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Reversed into car by accident

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  • 18-11-2008 9:32am
    #1
    Flaccus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭


    More of less what happened here, happened to me last night

    http://wwww.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055114726

    Was in shopping centre car space. Reversed into front license plate of aul fella behind me who just got out of his car with his missus and frantically started banging on my roof. He said he heard his front bumper being crushed and his car is destroyed. No sign of visible damage to plate or bumper and not a scratch on my car. Where the crease line of my rear bumper would have made contact with this license plate there is no sign of paint removed or any damage whatsoever. I admit, the noise was rather loud, but I went maybe 4 inches over the line at I would guess under 10km/hour.

    Yer man was furious and said there is major damage and is bringing car to his mechanic to get it looked at. He took my insurance details and I took his. He refused to give me his name/address/tel. and said find out from his insurance company. I was polite the whole time. I pointed out on front of a witness that his bumper was full of scratches and he accepted that. Also pointed out there is no visible damage caused by me which but he got furious and brought up the fact my tax is 17 days out and he doesn't want to "screw" me and then proceeded to lecture me about why my car should be taxed within 5 days. Explaining politely insurance and tax are unrelated had nothing to do with it fell on deaf ears. A few minutes later, my mother who was in shopping arrived and he started throwing smart comments about. I kept my cool though felt like knocking his block off.

    Anyway, I guess the best thing to do is ring my broker, explain about incident, no visible damage, and I guess they will send me a form to complete. I really get the feeling this guy is out for a quick claim.

    Any advice ?


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    #2
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 38,958 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    Let your insurance company know of him - he is a crank and hopefully any claim will be dismissed.
    I'd also let the gardai know about the incident and how you felt threatened by this outburst. Did you get the witness's details?


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    #3
    Flaccus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭Flaccus


    Yes. I took down his insurance details from his disc. He got aggressive when I asked him politely for his name/address and told me to find out myself from his insurance company. I guess he is not obliged to disclose it.

    Anyway, I'll contact my insurance company as soon as they open up for the day, and I'll go to the cops this evening and report it.

    I suppose in theory there could be damage. I did hear a crushing noise after all. And light was poor (8pm), though the car park was very well lit up. I really couldn't see any damage to his plate, or under it, and I felt behind and everything seemed normal. He claims that there is severe damage and everything behind the plate is pushed in. Not a mark on my car though.

    thanks


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    #4
    andrewh5
    Registered Users Posts: 588 ✭✭✭andrewh5


    Someone did exactly that to me at traffic lights. The basically reversed a 4X4 onto my bonnet. You are entirely at fault and he can (and should) deal directly with your insurers to get his car repaired. Take it on the chin and move on.


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    #5
    joey54
    Registered Users Posts: 893 ✭✭✭joey54


    Did you get any pictures after it happened? Just in case he decides to make more damage than there is!


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    #6
    TychoCaine
    Registered Users Posts: 673 ✭✭✭TychoCaine


    The old guy is right to expect Flaccus's insurance to cough up for any damage, but there's no reason to go mental over it. Just exchange details and move on. Bumpers are designed to take the odd parking bump without structural damage, and if there was no visible damage to Flaccus's car then there was little chance of damage to the other car.


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    #7
    faceman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 16,585 CMod ✭✭✭✭faceman


    Yeah +1 for pictures. Did you have a camera phone?

    Yer man should have given you his details, i would have called the gardai if he refused to give his details.


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    #8
    Flaccus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭Flaccus


    No camera phone with me alas. I went into Dunnes and bought a disposable job but he had taken off by then. Seemed odd, as he pulled up with the missus to do a bit of shopping and disappeared literally 10 minutes after the incident.

    Anyway I reported everything to my insurance company who said I could report it to the guards but they would just hold it for information purposes. I'll go to the cops anyway. I also have no problem in my insurance paying out if there is indeed damage to his car. However I do have a problem with someone insisting his car is wrecked underneath from a 6-7km/h collision, and when it's pointed out there doesn't appear to be any damage, insists I am getting thick with him and then gets abusive towards myself and my mother. He was definitely a cranky aul so and so, and his pretty lucky it was someone like me he was dealing with and not some random scumbag.


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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 50,630 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Why are people like that? now I'd get a little bit peed off if I saw someone reversing into my car but that is just ridiculous.

