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Wife clipped 3rd party car in car park - Burribro

I've only been driving for a little over a year, and she has been driving for about a week, so sorry if we're missing something blindingly obvious.

My wife drove to the local leasure centre this morning, and as she was trying to park, she misjudged it and scraped against another vehicle, she said she scraped the wheel arch. She promtly went into another space, ran to the customer services desk to grab a pen and paper but when she returned the car had gone, probably in the space of 5/10 minutes. She has since left her details with the leisure centre for them to pass on should anyone come forward with a report of damage.

She didn't take any photos of the car as her first priorty was to get paper to leave her details, which in itself is a problem but theres nothing she can do about it now.

Away from asking the leisure centre for the CCTV footage to get the details of the vehicle she clipped, is there anything else she can do? I'd assume the local police office wouldn't be able to do much with "I clipped a vehicle in this car park, but didn't make note of make and model of the car" aside from; or should she report it to them anyway?

Wife clipped 3rd party car in car park - FP

It sounds to me as if your good lady did all that would be reasonably required.

I doubt the police would be interested.

Others' opinions may differ, but, assuming the damage is trivial, I wouldn't bother with informing my insurance company either.

If it happens again I think the priority would be to take photos of the damage to both cars, in case of any future dispute.

Wife clipped 3rd party car in car park - Brit_in_Germany

You must notify the police within 24 hours if you have an accident causing damage and do not exchange details at the time.

Wife clipped 3rd party car in car park - Burribro

I assumed this was the case, but equally the only information she has about the car was that it was big and black, Id have thought that that gives them little or no information. Do the police actively investigate these or is it just put into a system and should someone come forward, it gets flagged up?

Also, all I can think of is that the owner of the other car simply hasnt noticed, otherwise I'd have gone into reception to ask the question if nothing else.

Assuming 101 would be ample enough in letting police know, or is it better to go in?

Wife clipped 3rd party car in car park - Gerry Sanderson

I assume the leisure parking area is for them only and as such can be deemed to be private property. If this is the case the stop and report requirement of road traffic law does not reply.

One might as a last gasp report it to local police in case driver of damaged car makes a report.

Other than that not much one can do. Suspect driver of other vehicle will not be aware of damage until finding some considerable time later - have hissy ft - then do nothing.

dvd

Wife clipped 3rd party car in car park - Brit_in_Germany

I would have thought that the parking for a leisure centre, like that of a supermarket, would be considered a "public place" and fall within the scope of the provisions of the RTA.

Wife clipped 3rd party car in car park - skidpan

I would have thought that the parking for a leisure centre, like that of a supermarket, would be considered a "public place" and fall within the scope of the provisions of the RTA.

Correct, if the public are allowed in its covered by the RTA.

Some years ago I was involved in motorsport, not only competing but also organising. When the "public place" line was introduced and defined there was concern that race meetings open to the public would be included (even though the public had no access to the actual track) and no paying spectators would have mean't no motorsport. Fortunately common sense prevailed.

Wife clipped 3rd party car in car park - RobJP

I assumed this was the case, but equally the only information she has about the car was that it was big and black, Id have thought that that gives them little or no information. Do the police actively investigate these or is it just put into a system and should someone come forward, it gets flagged up?

Also, all I can think of is that the owner of the other car simply hasnt noticed, otherwise I'd have gone into reception to ask the question if nothing else.

Assuming 101 would be ample enough in letting police know, or is it better to go in?

I would make the report in writing - email would be entirely sufficient. That way it is entirely on record and there is no risk of prosecution for failure to report, should it ever come to that.

I would do the same for the Leisure Centre. Again, it shows that you have taken 'reasonable steps' to find the other owner, and it is on record.

Wife clipped 3rd party car in car park - Burribro

Cheers for everyones responses on this.

Just to round it out, after reading the responses and looking into the legal ramifications, and of course how we'd feel if roles were reversed we've reported it to the police.

Whilst the likelihood is that nothing would have come of it, at least we're now in a position whereby she has done everything she needs to do, except of course taking photos of the vehicle.

Now just to bring her confidence back up and it has been dented a fair bit.

Wife clipped 3rd party car in car park - Burribro

To finally round this off, turns out letting the police know was the right course of action, as the car that was clipped did indeed go to the police!

The insurance companies are dealing with it now, as the quote the other driver received to fix the scatch totalled £1000...

Wife clipped 3rd party car in car park - Leif
Well done for being honest.