Note left on my car - What should I do?

[ScarySquirrel]

Hi all.

I had a note left on my windscreen this morning which said the following:

You were seen reversing into my car. Please call me on XXXXXXXXXX or I will have to inform my insurance company!

To set the scene, I have on street permit parking, on a one way road. I can get a space 19 times out of 20, but sometimes they are very small spaces and are only there because other people can't fit into them. I only have a little corsa and if I do say so myself, I am damn good at parallel parking so I can fit in most spaces.

Last night I squeezed into another minute space (I even stepped back to the other side of the road to admire my handywork afterwards ). When I get in small spaces I usually edge backwards at about 0.000001MPH until the car behind stops me. Now, when I say stops me, I litereally mean I tap it, there is no way in hell this would EVER cause any damage, even if the car was made out of crisps.

So anyway, in this situation, do I just call them and ask to see the damage (I assume they think there is damage). I have a feeling there will be nothing there, or at the most a little scratch (although I find this very hard to believe). Am I in the **** here?

 

[Sone]

go live in france, that style of parking is acceptable there but its not here imho. Give the bloke a ring or be a complete bar steward and ignore it, your choice.

He has probably carmed down by now, if it gets too bad offer him £50 to sort the damage.

 

[agw_01]

Sorry, but if I saw you reverse into my car (no matter how slowly or gently), I'd confront you about it.

There's no need to bump into someone's car when parking.

 

[ci_newman]

WTH... Why would you park by using the car behind you as a 'stopping stick'.

I'd go mental at someone regularly using my car as a buffer! Dent or no dent, it's downright rude. Learn to drive and judge distances better

 

[ScarySquirrel]

go live in france, that style of parking is acceptable there but its not here imho. Give the bloke a ring or be a complete bar steward and ignore it, your choice.

Not acceptable here? What do you mean? Is it in the highway code to say that you can't tap into another car while parking. Surely if it doesn't cause damage it doesn't matter (it never causes damage in my experience, not how I do it anyway)

If I ignore it, couldn't I get in trouble?

I just want to know what to say when he/she inevitably says "You caused damage to my car and so you must pay for it"

What proof do they need to have to prove I did it?

EDIT: Bloody hell, I should have known this would happen. Forget it!

 

[agw_01]

EDIT: Bloody hell, I should have known this would happen. Forget it!

What did you expect really? This is OcUK afterall

Seriously though, you don't post something like that on a forum of car enthusiasts... people who try their hardest to look after their car.

 

[merlin]

Sorry, but I'd also be ****** if you used my car as a stop stick.

 

[Dup]

If you cared about your car, you'd be damned well weewee'd off if you watched someone tap into it no matter how fast.

It's someone else's property that you are showing little to no respect for. Granted, if I saw there was no damage to my car I'd tell you where to go and not do it again but not everyone will be as understanding. You don't need to hit a car hard to break them these days, not that you should be doing it in the first place.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Ok

 

[Gaijin]

Not acceptable here? What do you mean? Is it in the highway code to say that you can't tap into another car while parking. Surely if it doesn't cause damage it doesn't matter (it never causes damage in my experience, not how I do it anyway)

It's not in the highway code because its generally deemed common knowledge that you aren't supposed to "hit" other cars whilst driving.

Lets face it, you only do it because you can't be bothered to get out and have a look how far away you are from the car behind you.

You might only be tapping the car, but i've seen the mildest of taps from a 1.5 tonne lump of metal, crack/dislodge numberplates before.

It could be seen as pedantic if no damage has been done, but at least its served as a wake up call for you.

How would you feel if you have just splashed out 20/40/60/80 grand on a car and someone was to do this to it? Not happy i'd guess.

There just isn't any reason for it, and being too lazy to get out and look certainly doesn't qualify as one in my book.

Ring him up and sort it out.

 

[EddScott]

Problem you have here is that any marks on the back of thier car they could attempt to blame you and you pay for damage that was there for a while.