    I just want to warn you of a incident my friend found himself in though, he was stopped at a roundabout and a car went into the back of him, he got out and the lady was very apologetic, he looked at his car and there was no damage so he told her not to worry about it etc but she insisted on him taking her insurance details which he did reluctantly. When he got home and opened the boot there was actually alot of damage inside the car which couldn't be seen from the outside. I wonder if this is a possibility in this case? Although you don't mention him thoroughly checking the car so surely he would have just seen what you saw.


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    #10
    stifz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 315 ✭✭stifz


    It likely you've damaged the clips that secure the bumper to the body and have done no damage to the actual bolts that hold it in place. However in this current climate no one seems interested in fixing things and seem to just replace.. a new bumper could be 4-500 euro and labour as its an insurance job will be doubled from an hours work to maybe two...

    Bad luck mate. as another poster said take it on the chin and move on. :rolleyes:


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    #11
    Pat Mustard
    Registered Users Posts: 9,554 ✭✭✭Pat Mustard


    Flaccus wrote: »
    Yes. I took down his insurance details from his disc. He got aggressive when I asked him politely for his name/address and told me to find out myself from his insurance company. I guess he is not obliged to disclose it.

    thanks

    Without looking it up (lazy today), I think yer man is obliged to give you those details. Do inform your own insurance co. tho. He is entitled to be compensated for whatever damage that you did to his car unfortunately. Sounds like he was a bit of a b*llix about it tho. I wouldn't bother reporting it to the cops when your driving might have been on the careless side, possibly.


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    #12
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    This is why I keep a disposable camera in the glove box.
    Haven't had to use it yet *fingers crossed*


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    #13
    stek
    Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭stek


    Surely bumpers are designed to take this kind of hit? hence the name Bumper?? Anyone agree?


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    #14
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,345 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    You can expect to get a fat estimate from a backstreet garage which will be just under the level at which your insurance company would send out an assessor. You will then have the choice of paying the guy cash to piss off or letting your insurance company pay him off and wave goodbye to your no-claims bonus.

    Don't expect much sympathy or co-operation from your insurance company, they can't lose either way so they'll probably pay him off to get rid of him if you don't fork out. Whatever money they pay him they'll recoup from your increased premiums over the next few years so they have no incentive to get involved in the rights and wrongs of it. Sorry to be blunt but that's how it works in Ireland and that's why we pay way more for motor insurance than people in the UK, because the people who are corrupt know they can get away with it and the motor trade co-operates all the way.


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    #15
    Flaccus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭Flaccus


    I checked my rear bumper and it seems solid. Not a mark, not pushed in. In fact. Nothing. Looking at my bumper, the edge of it would have made contact first, and I would have at least expected some paint to be gone, or plastic on bumper to be damaged. I wonder what the crushing noise was ? His license plate I expect. But I was very surprised. I did expect significant damage going by the noise that was made. However, he didn't even examine his front bumper to be honest. He banged on my roof, as he was standing there when it happened, and ranted about how all behind his car is now crushed cause he heard the loud noise it made. A security card who was 15 feet away incidentally said he heard the noise too but could see no damage either. However he didn't want to be involved.

    Before I could even open my mouth, immediately out came the pen and paper and he got my details from my insurance disc, all the while giving abuse about my driving, tax disc out of date etc.. I'm sure he'll make a claim and if there is damage then my insurance company will probably pay out. I'm just concerned he will milk it seeing as the condition of his bumper looked generally poor with a lot of scuff marks and scratches, which I pointed out and he agreed strangely enough was old damage also. But no sign of new damage.


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    #16
    villager
    Closed Accounts Posts: 188 ✭✭villager


    similar experience happened to me where i was hit by a car on the rear bumper, there appeared to be no damage to the bumper but when i got the car to a garage their was substantial damage to the body of the car including lock mechanism of the boot. imahine the surprised look on the face of the guy who did hit me when i handed him an estimate for €1200. In hindsight this damage could have been caused by someone else hitting the car when i was not in it and fecking off and this poor unfortunate was good enough to stop and gets done.


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    #17
    Flaccus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭Flaccus


    coylemj wrote: »
    Don't expect much sympathy or co-operation from your insurance company, they can't lose either way so they'll probably pay him off to get rid of him if you don't fork out. Whatever money they pay him they'll recoup from your increased premiums over the next few years so they have no incentive to get involved in the rights and wrongs of it. Sorry to be blunt but that's how it works in Ireland and that's why we pay way more for motor insurance than people in the UK, because the people who are corrupt know they can get away with it and the motor trade co-operates all the way.

