Own up or say nothing?

LegacyUser

Not really sure if this is a PI but need to go unreg. I accidentally reversed into someones car but no one saw. It was a tiny bump, didnt get to see damage on other car but I was reversing quite slowly. I checked my bumper and there were only a few scuff marks and 1 minor scratch. Should I own up or just carry on and say nothing? Im afraid if I do own up i'll be hit with a reapir bill thats overexaggerated by other party to get more money outta me.

Someone tipped the back of my car before and I looked at my car, no damage so let him away with it. And my car was brand new at the time, the one I hit is donkeys.

What should i do?

username123

Own up - how would you like it if someone done it to you and didnt own up? If you dont like what theyre charging you you can always insist on having it appraised by a garage of your own choice.

TheInquisitor

Own up. Why would they overcharge you. Its done by a garage and your insurance pays for the bill.

Dizzyblonde

Definitely own up, it's the right thing to do.

axel rose

Seriously what do you think? Some scumbag drove into my car at the airport a few months back and wrecked the door. I cant afford to fix it and am left with a wrecked car now. If I were to share with boards what I think of them I would be banned. Most people are decent and should not rip you off. (The irony....so far theres only one sap being ripped off as I see it)

Its simple do you want to do the right thing or behave like a scumbag and walk away?

Schumacher1

axel rose wrote: »

Seriously what do you think? Some scumbag drove into my car at the airport a few months back and wrecked the door. I cant afford to fix it and am left with a wrecked car now. If I were to share with boards what I think of them I would be banned. Most people are decent and should not rip you off. (The irony....so far theres only one sap being ripped off as I see it)

Its simple do you want to do the right thing or behave like a scumbag and walk away?

well said

This happened my car.

It was parked in shopping car park, a jeep reversed into it and hit it hard with the wheel attached to bootlid.

It left a large dent in the bootlid and it will cost 400 to fix as it needs respray.

What do you really think you should do.

I have the f*cker on video but cannot make out reg or exact car make.

wylo

Unregistered wrote: »

Not really sure if this is a PI but need to go unreg. I accidentally reversed into someones car but no one saw. It was a tiny bump, didnt get to see damage on other car but I was reversing quite slowly. I checked my bumper and there were only a few scuff marks and 1 minor scratch. Should I own up or just carry on and say nothing? Im afraid if I do own up i'll be hit with a reapir bill thats overexaggerated by other party to get more money outta me.

Someone tipped the back of my car before and I looked at my car, no damage so let him away with it. And my car was brand new at the time, the one I hit is donkeys.

What should i do?

when you say donkeys how old do you mean?? and whats the make of the car?
If its years and years old then you'll be paying way more than its worth so leave it off, the problem is the other owner will get it fixed even though they wouldnt bother if they had done the same damage themselves to their own car.

HOWEVER, if its a car with value then own up, because otherwise your costing that owner the very money you should be paying, also if they dont fix it because theyre broke too then they will lose money selling it.

axel rose

The age and value of the car is completely irrelevant wylo! Why the hell should the VICTIM be forced to drive around in a damaged car because some fool cant look where they are going! Who are you (or the OP) to decide on what car is worth repairing?

The OP damaged someones car and needs to ensure that the damage is fixed. They already know thats its the right thing to do as they are hiding their real boards identity. Maybe you would change your attitude if you meet with same ass that crashed into my car!

wylo

sometimes doing the right thing doesn't always have the fairest outcome, I drive a sh1tty old car, if someone left a dent in it the cost of fixing it would be the same as the car itself, would it be fair for me to go and charge the bloke that left the dent when the truth is the price is simply too much for the car value? No


edit: Im obviously only referring to tiny small dents, obviously if your forcing the driver to drive around their car with a massive gash in the side itd be out of order to not own up.

axel rose

Its not fair that the OP damaged someones car and drove off. Have you still not learned that life isnt fair?

