I've got myself into a sticky situation

[Helbel1977]

I've got myself into a sticky situation, i know im in the wrong but I don't know how to fix it.

Yesterday morning about 10.30am I was nipping out to the shops, when I pulled out my drive I bumped into a car parked opposite, i was moving at a slow speed and didn't notice any damage to the car I went into.

When I returned the car was gone, fine I thought nothing more about it.
I didn't mention it to my husband.

Later on a young man came to my door my husband answered it, he told him that his girlfriend was staying over last night and her car was parked outside, he said that there was damage to her car and wanted to know if we had seen anything, obviously he told him no as he hadn't know anything about it. He did tell my husband that it must happened between late the night before and when she left at 9am, They must have got the times wrong as I hit the car about 10.30. I just played dumb and agreed that it was terrible.

I know I should own up, but I don't know how to go about it,

I once reversed into someone’s car in a car park, barely moving, negligible impact, so I was stunned to see a massive dent in the side of their car (and not a scratch on mine). I left a note apologising profusely. The owner messaged me back and said not to worry, the dent had been there already! I’m glad he didn’t see an opportunity to get me to pay for existing damage!!

The time discrepancy is the odd thing. If the gf left at 9am, how could it be you that hit her at 10.30? Are you sure about those timings?
Otherwise your road was car crash alley this morning!
I'd own up and tell the truth, but I'd check it was the same colour/make of car first.

Thanks everyone, I didn't recognise the car and as I saw no visible damage I thought it was fine, the boyfriend lives away down the other end of the street, parking is a nightmare here. I don't ever know what house he's in.

The car he described is the same colour as the one I hit, i didn't catch the make. My next door neighbour has a ring doorbell camera but no subscription, he did knock and ask her before he came to us.

It was definitely about 10.30 I left the house and he did say that it must have happened before 9am, the car was gone when I returned.

You checked the car and there was no damage. What he is describing is significant damage that you would have seen. And that sort of damage would likely have caused damage to your car too.
It wasn't you.

There is no damage to my car at all, Im not sure what to do about this.

I hit a much bigger car than mine parking in a large car park.

saw scratches on it, not sure if they were/ could be from my car but went to Reception and left my details. Also phoned my Insurer.
I never heard back , but was relieved I’d done that.
apart from the honesty issue, there are cameras everywhere.

Own up and from now on always reverse into your driveway. My neighbours parents always parked in my blind spot and with kids in the back and stuff on the parcel shelf I hit it. Twice.

didn't notice any damage to the car I went into

To be fair OP, you didn't actually look by your own admission. You need to fess up.

How would you feel if someone damaged your car and did not own up?

OP didn't even bother to get out and look for damage though, she just assumed it was okay and drove off.

For your own peace of mind, and because it's the right thing to do, you should tell him. Mention the time discrepancy though. If it was you, take the financial hit or claim on your insurance - checking your excess first though.

You looked and there was no damage so don’t volunteer to be the person that pays for a different car!!! Just leave it and say nothing. That’s like saying you found a fiver on the floor and someone knocks saying have you seen my twenty pound note?! You don’t give the fiver because it’s the closest thing. Just say nothing because you know it wasn’t damaged as you had checked it AND it was a different time, you were already at work at that time.

I can understand how you must be feeling but honesty is the best policy. So many houses have cctv now so it's likely they already know what happened.

She didn't check. She just glanced out of the window and carried on.

Agree there seems to be a time discrepancy which needs addressing. But you didn’t check your car properly?
And if you say nothing, I’d be aware that cameras might have caught the incident anyway.

OP did not get out of her car and inspect the car that she hit for damage. She looked from her seated position in the driver's seat, which would not give her the ability to view the damage clearly, especially as the collision was at the rear of her car. She then drove off without leaving a note. OP confirmed the girlfriend's car is the same colour, make and model of car as the car that she hit.

You need to start parking properly, you should reverse into your drive and then drive out forwards. Especially if you lack spatial awareness when reversing!

I had some cretin do this to mine when I was parked up at uni. There was SO much space as well, they must have been blind as well as moronic. Of course they just drove off and left me with hundreds of pounds of damage. Cunt.

If both of you are sure about the times, it can't have been you. If you left your drive at 10.30am the gf's car would have been long gone, if she left at 9am.

Not inspecting any damage is a detriment to you as well as them because if you have dented it you need to check the level of damage you have actually caused, so that you can't be accused of causing more, or completely unrelated damage. I would go round and say the timing is wrong but you were reversing out of your drive around 10.30 and ask could it have been you? That way they will be pleased you raised it and you won't lose too much face. It's easy to bump a car reversing without noticing if you were distracted with kids or loud music etc.

YABU. When you hit a car you should always get out straight away, take photos of damage (or lack thereof) and leave your details.

If you went to the shops, you'll have a receipt which will show what time you purchased your goods, which should coincide timescale wise with when you left your house and purchased the goods. Check what time she left first - if they're saying before 9am, then admit you hit a car at 10.30am and you've got the receipt which shows will a time that accounts for the journey and purchasing the goods.

Leave it and see if anything happens. I doubt it was caught on anyone's camera. Next time get out and look properly for damage.

Do the right thing OP and check if it was her car you hit. I did same thing a while ago and left a note on the car and my house number (random street parking/had no way of knowing who car belonged to) . the neighbour came over and agreed there was no damage but that it was her DS’s first car and she thanked me for setting a good example of a decent road user to him. Bad karma if you dont

I had a similar accident recently. First thing I did was walk all the way around the vehicle I hit, taking a video. Then pictures of the very superficial damage to my car. The car I hit did have a dent in the area where impact occurred, there was no one in it and I had no pen or paper.

I called my insurance company that day and they located the vehicle owner from the reg and were able to contact them directly. Yes I’ll lose my no claims and have to declare it for 3-5 yrs but that’s the consequence of my mistake. I think you’ve behaved appallingly. You knew you hit it and drove off.

Just go and talk to him. You know you hit their car and should have owned up before now.