    So even if there is no damage to the guys bumper or almost no damage, I can expect a trumped up bill ? I know I'm not in the right in this case, but I certainly feel that in the instance where there is minor damage to this guys car then that's all that should be paid for. Surely an assesor from my insurance company will validate any claim this guy is going to make and not just agree to get rid of him ?


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    #18
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    The bumper can actually spring back without a scratch even though there is internal damage as I found out in an old car I had.


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    #19
    Flaccus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭Flaccus


    villager wrote: »
    similar experience happened to me where i was hit by a car on the rear bumper, there appeared to be no damage to the bumper but when i got the car to a garage their was substantial damage to the body of the car including lock mechanism of the boot. imahine the surprised look on the face of the guy who did hit me when i handed him an estimate for €1200. In hindsight this damage could have been caused by someone else hitting the car when i was not in it and fecking off and this poor unfortunate was good enough to stop and gets done.


    Bummer all right. In my situation, I reversed 4-6 inches at approx 6-7km/h. Car is due to go to garage in 2 weeks anyway so will ask them to take a look. However I've already had the spare wheel and the sound proofing out, and can't feel any damage from inside. Also boot mechanism was too high up to make any contact and is opening and closing perfectly. Bumper on Octavia is pretty chunky I think.


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    #20
    I.S.T.
    Registered Users Posts: 893 ✭✭✭I.S.T.


    Flaccus wrote: »
    More of less what happened here, happened to me last night

    http://wwww.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055114726He said he heard his front bumper being crushed and his car is destroyed. No sign of visible damage to plate or bumper and not a scratch on my car. Where the crease line of my rear bumper would have made contact with this license plate there is no sign of paint removed or any damage whatsoever. I admit, the noise was rather loud, but I went maybe 4 inches over the line at I would guess under 10km/hour.

    There could be a lot of damage underneath the bumber which is not visible. Perhaps brackets have snapped or something similar.


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    #21
    Flaccus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭Flaccus


    Mine or his ? I expect you are talking about his, and yeah, I'd expect there is some damage allright to his.

    Jeez..now I'm paranoid. Going to go out on lunch break and look underneath. If brackets are snapped, would I expect some looseness somewhere ?


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    #22
    I.S.T.
    Registered Users Posts: 893 ✭✭✭I.S.T.


    Flaccus wrote: »
    Mine or his ?

    Jeez..now I'm paranoid. Going to go out on lunch break and look underneath.
    If brackets are snapped, would I expect some looseness somewhere ?

    Either


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    #23
    faceman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 16,585 CMod ✭✭✭✭faceman


    If yer man files some mad cap claim your insurance company will send their own assessor to verify. Either way tho a claim is a claim tho, so it would affect your NCD. Fingers crossed yer man doesnt pursue it.


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    #24
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,345 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Here's an option to bear in mind: Given that there was zero or very little damage and that even if there is a genuine bill to pay and that it's not worth risking your no-claims bonus, what you can do is not fill in the accident form for your insurance company. If they know about it already, tell them it's a nuisance claim (which I believe it is) and that you're going to handle it yourself.

    What happens next is that your insurance company will tell the other guy that they can't pay out because you haven't properly reported the details to them, this means that he has to come back to you and at that stage he knows that you are not the same pushover that he was expecting the insurance company to be.

    Now the power is in your hands and he has to negotiate with you, if I was you I would give him serious grief over not giving you his name & address and buggering off before you had time to take a photo of the alleged damage. Ask him for the name of his solicitors and say you'll be in touch, then put the phone down.


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    #25
    OldmanMondeo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭OldmanMondeo


    Flaccus wrote: »
    More of less what happened here, happened to me last night

    http://wwww.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055114726

    Was in shopping centre car space. Reversed into front license plate of aul fella behind me who just got out of his car with his missus and frantically started banging on my roof. He said he heard his front bumper being crushed and his car is destroyed. No sign of visible damage to plate or bumper and not a scratch on my car. Where the crease line of my rear bumper would have made contact with this license plate there is no sign of paint removed or any damage whatsoever. I admit, the noise was rather loud, but I went maybe 4 inches over the line at I would guess under 10km/hour.

