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Didn't stop after accident.

So two days ago I was in a car park, clipped someone's car but not badly Stupidly I didn't stop, I just panicked, when I got home I noticed a slight scratch on my car that could be from it but could not. I know I should have reported to police but never did, just wondering if anything is likely to come about of this? The car park has very poor CCTV, am I likely to hear from the police, if I am will it be soon or do they wait a while?

Reply 1

carrotstar

21

Original post by Hannah124

So two days ago I was in a car park, clipped someone's car but not badly Stupidly I didn't stop, I just panicked, when I got home I noticed a slight scratch on my car that could be from it but could not. I know I should have reported to police but never did, just wondering if anything is likely to come about of this? The car park has very poor CCTV, am I likely to hear from the police, if I am will it be soon or do they wait a while?

It depends on whether the owner of the car notices the damage and when! Do you have any idea how much damage you did? Is the damage to your car obvious? How loud was the impact? I once drove down a double parked street and my wing mirror clipped someone else's. I stopped and there was no damage to either so it sounded much worse than it was!

Reply 2

Midwife1294

OP

16

Original post by carrotstar

It depends on whether the owner of the car notices the damage and when! Do you have any idea how much damage you did? Is the damage to your car obvious? How loud was the impact? I once drove down a double parked street and my wing mirror clipped someone else's. I stopped and there was no damage to either so it sounded much worse than it was!

Thanks for your reply, it didn't really make a sound, I just felt it a little bit! The damage to my car seems to be a paint scratch, but the light ones that just wipe off.

Reply 3

carrotstar

21

Original post by Hannah124

Thanks for your reply, it didn't really make a sound, I just felt it a little bit! The damage to my car seems to be a paint scratch, but the light ones that just wipe off.

I suppose a good way to tell is whether you have lost or gained any paint as the same could have happened to the other car if that makes sense? If it really is a tiny surface scratch you can only see at a certain angle or from 10-20cm away its probably nothing to worry about.

Reply 4

Midwife1294

OP

16

Original post by carrotstar

I suppose a good way to tell is whether you have lost or gained any paint as the same could have happened to the other car if that makes sense? If it really is a tiny surface scratch you can only see at a certain angle or from 10-20cm away its probably nothing to worry about.

Do you think anything is likely to come about of it? Police involvement etc?

Reply 5

uberteknik

21

Original post by Hannah124

So two days ago I was in a car park, clipped someone's car but not badly Stupidly I didn't stop, I just panicked, when I got home I noticed a slight scratch on my car that could be from it but could not. I know I should have reported to police but never did, just wondering if anything is likely to come about of this? The car park has very poor CCTV, am I likely to hear from the police, if I am will it be soon or do they wait a while?

What a *****y, selfish, cowardly and despicable thing to do to another person.

You have damaged someone else's car through no fault of their own, failed to report it and now that other person is left with the cost and aggravation of repairing the damage or to go through their insurance with loss of no claims and an excess charge.

Not to mention how they are made to feel because you have no sense of decency or fairness.

All because you don't want to take any form of responsibility.

Failing to report an accident and failing to exchange details are both statutory offences with a summons for a court appearance and a 5 to 10 points licence endorsement ( 5 for each offence).

I have no sympathy whatsoever.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 6

carrotstar

21

Original post by Hannah124

Do you think anything is likely to come about of it? Police involvement etc?

I have no idea! I would suggest that if you are contacted, you are completely honest. Honesty is certainly the best policy in the eyes of the law.

Reply 7

IWMTom

20

Original post by Hannah124

So two days ago I was in a car park, clipped someone's car but not badly Stupidly I didn't stop, I just panicked, when I got home I noticed a slight scratch on my car that could be from it but could not. I know I should have reported to police but never did, just wondering if anything is likely to come about of this? The car park has very poor CCTV, am I likely to hear from the police, if I am will it be soon or do they wait a while?

Report it to the Police control room NOW.

Reply 8

RoyalSheepy

20

Original post by Hannah124

So two days ago I was in a car park, clipped someone's car but not badly Stupidly I didn't stop, I just panicked, when I got home I noticed a slight scratch on my car that could be from it but could not. I know I should have reported to police but never did, just wondering if anything is likely to come about of this? The car park has very poor CCTV, am I likely to hear from the police, if I am will it be soon or do they wait a while?

I'd call up 101, and inform them ASAP. It's the best thing to do.

Reply 9

stirkee

19

I don't really buy the "i panicked" argument. Not stopping and leaving your details is a *****y thing to do no matter how minor the damage might have been; how dare you.

You need to report this now, imagine how you'd feel if you arrived at your car and saw someone had hit it and driven off?

People like you shouldn't be allowed to drive, it really pisses me off.

Reply 10

RoyalSheepy

20

Original post by stirkee

I don't really buy the "i panicked" argument. Not stopping and leaving your details is a *****y thing to do no matter how minor the damage might have been; how dare you.

You need to report this now, imagine how you'd feel if you arrived at your car and saw someone had hit it and driven off?