The difference is that you would CHOOSE to drive around in a damaged beat up car. They are your standards and its not right to inflict them onto someone else. For example the time that a woman knocked off my mirror, I replaced it with a second hand part for €60 (she paid). It was appropiate for the age of my car, but this latest krang is pretty bad and I can do nothing about it. My car is a POS because someone had your very same attitude. :mad:



(Ah just got your edited piece now)

LegacyUser

just to let ye know im not a dishonest person, if owner knocked on my door and accused me I would own up, but seriously I doubt owner would even notice it, the car is at least 15 years old and in a fairly bad way anyway. I had to fly to work this morning so had a friend look at it and he said the damage was hardly noticable, no dents, big scratches etc and was also told that owner came out of house got in car and drove away like nothing had happened so i think im in the clear...

Schumacher1

Schumacher1 wrote: »

well said

This happened my car.

It was parked in shopping car park, a jeep reversed into it and hit it hard with the wheel attached to bootlid.

It left a large dent in the bootlid and it will cost 400 to fix as it needs respray.

What do you really think you should do.

I have the f*cker on video but cannot make out reg or exact car make.

My car was 1 1/2 years old, and the bastard didn't have the decency to leave details.

axel rose

OP why did you bother to post this thread? you drove into another car. You decided that the owner didnt deserve to know or decide what to do for himself? You posted to brag that so far you got away with it.

What do you want? A slap on the back and a hearty congratulations? I think Schumacher1 and I have appropiate names for you.

Rb

Say nothing, it sounds like you've more than enough good karma points to do so.

oldyouth

Rb wrote: »

Say nothing, it sounds like you've more than enough good karma points to do so.

I do believe in Karma and this could tilt the balance

Own up, or you're just as bad as any other skanger

LegacyUser

axel rose wrote: »

OP why did you bother to post this thread? you drove into another car. You decided that the owner didnt deserve to know or decide what to do for himself? You posted to brag that so far you got away with it.

What do you want? A slap on the back and a hearty congratulations? I think Schumacher1 and I have appropiate names for you.

I didn't just post to brag, I was genuinely upset about it this morning and had to drive away because it was so early in the morning and I was already late for work. I didnt want to go knocking on doors to find out who's car it was and then be late for work and I had no idea of what kind of damage I had caused.
When i say I reversed into the car I mean that I was literally creeping out on to the road and just misjudged the distance between me and the car. It was a tiny bump. Came home and the car was parked back in the parking area and I parked up next to it to have a look, no dent no scratch (not even a scuff) yet my bumper was damaged more. So on looking at the car I think its ok to not say anything. Of course I would own up if there was so much as a small dent or scratch on it but there was nothing. Just goes to show they don't make cars like they used to.

Schumacher1

Unregistered wrote: »

I didn't just post to brag, I was genuinely upset about it this morning and had to drive away because it was so early in the morning and I was already late for work. I didnt want to go knocking on doors to find out who's car it was and then be late for work and I had no idea of what kind of damage I had caused.
When i say I reversed into the car I mean that I was literally creeping out on to the road and just misjudged the distance between me and the car. It was a tiny bump. Came home and the car was parked back in the parking area and I parked up next to it to have a look, no dent no scratch (not even a scuff) yet my bumper was damaged more. So on looking at the car I think its ok to not say anything. Of course I would own up if there was so much as a small dent or scratch on it but there was nothing. Just goes to show they don't make cars like they used to.

Well now it's a hit and run, leaving the scene of an accident, and a criminal offence.

You sir are a F*ckin C*nt.

The Recliner

Schumacher1 banned for personal abuse

Please keep things civil people

mossyj

You should own up.

Let the owner decide whether or not the dent needs to be repaired.

If the car is 15 years old & the dent/mark is tiny then the repair would be very reasonable.

Remember - you damaged their car however slightly it may be and you are effectively stealing the money required for the repair from the owner if you dont at least offer to have it repaired.

besides, you'll feel better if you own up and get it off your mind.

In case you havent already guessed this happened to my car a few years ago (a lot more damage in my case) and the owner drove off. I ended up eventually catching them thanks to CCTV and they paid up. I called the guards and they said that if the knock had happened on public property then it is considered a hit and run!

go on and own up, do the decent thing

banquo

What not to do:

Firetrap

Actually, exactly that happened to my friend. Someone reversed into her car and obviously pretended to leave their details on the note they literally scribbled and put on her windscreen.

