Car parked on double yellows, and someone hits me. Where do i stand?

airrunner · 19 May 2012 at 12:14

Hi all, im an estate agent and my vehicle was parked on double yellows outside our office this morning temporarily. I was dropping documents into our office as our current car park has been closed off due to a construction of a new building. During the time of two minutes a truck had clipped the right wing of my car and smashed the headlight & bent the bonnet.

He was very difficult when he got out of the car and i only got his reg number. The first thing he said was that i have no hell in chance of making a claim against him as i was on double yellows.

I have notified the police and notified my insurers and they are now currently persuing this on my behalf. What do you think the outcome will be? Am i completely knackered as i was on double yellows?

Just to make note the vehicle had plenty of space around me and i was not on a blind spot. I have taken photos of my car and location also.

Janesy B · 19 May 2012 at 12:16

The fact you parked on double yellows will not influence the outcome, the truck driver shouldn't have driven into you regardless if you were parked legally or not.

4T5 · 19 May 2012 at 12:16

You can stop & unload on double yellows so I don't think the truck driver has a leg to stand on. Him doing one without giving proper details won't look good either.

knip · 19 May 2012 at 12:18

4T5 said:
You can stop & unload on double yellows so I don't think the truck driver has a leg to stand on. Him doing one without giving proper details won't look good either.

Is what I was going to say.

Locky · 19 May 2012 at 12:20

Don't worry, he ploughed into a parked car and will be stung for it.

This needs to be moved into motors.

Fenris · 19 May 2012 at 12:21

I assume what you did would constitute unloading, as long as their aren't restrictions on that stretch of road.

airrunner · 19 May 2012 at 12:23

Cheers guys/gals that's definitely sounding more positive than i anticipated. The only thing i am concerned about now then, is will he be liable for all of it as i have read just now that some insurers may argue that i was on double yellows, hence they are not liable for total payment. So it may be possible of a 70% liable to him and 30% to me, does that sound plausible?

ZXSpectrum · 19 May 2012 at 12:25

I am surprised that the police were not called. Surely if someone hits a stationary vehicle its likely his driving ability was impaired or not paying attention. Maybe he had been in the boozer the night before and was still under the influence..

L0rdMike · 19 May 2012 at 12:26

If I saw a car parked on double yellow lines I dont have the right to take a bat to it and smash the **** out of it.

Matt82 · 19 May 2012 at 12:28

trollthread??!

"my car was parked stationary, I was inside a building, someone drove into my car. will I be response?"

bloody hell, heavy night last night?

airrunner · 19 May 2012 at 12:32

Matt82 said:
trollthread??!

"my car was parked stationary, I was inside a building, someone drove into my car. will I be response?"

bloody hell, heavy night last night?

My Apologies!? Sorry if i am coming across naive about the scenario, but im genuinely at a loss of the legality of the situation.

Scythe · 19 May 2012 at 12:36

airrunner said:
My Apologies!? Sorry if i am coming across naive about the scenario, but im genuinely at a loss of the legality of the situation.

You were not parked, you were unloading so to speak. Also in a court, the unavailability of your car park situation, I'd say you did the right thing and were completely legal. He is at fault.

4T5 · 19 May 2012 at 12:38

Think of it this way,
If a fella stops his car in the middle of the road for no reason at all & somebody crashes into him it's the other drivers fault.
You can't go round smashing into other vehicles just because they are parked up somewhere no matter where they are.

Scania · 19 May 2012 at 12:48

Many years ago, I was in London, trying to turn right off a "Red route" onto a side road, I could not make the turn due to an illegally parked e36 3 series, which was pretty new at the time.

Plod turned up, asked what the problem was, I explained I needed to turn, for access to do my delivery, and could not due to said illegally parked Beemer.

The copper looked at the extremely sturdy front bumper of my old Scania 93M and proceeded to direct me into the street.

Much crunching & gninding ensued from the BMW, and I got my truck into the street and carried on my way.

On my way out, about an hour later, I noticed the BMW still there, mangled, with a ticket on its windscreen.

Make of that what you will!

bledd · 19 May 2012 at 12:55

I've seen a combine harvester trash the side of a load of cars parked illegally before, policeman gave him the nod to do it after failing to get in touch with the owners!

ilcp · 19 May 2012 at 13:15

Matt82 said:
trollthread??!

"my car was parked stationary, I was inside a building, someone drove into my car. will I be response?"

bloody hell, heavy night last night?

If you are going to have a go at someone, at least do it in proper English to stop yourself from looking like a no insults

And I don't know why people think they will get some kind of "points" for being the first one to say the buzzwords like "troll" or what not..

airrunner · 19 May 2012 at 13:19

Here is a photo of my car where it was parked briefly when i got hit. It clearly shows that that there is plenty of room for any type of vehicle to pass and no blind spot, and through the day there is almost always cars packed up here where people use the bank and cash point.

Skillmister · 19 May 2012 at 13:20

R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
Many years ago, I was in London, trying to turn right off a "Red route" onto a side road, I could not make the turn due to an illegally parked e36 3 series, which was pretty new at the time.

Plod turned up, asked what the problem was, I explained I needed to turn, for access to do my delivery, and could not due to said illegally parked Beemer.

bledd. said:
I've seen a combine harvester trash the side of a load of cars parked illegally before, policeman gave him the nod to do it after failing to get in touch with the owners!

But aren't both of those completely different to the OPs situation as the cars were in the way?

Richie · 19 May 2012 at 13:22

wrong thread

pepp77 · 19 May 2012 at 13:29

airrunner said:
Here is a photo of my car where it was parked briefly when i got hit. It clearly shows that that there is plenty of room for any type of vehicle to pass and no blind spot, and through the day there is almost always cars packed up here where people use the bank and cash point.

It doesn't look like there are any kerb markings to indicate restrictions, so loading and unloading would appear to be perfectly fine there, the only potential problem I can see is it could be classed as stopping on a bend. Even so that doesn't give the other driver the right to just drive into you.