Swapping information after a car accident.

sunnyjim

Something that happened a decade ago, but I'd like it cleared up for myself.

It happened in the car park of northside shopping centre. My mam was reversing out of her spot. The line of spaces in which she was parked was quite empty, and as she was pulling out, a civic had cut through the empty spaces. My guess is that he didn't realise that we were reversing or that he thought he'd make it past - either way we caught him on the starboard side. The angle his car stopped at was imo conclusive proof that he had driven across at an acute angle to our car, and very close at that, even before it our reverse maneuver.

The two guys got out and started getting in me and my mams face. I was only about 14, and they were tough lads, so we called the police. Took a while, and for the 35 mins they kept getting up in our face everytime we said something that disagreed with them.

Eventually a car arrived, garda took details and tried to sort out if cctv caught anything (which apparently it didn't). The lads were quite agro all the while.

Then, later that night the lads called to the house. As there was no proof of him cutting across us, we ended up settling with cash later that week. The parents didn't want to cross the guy.

Question is, can you tell someone to PFO if they call to your house over something like that, and tell them to take the official route?

TheNog

sunnyjim wrote: »

Something that happened a decade ago, but I'd like it cleared up for myself.

It happened in the car park of northside shopping centre. My mam was reversing out of her spot. The line of spaces in which she was parked was quite empty, and as she was pulling out, a civic had cut through the empty spaces. My guess is that he didn't realise that we were reversing or that he thought he'd make it past - either way we caught him on the starboard side. The angle his car stopped at was imo conclusive proof that he had driven across at an acute angle to our car, and very close at that, even before it our reverse maneuver.

The two guys got out and started getting in me and my mams face. I was only about 14, and they were tough lads, so we called the police. Took a while, and for the 35 mins they kept getting up in our face everytime we said something that disagreed with them.

Eventually a car arrived, garda took details and tried to sort out if cctv caught anything (which apparently it didn't). The lads were quite agro all the while.

Then, later that night the lads called to the house. As there was no proof of him cutting across us, we ended up settling with cash later that week. The parents didn't want to cross the guy.

Question is, can you tell someone to PFO if they call to your house over something like that, and tell them to take the official route?

If both parties cannot agree to settled it themselves then go through the insurance companies.

Jumpy

"Details" means insurance and maybe a phone number. Not your address.

Reloc8

Section 106 Road Traffic Act 1961 as amended refers. In a case like this the driver of a vehicle involved in a collision is obliged to give to other drivers involved their own name and address, the name and address of the owners of their vehicle if different, the 'identification mark' of their vehicle, i.e. car reg, and the particulars of the insurance of the vehicle. This is to be done at the scene and before anyone leaves.

The obligation in the section is to keep the vehicle at scene for 'as long is is reasonable in all the circumstances' and this in a case where no injury to person is caused is likely to be as long as it takes to exchange the information above. An injury to person is a different matter and all parties are best advised to await the arrival of the gardai in those circumstances, subject to medical necessities.

If a person refuses to exchange information/ drives away, best you can do is get the reg in case of future claim by you or another party, note descriptions of driver etc. - they are committing an offence by doing this.

You are fully entitled to tell somebody who calls personally to your home/place of work etc. to get out of it and allow the official channels be taken. The obligation to provide the above information is at the scene, and in this case your mum had done so. Regretfully it seems they managed to bully their way out of the situation - the police would have taken a very, very dim view of their behaviour as described.