[acerboo]

sitting in a garage minding my own business when a white fiesta reverses at speed off the farthest pump and scrapes along the front of my car, we all get out the drivers about 18 with a friend. the friend says its only a scrape and will polish out! dont think so lts have your insurance, offered her the chance to pay for the repair rather than claim off her insurance (3 weeks old!) go to bodyshop estimate is £311 as bumper has to come off to be painted. i call the number she gave me speak to her father, get a tirade of abuse for upsetting "his little girl" no way is he paying £311 for a scratch and i wont claim off her insurance, he cuts me off. later he calls back but by then ive called her insurance company, more abuse and F words than youve ever heard. hangs up again. i call him back repeat if he wants to pay he can otherwise i go through the insurance he agrees to pay, week later nothing so insurance it is. i did nothing wrong £300 damage to my car yet it seems it was all my fault! sorry for existing!

[335d Rocco]

You've been more than fair, gave them every opportunity to come up with the cash, £300 is a lot less than the price her policy will be next year when she has to declare a fault claim.

[Kerr]

Some people can't ever admit to being in the wrong.

They would have been far better paying for the repair rather than forcing you down the insurance route.

Their excess as a young driver will be more than that plus a claim against them will bump up their premium.

[1sh@Crystalwhite]

You gave them a chance for redemption yet they threw it in your face... especially that muppet of a father lacking responsibility for her visually impaired child.

Insurance company them and forever let her insurance premium rise.

[dxb335d]

Acer mate, so sorry to hear this. I hate this shits who stick up for their kids even when there 100% in the wrong.

[B33M3R]

Get to the garage and speak to The Manager (not a checkout person) make sure any CCTV for that day is retained. Sounds like the sort to try and deny it, maybe even say it was you hitting them. You've said there was two in the Fiesta, if you were on your own it's your word against theirs!

Most modern garages will have hard drive CCTV systems now, should be able to mark a date/time for retention. (Your receipt will have the time you were there on it)

If you're very lucky they may allow you to have a copy of the relevant footage, if possible just ask to see the footage and see if they'll let you do a cheeky record of the screen with your camera phone. In independent may be more likely to do this.

Don't get caught out!

[acerboo]

thanks for the advice. have been to the garage the manager was very helpful but said i couldnt view the tape (data protection) but she would keep a copy of it in the accident file and if the insurance company wanted to see it she would release it. i also got the girl to write down what happened and sign/date it and i have an independant witness who saw everything. i really dont understand their attitude as their excess must be £500 and as you say the premium will most likely rocket and she will be losing 1 years no claim bonus! have spoken to the insurance company and told them i will wait until wednesday afternoon, if the bodyshop hasnt received a cheque for the damage im going through the insurance.

[B33M3R]

Good stuff as long as any CCTV is preserved buddy. Let your insurance company know its available though, then if it all goes silly you can at least complain they didn't follow it up.

It's not unusual for people to claim something entirely different happened further down the line and it sounds like the dads an arse. Independent witnesses can decide not to pit pen to paper and she only has to say the scary man in the BMW made her sign a note saying it was her fault.

Just FYI Data protection swings both ways though buddy, broadly speaking you are actually entitled to view it, obtian a copy of any data held on you, CCTV or otherwise.

See section 9.2 http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_organisati...INAL_2301.ashx

Good luck with getting it sorted, sounds like you've been entirely reasonable. They've certainly shot themselves in the foot.

[Billyray911]

Cant believe no-one has asked yet...


...Was she fit?


Hope it gets sorted,by the way

[Business edition]

Sorry to hear that mate, my lci got hit 2 days ago I think. Hope you got it sorted. I think you where very fair.