People like you shouldn't be allowed to drive, it really pisses me off.

To be fair, panicking is normal. But I wouldn't sympathise with OP, if OP didn't leave their details with 101 at the very least.

Reply 11

Notoriety

22

Original post by IWMTom

Report it to the Police control room NOW.

So dramatic.

Original post by Hannah124

So two days ago I was in a car park, clipped someone's car but not badly Stupidly I didn't stop, I just panicked, when I got home I noticed a slight scratch on my car that could be from it but could not. I know I should have reported to police but never did, just wondering if anything is likely to come about of this? The car park has very poor CCTV, am I likely to hear from the police, if I am will it be soon or do they wait a while?

If it is a slight scratch, as you claim it is, I doubt the owner of the car would bother calling the police about it. The statute was designed really for obvious incidents of damage, not merely clipping someone's car which potentially could escape your notice.

Reply 12

IWMTom

20

Original post by Notorious_B.I.G.

So dramatic.

If it is a slight scratch, as you claim it is, I doubt the owner of the car would bother calling the police about it. The statute was designed really for obvious incidents of damage, not merely clipping someone's car which potentially could escape your notice.

Any collision falls under the provisions - failing to stop is an offence.

Reply 13

Notoriety

22

Original post by IWMTom

Any collision falls under the provisions - failing to stop is an offence.

That has nothing to do with my claiming you're histrionic. And it's also not true; S170(1)(b)(i) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires that damage be caused to the other vehicle for the section to be engaged. If you have an accident and no damage is caused, there is no requirement to stop.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 14

IWMTom

20

Original post by Notorious_B.I.G.

That has nothing to do with my claiming you're histrionic. And it's also not true; S170(b)(i) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires that damage be caused to the other vehicle for the section to be engaged. If you have an accident and no damage is caused, there is no requirement to stop.

It's incredibly rare for absolutely zero damage to be present following a collision, given how easily paint scratches.

Reply 15

Notoriety

22

Original post by IWMTom

It's incredibly rare for absolutely zero damage to be present following a collision, given how easily paint scratches.

It is rare, but under the Act you'd be required to give your details even if the reasonable person in your position would not think there was any damage caused. Hence my point that the Act was designed more for obvious cases of damage, which this is not, although no doubt it is an accident and therefore potentially covered by the Act so long as there was damage caused.

Reply 16

RoyalSheepy

20

Original post by Notorious_B.I.G.

That has nothing to do with my claiming you're histrionic. And it's also not true; S170(b)(i) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires that damage be caused to the other vehicle for the section to be engaged. If you have an accident and no damage is caused, there is no requirement to stop.

OP did notice a "slight scratch" on their car, so there's more than likely going to be some sort of damage on the 3rd party's car.

Reply 17

username1921011

14

Original post by Hannah124

So two days ago I was in a car park, clipped someone's car but not badly Stupidly I didn't stop, I just panicked, when I got home I noticed a slight scratch on my car that could be from it but could not. I know I should have reported to police but never did, just wondering if anything is likely to come about of this? The car park has very poor CCTV, am I likely to hear from the police, if I am will it be soon or do they wait a while?

People like you are the reason I pay two sets of insurance. It's cheaper to have a dirt cheap car and let it get beaten up in car parks etc than keep paying to repair costs for the paintwork on my pride and joy because people bang their bags against it, scrape it, hit my mirrors etc and just drive/walk off. I hardly ever leave it anywhere and I still need to spend like £100 on paintwork products after six months of ownership due to the utter selfishness of other people, and I need a new mirror frame as someone hit it and drove off. It's not really about whether they can catch you on CCTV, you've damaged someone's property and now they need to pay to repair it. They wouldn't go through the insurance anyway, they'd just ask you to cover a bodyshop cover up (like £50) if they had any sense. I am very biased on the issue as someone also crashed into my mums car doing around £500 of damage to the rear arch and paintwork, and just drove off. She had to claim it on the insurance and her premium went up because of it.

I understand why you panicked and left, and it might be the person doesn't care about their car so it's fine, but it might also be they slugged their guts out to get something to be proud of and can't afford to keep paying out for bodywork repair so you've left them a nice quality reduction and an ugly mark on their car which will annoy them every time they see it (trust me).

Original post by IWMTom

It's incredibly rare for absolutely zero damage to be present following a collision, given how easily paint scratches.

So much this. I don't think people realise how easily paintwork damages. Scrape your handbag/shopping up against it, a loose zip on your jumper, bumping against it (ie the buttons on jeans), opening your door onto their car (even gently), it all causes damage and people either seem totally oblivious or just don't care.

Reply 18

Sabertooth

20

I hope you do hear from the police.

Some **** left me with a nice big scrape across the back corner of my car a few months back. Did not leave their details; $250 for me to fix.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 19

It's****ingWOODY

20

Some **** did this to me within 3 days of owning my car, so this really ****ing triggers me. I hope something horrible happens to you, like you step in a wet patch with socks on, or you go to pour milk on your cereal and realise you haven't got enough.

Didn't stop after accident.

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