OP, if there were no witnesses and no CCTV, you will probably get away with it. However since you went to the trouble of posting here, it's clearly on your mind. You don't need anyone to tell you that what you did is wrong.

antiskeptic

Unregistered wrote: »

I didn't just post to brag, I was genuinely upset about it this morning and had to drive away because it was so early in the morning and I was already late for work. I didnt want to go knocking on doors to find out who's car it was and then be late for work and I had no idea of what kind of damage I had caused.
When i say I reversed into the car I mean that I was literally creeping out on to the road and just misjudged the distance between me and the car. It was a tiny bump. Came home and the car was parked back in the parking area and I parked up next to it to have a look, no dent no scratch (not even a scuff) yet my bumper was damaged more. So on looking at the car I think its ok to not say anything. Of course I would own up if there was so much as a small dent or scratch on it but there was nothing. Just goes to show they don't make cars like they used to.

Cars aren't Waterford Crystal - the bumpers are plastic and can take a bit of shoving without a problem. And big deal if there was a small scratch or scuff on the bumper. It's a bumper for crying out loud - that's what it's there for.

What a sad world when folk get upset about a scratch on a bumper of a vehicle they chose to park in a place full of other moving vehicles driven by known-to-be-imperfect-beings

Forget about it, is my advice.

axel rose

What a sad world when folk get upset about a scratch on a bumper of a vehicle

Correction there CDFM- the scratch is on HIS bumper, seeing as he did the crashing Im guessing hes fine with it. However HIS bumper had to have damaged something if HIS bumper is showing signs of the impact.

gav86

I'd say keep quiet, if it ends up being taken to a garage for a scratch to be fixed on a 15yr old car then you will be charged more than you should

Seth Brundle

antiskeptic wrote: »

Cars aren't Waterford Crystal - the bumpers are plastic and can take a bit of shoving without a problem. And big deal if there was a small scratch or scuff on the bumper. It's a bumper for crying out loud - that's what it's there for.

What a sad world when folk get upset about a scratch on a bumper of a vehicle they chose to park in a place full of other moving vehicles driven by known-to-be-imperfect-beings

Forget about it, is my advice.

Given the choice, would you buy a car covered in scuffs or would you go the same version with immaculate paintwork?

Rev Hellfire

I'd keep quiet about it, its not worth the hassle.

Seth Brundle

Rev Hellfire wrote: »

I'd keep quiet about it, its not worth the hassle.

Thats not for you or the OP to decide. If you damage someone's property then you should be held accountable for it.
If the OP cannot reverse properly then they should suffer the consequences (a car behind you shouldn't be that hard to miss in your mirrors!). At the same time they should consider themselves lucky that they didn't hit a child!

Rev Hellfire

kbannon wrote: »

Thats not for you or the OP to decide.

Of course it is, the damage is very minor purely cosmetic and largely unnoticeable from the account we have been given.
To the OP I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

hobochris

Own up!

I had someone do the exact same to me, reverse into my car while parked and drive off, I've a nice dent in the front bumper now, not very happy about it, probably be cheap to repair but its the fact that they just disappeared that annoys me.

Hopefully Karma bites them on the ass, and a truck or something drives over their car when its parked.

If you drove off without leaving details What you did was illegal! failing to stop at an accident.

Liam Byrne

Unregistered wrote: »

Someone tipped the back of my car before and I looked at my car, no damage so let him away with it.

You chose to let him away with it because you were happy with the lack of damage.

How would you have felt if he hadn't given you the option to make that choice ?

Dizzyblonde

OP if you'd left a note, chances are the owner of the other car might not have even bothered getting it repaired. Not everyone is out to cheat others.

RiderOnTheStorm

If you didnt cause any damage, then no point in leaving a note, or worrying about it. No harm, no foul.

marzic

if its as inocuous as you claim and you dont want to own up then you should find a way of leaving some money for the owner, if its possible to do that safely and anonamously... might make you feel better!

vorbis

em what?
By all accounts, the OP barely hit the other car. The owner has not noticed any damage and his friend hasn't either. Why on earth would you own up to that? I know I wouldn't and I wouldn't expect someone to tell me either. Some people here are awfully precious about their car.

