Someone just reversed into me - who's fault?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Thu 24 Apr 2008 16:30
Someone just reversed into me - who's fault? - Jecca
I was just reversing out of a car parking space when in my mirror I noticed that the car opposite me had also started reversing. I stopped, but the other car carried on going and hit the corner of my car. When I got out of the car and before I had had a chance to check my car, the woman came over and apologised telling me that no damage had been done to my car or hers and started to leave. When I actually looked at my car a considerable amount of damage had been done and so I went after the woman to get insurance details. As there are no witnesses I presume she will claim we both reversed into each other, thus being at equal fault.

Where do I stand in this situation? Is there any way I can prove that I was not at fault?
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Thu 24 Apr 2008 16:47
Someone just reversed into me - who's fault? - Steve Pearce
Any CCTV cameras in the area?
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Thu 24 Apr 2008 16:48
Someone just reversed into me - who's fault? - Jecca
Not that I know of, no
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Thu 24 Apr 2008 16:52
Someone just reversed into me - who's fault? - Lud
The other driver won't necessarily lie. She may admit liability.

What is interesting is the difference between her assertion that there was no damage at all and Jecca's assertion that there was 'a considerable amount' of damage. Surely one or both of you are exaggerating? How serious exactly?

Edited by Lud on 24/04/2008 at 16:53

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Thu 24 Apr 2008 16:58
Someone just reversed into me - who's fault? - Jecca
There are scratches all over the corner and also a circle about 5cm in diameter where the bumper has split in all different directions and the paint has been completely scratched off.

In all fairness, not an enormous amount of damage. However, a year ago someone drove into the back of me at a junction and did less damage than this to the bumper and it ended up costing £500 to fix. I'm not too keen on forking out more than £500 for something that wasn't my fault!
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Thu 24 Apr 2008 17:06
Someone just reversed into me - who's fault? - Lud
not too keen on
forking out more than £500 for something that wasn't my fault!


Quite Jecca, point taken.

However I am glad my car is a bit rough and has tough, flexible plastic bumpers that get scuffed but are hard to really damage. If I had a pretty, newish car with flimsy 500 quid 'bumpers' I would have to consider not living in London. Because running about tearing my hair and trying to get largish sums of money out of other people or their insurance companies for ordinary minor traffic and parking nerfs would seem a terrible waste of my time, and would happen often (not because I often drive into things with any force you understand, but because other people park and unpark up against your car when you aren't there).
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Thu 24 Apr 2008 17:08
Someone just reversed into me - who's fault? - movilogo
Usually insurers will settle for this on 50:50 liability, unless CCTV or witness is available.
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Thu 24 Apr 2008 17:13
Someone just reversed into me - who's fault? - FotheringtonThomas
Ask the car park owners whether they've got any tapes, as soon as possible, 'cos they won't keep them for ever. Without evidence or witnesses, I think you're out of luck.
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Thu 24 Apr 2008 18:24
Someone just reversed into me - who's fault? - Falkirk Bairn
I reversed out of my drive and stopped - applied the hanadbrake and a visitor to the house opposite hit the side of my car. She admitted it was her fault and I knew who she was.

Next I heard was the husband phones and says 50/50 and he would pay his damage and I had to pay mine - his battered Mini - my year old car was worth 10 x his.

I doorstepped him and demanded his Ins Co details - this he grudgingly gave (after 10 mins pressing) and I duly filled in a claim form - His Ins Co accepted that I was stationary - car fixed, NCB maintained - job done.

I would be nice but firm with the 3rd party and they may well do as my neighbour's visitor - rollover and accept they were to blame.

Good Luck.
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Thu 24 Apr 2008 22:44
Someone just reversed into me - who's fault? - kithmo
Doesn't anyone remember what the horn is really for, apart from expressing your annoyance, it's to let other road users know you are there. If I reversed out of a car parking space and someone else did so at the same time and it looked like they had not seen me (ie. they didn't stop when I did) then I'd blast the horn or quickly pull forward again, not sit there and wait for them. I always look round before I get into the car and look round before I start moving to see if any one else is getting into their car. it's called awareness.
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Thu 24 Apr 2008 22:51
Someone just reversed into me - whose fault? - Avant
Next time reverse into the space!

SWMBO insists on reversing out of the garage into the road, and the same thing happened to her, courtesy of the person living opposite. Fortunately SWMBO was stationary and the neighbour admitted liability. But it was a hassle getting the repair done and it sould have been avoided.

Edited by Avant on 24/04/2008 at 22:52

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Fri 25 Apr 2008 08:47
Someone just reversed into me - whose fault? - L'escargot
Next time reverse into the space!


I say go into the space forwards. If someone collides with the back of your car it will probably be more likely to still be driveable (especially at night) than if you've reversed in and the headlights etc have been smashed.
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