Car damaged - work car park - advice please

donnacha

Left work at 6:30 yesterday evening full of the joys of life. It was a beautiful evening and I was looking forward to getting home and playing in the garden with my daughter. My car was parked at the side of our office building - I'm based out in one of the business parks off the M50. As I'm putting my laptop in the boot I suddenly spot that the rear passenger side panel above the wheel and running all the way to the bumper has been badly scraped. This was the sort of damage that would have made noise and the driver that caused it would have known. My only evidence is the green paint the other car left behind. I can't believe someone would do this in a work car park. I'll be keeping an eye out for a green car with damage to the front right but what else can I do? I reported it to the campus security guys and other than dealing with a decent bloke that said he'd keep an eye out I am lost as to what to do next. Guestimate from colleagues is that the repair job would run close to €1k as its a panel and bumper.

Anan1

I take it you've checked for CCTV cameras? Other than that I don't think there's much you can do, although if you do find the other car the Gardai could do a paint match to prove that it was them.

donnacha

I've been told there is CCTV on the business park roads, unfortunately none were the parking spaces are - I'll try to get them to let me look at the tapes.

Barr

This happened to a guy I work with - he looked round the carpark for a week and eventually found the matching damage . The culprit worked two desks down from him haha

Gregor Samsa

I'm sorry to hear that OP, and I hope you can catch the culprit. Despite your surprise, I'd say things like this happen quite a lot in work car parks.

Unfortunately CCTV isn't always very reliable. I had a mate in dublin who had a custom made racing bicycle stolen from right outside the office. There was a security camera pointing right at the spot, but the way the system was set up, the tape recorded the feed from every camera in the campus for 10 seconds in sequence. There were about 25 cameras, so there was a 4 minute gap between each given cameras tape time. so on the tape you see the bike there, then 4 minutes of other camera footage, then back to the spot where the bike was. (we later spotted the bike outside a take away, and gently persuaded the new owner to return the 2000 euro worth of stolen goods he'd bought for 50 quid - the bike had the owner's name painted on the frame, so it was easy to identify)

More recently, a guy I work with had the wing mirror knocked off his 316 in the work car park. The security footage was so bad that even though you could see a car beside his, you couldn't ever say for sure that it hit his car, or even identify the number plate. It was in black and white too, so identifying the colour of the car would even have been a problem. He had to pay for that repair himself.

L-M

I know someone who had similar damage done to their car. Needs a whole new bumper and mending to quarter panel. Pain in the arse, no camera, so sign of anyone and at the cost of losing 25 years no claims, it had to come from the back pocket. I don't know how anyone can do damage to someones car and f off. Annoys me so it does.

Padraig Mor

Some prick did this to me in the work car park not too long ago as well (not as bad as the OP though). No CCTV coverage either. I dunno how these people sleep at night.

donnacha

Update - I matched my damage to a green car today. Found out what building the car owner worked in and left my details to say that I was going to contact the gardai as I felt it was a match. Reception wouldn't give me the persons name but then the owner phoned me. The gist of the conversation with this lady was she denied parking in that spot on that day and that the corresponding damage to her car was a year old. I have the photos and all my work colleagues confirm the damage in terms of colour and height of scrapes etc match perfectly - and of course unless she hasn't washed her car for a year and had kept it indoors then there is no way it is a year old.

Security wouldn't help me with the camera evidence - said they would only share with the gardai. Gardai came - I gave my info, showed both cars and they headed to her office. That was this morning and I haven't heard back from the Gardai yet. Will keep ye posted.

patftrears

donnacha wrote: »

Security wouldn't help me with the camera evidence - said they would only share with the gardai. Gardai came - I gave my info, showed both cars and they headed to her office. That was this morning and I haven't heard back from the Gardai yet. Will keep ye posted.

same thing happened to me.
I would be chatting with the security guards.
First they went through the days footage watching to see when it happened.
You couldn't get the reg from where it happened so they checked all the other cameras and tracked the guy around the park, until they could get a shot of the reg.
They also told what office he went into and at what time etc.
So I went to the office told them the story, your man rings me sorry didn't even know I hit yea, cash in hand after a few days with a nice profit.
It pays to be friendly to the security guards.

donnacha

security guys went through the footage for me which though it doesn't show the accident proves that the lady didn't park were she said she did. I'm waiting now for the gardai to get back - I've been told it will be next Monday at 10pm when they are back on duty!

C_Dawg

I really hope you get her for this. Too many people acting the sandra these days

Anan1

donnacha wrote: »

security guys went through the footage for me which though it doesn't show the accident proves that the lady didn't park were she said she did. I'm waiting now for the gardai to get back - I've been told it will be next Monday at 10pm when they are back on duty!