Liam Byrne

vorbis wrote: »

Some people here are awfully precious about their car.

Irrelevant.

If there IS no damage, then lesson learned; accidents happen but be more careful.

HOWEVER, if there's ANY DAMAGE WHATSOEVER, then the owner of that car is entitled to have the car restored to whatever state it was in before the OP hit it.

Example:
Someone crashed into me when my then car was 5 years old.

Among other repairs (nice enough amount of damage with the rear wing embedded in the rear wheel) a new bumper would have cost about £200.

My logic was that the old bumper was 5 years old, so a new one would have been "better" than before. So I sourced an undamaged one from a 4-year-old car in a scrapyard - cost £40.

Total cost of repairs : £900. Cheque arrived from her a week later.

I'd been fair and didn't screw her, she paid up quickly. Accidents happen, no-one hurt, all fixed at reasonable enough cost.

No-one hard-done-by or screwed.

Final Approach

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Irrelevant.


HOWEVER, if there's ANY DAMAGE WHATSOEVER, then the owner of that car is entitled to have the car restored to whatever state it was in before the OP hit it.

I agree with this. The owner is entitled to have the car restored to the original condition. If the damage is as small as it sounds this is not going to cost a lot, and in my experience the owner is likely to brush it off since the car is as old as you say.

In my opinion the only thing to do is 'fess up. The decision that the car is not worth repairing does not rest with you OP, it rests with the owner, simple as that.

vorbis

Liam Byrne, how is your post relevant? In your case there was 900 POUNDS worth of damage. In case there's maybe what a slightly dented bumper if even that. Two completely different incidents.

Liam Byrne

vorbis wrote: »

Liam Byrne, how is your post relevant? In your case there was 900 POUNDS worth of damage. In case there's maybe what a slightly dented bumper if even that. Two completely different incidents.

Because I didn't want a new bumper. I wanted an equivalent which was old.

Forget about the remaining damage (part of the story, but not strictly relevant) and think bumper-only, and I "saved" her £150, because a second-hand undamaged bumper was roughly the same age as the one she'd damaged, and I wasn't "entitled" to a new one.

New / year-old car, maybe different story, but that was my point.

Not everyone's out to screw you.

Having said that, I also had a 3 month-old from-new car at one stage, and some chicken-**** scumbag put a dent in the door and drove off. That one cost me £250 of my own cash, and if I ever found out who THAT was he'd get a thump for being such a ****.

cock robin

Own up you complete spanner. So maybe the car you banged wasnt great. Would you have preferred to have hit a Bently? Its someone elses property and your opinion of it is of no significance. Are you that ignorant of Road Traffic Laws that you actually have to post here for advice. FFS grow up and do the right thing.

Wibbs

cock robin, less of the personal abuse there and please read the charter of this forum. Thanks.

mr_edge_to_you

What you've done is very dishonest. I had a similiar problem. I stupidly reversed along the side of an old fiesta at the swimming pool. Being an honest person and a believer in KARMA I waited for about 30 minutes but there was no sign of the owner. So I left my contact number on the windscreen of the car.

A few days later I got a phonecall from the guy who owned the car. He had a repair bill for €600. I explained that I would be happy to repair the damage but that obviously I would like the opportunity to price the work myself. He sent me his quote. I subsequently got the work quoted at €400. We came to a compromise of €475. He said he would go to his own mechanic/crash repair guy. If he bumped up his quote artificially let him off. I paid my share in good faith and could sleep easily after.

The age of the car is irrelevant - I drive an '02 Laguna - a piece of **** but it is my piece of ****! If anyone damaged it I'd go mad. What you displayed is a complete lack of decency and dishonest to run away from that scenario.

It is quite possible that the guy will be able to track to you down via CCTV from local shops, someone else may have seen you and reported it. He could go through your insurance then and you'll end up being taken to the cleaners because if you only caused a small amount of damage you'll lose you no claims bonus.

One last point.......KARMA.