Damage to car (scraped by kid on bike)

Big Daddy Kane

Hi, parked at school. Sitting in car.

Child crashed (was going to fast or maybe didn't hit brake hard enough) he only about 6 years old. Accidents happen and he did look scared when i got out of car. Parent just ushered him to keep going and just blanked me.

Long story short, car is fairly new, I got out of my car when I heard him hitting it (with bike) parent ignored me and continiued to drop kid in school, I didn't want to make a scene but I feel the parent knew exactly what happened and played dumb.

What are my options? Its about 350.00e + Vat to repair it. I understand its cosmétic but just pissed me off this scrote gets to just walk away, no apologies, not a care in the World!

I have their address and name. Can the bill or letter be sent there from a solicitor?

Garda said it was a civil matter, unless it was intented as criminal act....

ohnonotgmail

It will cost you more than 350 to chase this. as for it being a criminal act, this was a 6 year old. Ridiculous to even this of it in those terms.

TheQ_Man

Just walk away. From the sounds of it if you chase them for the costs you’ll suffer far far worse if they know you/where you live. It’s an unfortunate but true fact of life given his you’ve described the parent.

Big Daddy Kane

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

It will cost you more than 350 to chase this. as for it being a criminal act, this was a 6 year old. Ridiculous to even this of it in those terms.

Sorry i wasn't suggesting it was criminal act. That's why I mentioned the childs age.

I rang garda to seek advice only.

So I should just pony up and take it on the chin?

I was asking what my options are

Mimon

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

It will cost you more than 350 to chase this. as for it being a criminal act, this was a 6 year old. Ridiculous to even this of it in those terms.

The way I read it the OP was asking the Guards about the situation and repeating what they said, he wasn't thinking of it being a criminal act.

I think the behaviour of the parent would make me want to pursue it. Horrible example to the child.

Big Daddy Kane

TheQ_Man wrote: »

Just walk away. From the sounds of it if you chase them for the costs you’ll suffer far far worse if they know you/where you live. It’s an unfortunate but true fact of life given his you’ve described the parent.

Yeah probably best, Jesús an apology would have been the decent thing to do.

Some wonder where the kids get it from, no sense of ownership or responsibility!

Smee_Again

If it was me I'd get it repaired, pay it and then had the bill to the parent and ask them to reimburse you.

If they do, great, but if they don't then as annoying as it is I'd forget about it.

ohnonotgmail

Big Daddy Kane wrote: »

Sorry i wasn't suggesting it was criminal act. That's why I mentioned the childs age.

I rang garda to seek advice only.

So I should just pony up and take it on the chin?

I was asking what my options are

your options are to take it on the chin.

Big Daddy Kane

Smee_Again wrote: »

If it was me I'd get it repaired, pay it and then had the bill to the parent and ask them to reimburse you.

If they do, great, but if they don't then as annoying as it is I'd forget about it.

I plan on getting it repaired anyway, its not huge but enough to enable rust to develop etc..

This parent wouldn't be approachable. The fact they blanked me suggests they will burn any bill or letter.

Best I can hope for is the child grows up and doesn't follow mothers examples.....

ohnonotgmail

Mimon wrote: »

The way I read it the OP was asking the Guards about the situation and repeating what they said, he wasn't thinking of it being a criminal act.

I think the behaviour of the parent would make me want to pursue it. Horrible example to the child.

the behaviour of the parents should have no bearing on whether the OP pursues this.

BettePorter

Almost same thing happened me years ago, driving into my estate and as i rounded corner girl on bike with no brakes whatsoever coming down passenger side at speed . i stopped dead and she went the whole length of door with steel brakes. I got out and she thought i was gonna kill her but tbh i was more grateful i hadn't killed her !!! she ran off with bike leaving me standing looking at damage. I thought about going looking for her but i know how that would have went...suddenly i'd probably have a 'so you hit my child with the car ' defense.

So i just put it down to experience and thanked christ she hadnt been hurt. But if the parent had been with her that would have been a different story i think.

You could at lease go to them and say, 'so we need to talk about what happened the the other day' making them aware you know well they saw what happened.

Mimon

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

the behaviour of the parents should have no bearing on whether the OP pursues this.

Of course it does. It's a normal human reaction to stick it to aholes with ****ty attitudes.

dubrov

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

the behaviour of the parents should have no bearing on whether the OP pursues this.

It would for me. If the parent came over and profusely apologised, I'd be inclined to let it go.