That's good to hear, I hope it all works out for you.

kbell

Me too.
I had a car damaged when left overnight in a hotel car park in Navan.
I was gigging in the hotel and left the car there as we had a free bar and wanted to take full advantage!
I returned the next day to find my drivers side front wing and door mangled.
The security were helpful and checked the tapes.
The Video shows an Opal tigra reversing out of its space at speed, hitting my car then driving off at about 6am.
It drives towards the camera but as it had its full beams on it was impossible to get the reg.
There was a wedding and two private functions on that night as well as a busy residents bar so even the night porters couldn't say for definite who was coming and going.
The guards reckon he was well pissed and didn't want to stick around.
Hope he ended up in ditch on his way home:mad:

donnacha

Unfortunately I got nowhere with this. Both Garda that came out to see the damage pretty much wiped their hands of it. Because there was no footage of the incident they pretty much want nothing to do with it. I asked them would they take a paint sample (like I've been told by friends/colleagues that Garda have done in the past) and they said they don't do that sort of thing. Was fairly pissed off with them to be honest - it took a week of me calling and leaving messages for them with them not bothering to ever return a call. I eventually got one of the Garda at 11:30 at night which is when he told me in a fairly jolly tone that there was nowt he could do. Now I gotta fork out the best part of half a grand to get it fixed myself.

Vanbis

OP, sorry to hear as it seems you have enough evidance against this car that caused the damage, what would annoy me more is not the guards but the Campuss security not really bothering to help you or show you the video as i am sure you are entilted.

What i will say is what comes around goes around.

david

Solicitors letter?

What a dishonest cow though, let the air out of all four of her tyres and put superglue in the valves.

L-M

donnacha wrote: »

Unfortunately I got nowhere with this. Both Garda that came out to see the damage pretty much wiped their hands of it. Because there was no footage of the incident they pretty much want nothing to do with it. I asked them would they take a paint sample (like I've been told by friends/colleagues that Garda have done in the past) and they said they don't do that sort of thing. Was fairly pissed off with them to be honest - it took a week of me calling and leaving messages for them with them not bothering to ever return a call. I eventually got one of the Garda at 11:30 at night which is when he told me in a fairly jolly tone that there was nowt he could do. Now I gotta fork out the best part of half a grand to get it fixed myself.

I know some one who got caught for 1300, it could be alot worse.

P.C.

This sort of thing really gets me.

Happened to me about a year ago. Someone dinged my car while it was parked in a work car park. The damage was such that the person who did it definately know that they did it, and the damage to their car must have been bad aswell.

Can these people not park?

Where did they learn to drive?

Where did they get their driving licences?

How can somone crash into another car, and just drive away? :mad:

I bet if it happened to their car, they would be out for blood.

Padraig Mor

I reckon your best bet is the Small Claims Court (www.smallclaims.ie). It'll only coat a tenner or so to apply so you have little to lose. Hopefully your one will pay up rather than go through the process.

WHITE_P

AFAIK. The guards could have charged her with leaving the seen of an accident.

The guards turned up on my mother's door and accused her of this years ago after she had parked in the local church car park. Some guy claimed she backed into his car and damaged the number plate. If she did she wasn't aware of it (her car did have a tow bar), but the guards were fairly persistant in trying to charge her for leaving the seen of an accident.

Maybe you could go back to the gardai who you were dealing with and ask them to persue this line with her, or if you know any guards, ask them to follow it up with the other gardai.

ninkynonk

not trying to get someone the job here, but i know a guy who has 20= years experience fixing cars- if its not going through insurance- he'll cut back and repair whatever he can and it could cost you alot less than what you'll pay in a main dealers. he'll give you a loan car too.
Pretty ****ty thing to happen though- i remember it happened to my dad a few years back- they left a note saying sorry i crashed into your car- here's my number- when he rang it the woman lost her temper on the phone saying he shouldnt be parking his van in a car park! obviusly her husband wnet mad at her when she said she left her number. Some people are just cnuts!! any way the guys name is ray 0879906279- might be in your interest to call him.

Bluetonic

Padraig Mor wrote: »

I reckon your best bet is the Small Claims Court (www.smallclaims.ie). It'll only coat a tenner or so to apply so you have little to lose. Hopefully your one will pay up rather than go through the process.

What are you talking about? The small claims court don't look after incidents of this nature.

happymondays

WHITE_P wrote: »

AFAIK. The guards could have charged her with leaving the seen of an accident.

