar a scuff. I still took photos, left my details on the windshield and reported it to my insurance company because I’m not an arsehole- the owner was very grateful when they got in touch.

The guy not actually seeing you hit his car is neither here nor there.

I don't think you were unreasonable to leave the scene as I think most women would be intimidated being alone in a deserted place with 2 unknown men, but you should have given your details even though you didn't think you had hit him, because then if he found out later there was damage it's up to your insurance company to sort it out, and he doesn't have to worry about not having your details and potentially be out of pocket himself.

Even when there looks to be no damage that doesn't mean there isn't. I had a guy go into the back of me when I was waiting at a junction, we were both stationary, but his foot slipped off the brake and he rolled into me. We got out and exchanged details, but it didn't look like my car was damaged. However when I got home and opened the boot there was damage inside which was obviously caused by him, so even though at the time both of us thought everything was ok I was really glad he'd offered his details anyway as I don't think I would have asked for them otherwise.

As other people have said I would report this incident to your insurers and 101. At best nothing happens, and if he was imitating being a police officer then hopefully that is something they will take seriously. At worst if you don't report it yourself and he has your numberplate he can give that to his insurance company who will chase yours, and you could also be charged with leaving the scene of an accident.

My friend who is a PC says that even when he is off duty he has been told that if he becomes involved in something that may become a reportable incident he is supposed to identify himself as police (although not if it puts him in danger). I'm not sure if that is all forces policy or just his but it is something to do with if he ended up having to give evidence or something so I think that is possibly why the man told you he was police.