If they blatantly ignored it, I'd be more likely to chase it.

jimmycrackcorm

Big Daddy Kane wrote: »

So I should just pony up and take it on the chin?

I was asking what my options are

A number of years I came back to my car in a car park to find it had been keyed all along both sides. No way of finding the culprit so I had to just pony up and take it on the chin.

That's life.

ohnonotgmail

Mimon wrote: »

Of course it does. It's a normal human reaction to stick it to aholes with ****ty attitudes.

are you familiar with the phrase "cutting off your nose to spite your face"?

ohnonotgmail

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

the behaviour of the parents should have no bearing on whether the OP pursues this.

Big US medical insurance study discovered that the doctors that got sued the most weren't the ones who made the most mistakes but the ones who were arrogant or dismissive with their patients.

ohnonotgmail

dubrov wrote: »

It would for me. If the parent came over and profusely apologised, I'd be inclined to let it go.

If they blatantly ignored it, I'd be more likely to chase it.

so you would spend money chasing money you will never get? a really smart reaction.

ozmo

Its why I dont have a nice car - all cars I had got mystery dings and scrapes while parked and I was away from car - no respect for cars in this country.

Big Daddy Kane

I'll have to think further about this. Part of me wants to pursue it, not for financial gain, but principle of the matter.

Other part of me thinks better to let sleeping dogs lie, for the sake of 360e I could be getting dogs abuse dropping kids to school.

I now park well away from the gate of school, at least chances of that happening (again) will be slim.

Poor kid really. Only a baby but yet already taught to avoid any responsibility.

Bannasidhe

I am awaiting the arrival of a touch up pen to repair the scratches on my car from the local kid's bikes.

On both sides.

Mimon

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

are you familiar with the phrase "cutting off your nose to spite your face"?

Principles matter, it's not just about the money. Might be an education for the kid to show their parent having to be an responsible adult.

qwerty13

It shouldn’t be a consideration, but if it were me, I’d take into account what siblings the 6yo has, and whether they were in any of the same classes as my kids, and whether the responsibility-dodging parent is on any school committees that could affect you/your kids.

It would annoy me, but I’d be surprised if you get anywhere re getting the money back - so why cause yourself/your kids grief over something that you’re unlikely to succeed with. I’d more than likely just pay it myself and park well away from the gates. Save your battles over principles for ones that don’t potentially impact your kids.

Mimon

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

so you would spend money chasing money you will never get? a really smart reaction.

Yeh we get it, you are thinking of only the money. Other people believe in principles, do you not get that?

bertsmom

Tbh I think I'd want to send a letter to the parents stating the cost of repairing the damage their kid did and that you are pursuing the matter. Then I would actually just walk away from it knowing you probably won't get the money but to me the principle of the matter is the parent is an absolute wagon for not apologising and offering to pay but it's all to common that parents are bull headed about their kids damage to property in my experience.
I'd send the letter just giving the parents something to have annoying them in the back of their heads as they go.

ohnonotgmail

Mimon wrote: »

Yeh we get it, you are thinking of only the money. Other people believe in principles, do you not get that?

this is the legal discussion forum not AH.

Mimon

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

this is the legal discussion forum not AH.

:rolleyes:

The motives of the OP will affect how he proceeds with this so is relevant in this discussion.

hullaballoo

Similar thread a while back where we had a discussion on this point.

Children are not liable for tortious acts.

From a legal point of view, there is nothing to "pursue" here. If a child damages your property either get it repaired or don't but no one else is going to pay for it.

Del2005

Mimon wrote: »

Principles matter, it's not just about the money. Might be an education for the kid to show their parent having to be an responsible adult.

With our system you don't have to be a responsible adult. There's no way to get money off people if they aren't willing to pay. So even if the child could be held responsible there's zero chance that someone who looked at their child damaging someone else's property and walked off is going to pay for it.

Peregrinus

This is why you have insurance, people.

You'll be using your car in a public space. Public spaces include children. Children have poor foresight and poor judgment and cause accidental damage all the time; it is unreasonable and unrealistic to think that this won't happen. There is no principle of law under which the adults who are most closely related to children are liable for the accidental damage the children cause. If a child accidentally damages your car, nobody is obliged to compensate you for this.

Mimon

Mimon wrote: »

Principles matter, it's not just about the money. Might be an education for the kid to show their parent having to be an responsible adult.

How so? They are not liable.

Not necessarily the OP, but lots of cars parking on footpaths near schools. Interesting to know they do so at their own risk if damaged by kids.