The guards turned up on my mother's door and accused her of this years ago after she had parked in the local church car park. Some guy claimed she backed into his car and damaged the number plate. If she did she wasn't aware of it (her car did have a tow bar), but the guards were fairly persistant in trying to charge her for leaving the seen of an accident.

Maybe you could go back to the gardai who you were dealing with and ask them to persue this line with her, or if you know any guards, ask them to follow it up with the other gardai.

i dont think they can charge her with leaving the sceane of an accident becuase they cant prove it was her,
i persume this is why the gaurds are not following it up anymore i.e there's no witness or cctv etc to show it was actually her.

Padraig Mor

Bluetonic wrote: »

What are you talking about? The small claims court don't look after incidents of this nature.

Don't they? I'm no lawyer but the following looks like it would cover it.

Small Claims Court wrote:

The small claims procedure is limited to:

a claim in respect of goods or services bought for private use from someone selling them in the course of a business (consumer claim).
a claim in respect of minor damage to property (but excluding personal injuries).
a claim in respect of the non-return of a rent deposit in relation to a holiday premises (actions relating to rent deposits for places of residence must be brought to the Private Residential Tenancies Board.)

If he reckons he has reasonable grounds to suspect this woman, why not go for it? As I already said, it would be more in hope of her paying up beforehand rather than actually going through the procedure.

kingtut

Name and shame her!

Anan1

kingtut wrote: »

Name and shame her!

And get boards sued? Didn't you notice, the OP has no proof that it was her?

EPM

Well if it was me...ahem...I would hit an unmarked part of her car with the damaged part of mine, wipe it down so paint samples cant prove it was you I mean me and then say nowt:pac:

Drummerboy08

Could you not lift her insurance details and let her insurance company investigate?

dade

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Could you not lift her insurance details and let her insurance company investigate?

good point.

how about the business park itself can you not claim off them for the repair under their public liability insurance or something

donnacha

Had left this thread for dead and didn't see the contribution since. I did take her insurance details, and contacted them - in fact she is with the same insurance company as me. Unfortunately they towed the line of "have you informed the gardai" etc etc.

I personally would love to name and shame this woman, however I do not have her name - I just know what company she works for - she called me from her office number and refused to give me her name.

I managed to get it all fixed in the meantime - out of pocket €400, which isn't a lot considering the damage, however I'll be feeling the pain in my pocket for a quite a few months to come.

I have got the HR manager and MD in our building to chase this with local security and find out why we can't have cameras on our car park - no doubt the company pays quite a bit of cash to the business park for our official spaces and all the security guys seem to be interested is sticking "don't park here" stickers on cars when the place is busy.

kravmaga

donnacha wrote: »

Had left this thread for dead and didn't see the contribution since. I did take her insurance details, and contacted them - in fact she is with the same insurance company as me. Unfortunately they towed the line of "have you informed the gardai" etc etc.

I personally would love to name and shame this woman, however I do not have her name - I just know what company she works for - she called me from her office number and refused to give me her name.

I managed to get it all fixed in the meantime - out of pocket €400, which isn't a lot considering the damage, however I'll be feeling the pain in my pocket for a quite a few months to come.

I have got the HR manager and MD in our building to chase this with local security and find out why we can't have cameras on our car park - no doubt the company pays quite a bit of cash to the business park for our official spaces and all the security guys seem to be interested is sticking "don't park here" stickers on cars when the place is busy.

I would imagine that CCTV cameras cover the entrance and exit to the staff car -park.
Unfortunately CCTV is not enough to prove who was driving the car which hit you.

I would still pursue her though, give her the bill for repair.

Ring her office landline from a different number and I am sure she has a voicemail with her name.

nogoodnamesleft

Same thing happened me in the last week, some one left a lovely parking scrape along the drivers door of my car in a hotel car park. 500 euro worth of damage. Reported it to the hotel and they said they would look at CCTV to find the car. Reported it to local gardai who informed me said hotel doesnt have CCTV of the car park as it was going to cost them too much to install. Manager was a bit of a knob also.

Anyways hotel said that it would be covered under hotel insurance. so must follow up during the next few days.

Bugs the *hit out of me that some one knowingly caused damage to an immaculate car and drove off.

Car in the car park matched the paint as well as scrapes but unless you have solid evidence (such as CCTV) guards can do nothing.

BostonB

From bitter experience most CCTV systems seem to be token gestures. They usually don't capture anything in enough detail to be useful. Last couple of times I've gone looking for footage there was one problem or another that in the end meant the CCTV system was useless.