    Yer man was furious and said there is major damage and is bringing car to his mechanic to get it looked at. He took my insurance details and I took his. He refused to give me his name/address/tel. and said find out from his insurance company. I was polite the whole time. I pointed out on front of a witness that his bumper was full of scratches and he accepted that. Also pointed out there is no visible damage caused by me which but he got furious and brought up the fact my tax is 17 days out and he doesn't want to "screw" me and then proceeded to lecture me about why my car should be taxed within 5 days. Explaining politely insurance and tax are unrelated had nothing to do with it fell on deaf ears. A few minutes later, my mother who was in shopping arrived and he started throwing smart comments about. I kept my cool though felt like knocking his block off.

    Anyway, I guess the best thing to do is ring my broker, explain about incident, no visible damage, and I guess they will send me a form to complete. I really get the feeling this guy is out for a quick claim.

    Any advice ?

    SoundS more like he knows that there was already older damage behind his bumper and he is going to try and get you to pay for it.
    As for the tax, I would have told him to f**k off it's in the post.

    Speak to your broker and tell them you think the guy is chancing his arm. Something similar happened me years ago, insurance said they would send acessor even if claim was a fiver.


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    #26
    Flaccus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭Flaccus


    Thanks for all the good advice.

    If it's a small claim I can live with it for being dozy at the wheel. But if he makes a bogus claim I'll be unhappy to say the least. I did explain already to the claims handler that I felt the chap was looking for compensation by virtue of the fact that he said his car had been destroyed by me. I explained about no sign of damage to either vehicle. And about the old damage which he admitted on front of my mum. I also pointed out his eagerness to write down my insurance details, and refusing to give me his name address. I don't think there is not much more I can do. Perhaps I should have done nothing, denied it, or said he hit me. But I'd rather deal with it honestly and pay the bill provided it's genuine.

    Anyway, to satisfy my paranoia I just spent 20 minutes making a fool of myself in the carpark. Once again examined the bumper. There are 8 clips holding it on from the inside when you lift the tailgate. 4 you can't see, 4 you can see partially. I think they provide resistance. Kind of springy clips. The bottom of the bumper is secured with 6 screws. All perfectly tight. I stripped out some of the soundproofing and examined the weld spots on the inside (behind the bumper), and also the inside of the wings, and they are perfect too. Exhaust system is fine as well. No looseness. Think I'm ok.

    I'll tax my car online in a little while.


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    #27
    bazz26
    Registered Users Posts: 51,144 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    Were there any witnesses to the accident, did you get their contact details? Also did you check with the security company that manages the carpark for possible CCTV footage of the accident?

    All these things can be evidence in the event there is a large claim made against your insurance.


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    #28
    Flaccus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭Flaccus


    Yes, Security guard does not want to get involved though. He witnessed it and said he heard a loud crunch, but when he examined both cars himself casually and he commented on lack of damage. But again he does not want to get involved. The guy whose car I hit is basing his opinions on this loud crunch and is convinced behind the number plate the car is destroyed.

    No footage on camera alas. Already enquired. It was side of dunnes near maplins which was closed at the time, so no cctv turned on there.

    I think if there is a large claim made against me, the fact I sustained zero damage as far as I can tell must surely mean he could not have sustained much damage either.


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    #29
    Mitch Connor
    Registered Users Posts: 45,107 ✭✭✭✭Mitch Connor


    I may be a cynic - but going by what you have said of his reaction, the bumper already having a number of scratches and him heading off sharpish, I would guess there is some damage to be fixed that will cost a pretty penny, but it won't be damage you caused.


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    #30
    Flaccus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭Flaccus


    Indeed. However he did admit the scratches on left and right side to his bumper were already there. And Mum was witness to that. I told the insurance guy the same. I'll tell the cops the same. Going to type up what happened and pop into garda station tonight or the morning. Again, as I have zero damage, if he insists his bumper is ruined or some other part of his car, and claims a huge amount, then I hope my insurance send out an assesor.


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    #31
    Mitch Connor
    Registered Users Posts: 45,107 ✭✭✭✭Mitch Connor


    Flaccus wrote: »
    Indeed. However he did admit the scratches on left and right side to his bumper were already there. And Mum was witness to that. I told the insurance guy the same. I'll tell the cops the same. Going to type up what happened and pop into garda station tonight or the morning. Again, as I have zero damage, if he insists his bumper is ruined or some other part of his car, and claims a huge amount, then I hope my insurance send out an assesor.
    Regardless of what damage was caused - I hope you don't get screwed for what was a mistake. G'Luck.


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