[AlwynMike]

And the other side of the coin:

My lad's Civic got hit by a classic Mini on Monday. He was turning into our road, which is a single track, with no splay visibility due to buildings on either side, and no pavement. There was a van coming the other way, so he had to stop. Being used to the road, he wasn't going quickly, but the Mini driver misjudged and hit the back of the Civic, although not seriously. Mini was driveable, but only just. My lad thought the Mini driver was going to do a runner, but he parked up down the road. The Van driver said he'd be a witness for us. Mini driver was young (my lad is 20), and after initially denying any responsibility, he saw sense and owned up and said he'd pay for the repairs as he didn't want to involve insurances. My wife knows of the Mini driver's family and was less than impressed, as they are perhaps not the most honest or upright of families in the area. My lad went round the local bodyshops and got some quotes, and presented them to the driver, and he said they were OK with that - they picked the cheapest, of course. The Mini driver would pay my lad on Friday when he got paid from work. Sure enough, on Friday, the money was forthcoming without argument, and my lad was able to get his car booked in and picked it up this afternoon, as good as new (well, as good as it ever was, anyway!)

Mike

[gangzoom]

Originally Posted by acerboo

sitting in a garage minding my own business when a white fiesta reverses at speed off the farthest pump and scrapes along the front of my car, we all get out the drivers about 18 with a friend. the friend says its only a scrape and will polish out! dont think so lts have your insurance, offered her the chance to pay for the repair rather than claim off her insurance (3 weeks old!) go to bodyshop estimate is £311 as bumper has to come off to be painted. i call the number she gave me speak to her father, get a tirade of abuse for upsetting "his little girl" no way is he paying £311 for a scratch and i wont claim off her insurance, he cuts me off. later he calls back but by then ive called her insurance company, more abuse and F words than youve ever heard. hangs up again. i call him back repeat if he wants to pay he can otherwise i go through the insurance he agrees to pay, week later nothing so insurance it is. i did nothing wrong £300 damage to my car yet it seems it was all my fault! sorry for existing!

I think you deserve a medal for been so patient, I would have gone straight to the insurance company. If people are sensible and honest no problems, but if they are just been difficult and rude than let the insurance company deal with it.

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by acerboo

have spoken to the insurance company and told them i will wait until wednesday afternoon, if the bodyshop hasnt received a cheque for the damage im going through the insurance.

Commendable patience Jeff,sadly wasted on scum.

I wouldn't wait a moment later,I'd pick the phone up ASAP.
Hope you get it sorted

[davyk31]

I would be careful as any involvement by an insurance company will almost certainly impact on your renewals as a no fault claim. Keep the pressure on Fiesta driver to come up with the cash for sure as that is the best outcome for everyone.

[Cyprio]

Sorry to hear that, I know what it's like as I've been there myself.

It ended up going through the insurance company as the kid's dad was a pratt to deal with, unfortunately my insurance also went up as a result!

[zltm089]

respect to the OP...very patient....

definitely wouldn't have happen with me...

first, she would have got some real verbal abuse as soon as she got out...and the friend aswell...(provided hes not Mike Tyson )

and the dad....( I would have told her that her daughter was taking it up the a$$ while attempting to park the car...and that she was on drugs!...

and i would have spat on her aswell...if she got mouthy...

you should have recorded the tw*t and said that you would contact the police for abuse!.. :-)

[acerboo]

thanks for all the support and suggestions! have spoken to the witness and hes fully supportive and willing to put the whole thing in writing, am busy till wednesday so will call the bodyshop if they havent gat a cheque im calling her insurance and proceeding with the claim. my insurance said if i have any problems they will pursue it but im trying to avoid that. will let all know the outcome.

[MEGA]

Kev. No.

[WiLD]

What a pos...why cant people just own up to their mistakes!

[Josh1a1h]

Good luck!

[acerboo]

Originally Posted by Josh1a1h

Good luck!

thanks. now going through her insurance.

[DavS1]

Best to go through insurance, IMO they should be trying to get you to go through rather than you giving them endless oppurtunity's to do it for their benefit. At least if it goes insurance route, your covered if the repairs aren't up to standard!