I confronted my neighbour after she started playing silly beggers over parking and there were marks on my car. It was obvious she had caused the damage but even if I had seen her do it I could not force her to pay. She denied it but never parked anywhere near my car again.

Personally, theres nothing they can do. Its your word against theres. Ignore it.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Problem you have here is that any marks on the back of thier car they could attempt to blame you and you pay for damage that was there for a while.

I confronted my neighbour after she started playing silly beggers over parking and there were marks on my car. It was obvious she had caused the damage but even if I had seen her do it I could not force her to pay. She denied it but never parked anywhere near my car again.

Personally, theres nothing they can do. Its your word against theres. Ignore it.

Thanks for actually answering my question

I just called them but their number isn't working, so I guess there is nothing I can do anyway now.

As for other peoples comments, I guess I have learnt a lesson as I had never looked at it in this way before. I won't do it again.

 

[Chopper]

Sorry mate, but if you have caused the slightest scratch you are liable. If at any time your vehicle comes into contact regardless of how gentle then you are liable for any damage. If I can be honest but not rude or judgemental with you then I would suggest you cease this practice as it will get you into trouble, that's not how you are meant to reverse/parallel park, if you done that on a driving test then I believe its an instant fail. Please do not do it anymore, on a more personal note if you done that to my car you could expect a 6 foot 8 17 stone monster loosing his temper at you.

 

[chrislusty]

I would not be impressed if you bumped into my car so you know when to stop either, even if it is only a mondeo.

You say you have a corsa, i mean they are tiny so you should know where the car ends, i got a mondeo into a space with less than a foot to spare front and back, and i didnt need to tap either car.

 

[gt_junkie]

Afraid i agree here too.

When parking i only ever back up to a reasonable distance and then move forward. As many movements as it takes in my book.

Cutting down that number by hitting (however slowly) the cars either side of you while parking is unacceptable and if i'd seen you do it to my own car i'd probably nip out to ask why.

Sorry.

gt

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Sorry mate, but if you have caused the slightest scratch you are liable. If at any time your vehicle comes into contact regardless of how gentle then you are liable for any damage. If I can be honest but not rude or judgemental with you then I would suggest you cease this practice as it will get you into trouble, that's not how you are meant to reverse/parallel park, if you done that on a driving test then I believe its an instant fail. Please do not do it anymore, on a more personal note if you done that to my car you could expect a 6 foot 8 17 stone monster loosing his temper at you.

As for other peoples comments, I guess I have learnt a lesson as I had never looked at it in this way before. I won't do it again.

I would not be impressed if you bumped into my car so you know when to stop either, even if it is only a mondeo.

You say you have a corsa, i mean they are tiny so you should know where the car ends, i got a mondeo into a space with less than a foot to spare front and back, and i didnt need to tap either car.

As for other peoples comments, I guess I have learnt a lesson as I had never looked at it in this way before. I won't do it again.

I get the point. I won't do it again.

 

[Marf]

EDIT: Bloody hell, I should have known this would happen. Forget it!

Well what did you expect?

If you did this to my car, I'd be livid.

When I get in small spaces I usually edge backwards at about 0.000001MPH until the car behind stops me. Now, when I say stops me, I litereally mean I tap it, there is no way in hell this would EVER cause any damage, even if the car was made out of crisps.

My car is not a bump stop for people who cannot judge distance.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Is no one reading any of my other posts? Give it a rest!

As for other peoples comments, I guess I have learnt a lesson as I had never looked at it in this way before. I won't do it again.

 

[Marf]

Now write it out one hundred times with your own blood, then sit in the corner facing the wall wearing a dunce cap.

 

[Dogbreath]

Not acceptable here? What do you mean? Is it in the highway code to say that you can't tap into another car while parking.

Is this troll? Are you actually serious?

Is no one reading any of my other posts? Give it a rest!

I think it's utter disbelief that anyone would think it was perfectly ok in the first place.