WWYD - damage to car

[CharliesAngel]

**sigh**

so i went along to a friend’s BBQ at the weekend, parking was along a track up to a wind turbine. People were parking along the edge of the track and there was just room to squeeze past. I was one of the last to arrive and passed all these cars so I was closest to the turbine - where the track narrows. I pulled over as far as i could and parked. Got out, looked at the car and thought to myself, noone else is going to be able to get up here and park, hopefully Im one of the last to arrive. I walked back down the track and had passed 4 parked cars when a car came up the track, pretty fast tbh for a ford focus on a rough bumpy dirt track. She passed me and I turned and watched her get to my truck and thought; there is no way she is getting through there - at which she bowled on through!! I winced as it looked like she had taken my front wing out! **note it was pretty windy and i didnt hear anything**. I kind of froze to the spot but my instinct was to march up there and inspect my car for damage. So what stopped me?? well, the driver was a local mum I kind of know, who was also going to the BBQ and I assumed if she HAD hit my car she would have said something. She waved and smiled and didnt! I didnt want to be that person - looking all precious over my car so i left it and went on in to the party.

4 hours later I went to get in the car to drive home and found the front bumper/wing all scraped and her paint all over it I looked at her car and the damage was worse. A lot of the paint on my vehicle actually wiped off but there is a small dent and scrape. Now - it is a BRAND NEW truck. I have literally had it about 6 weeks, it’s immaculate. I went to tell the lady in the nicest way I could and she apologised and gave me her details - she claimed to have no idea she had done it and I was kicking myself for not looking immediately. I explained I had been giving her the benefit of the doubt and thought perhaps it just looked like she had hit me from the angle i was standing at etc.

So today i got a quote for the work - £338. I have had a really sh!^^y text message from her saying she is very taken aback by the amount and that she isnt bothering to sort her car as it has been through much worse when she was actually injured and in this case it surely is hardly worth bothering about.

she drove into me?!

Im more upset by her attitude than the scrape!

 

[joellie]

I would have been fuming as she obviously would have known she hit the car at the time and should have went and looked for you to apologise and offer to pay for the damage instead of you finding out on return to your car and then having to go and approach her. Also we own a body workshop and by the sounds of the damage your quote sounds very reasonable to me.
Your car is only 6 weeks old and was pristine before she hit it. I would tell her this and state that you just want your car back in the new condition it was before she ploughed into it..

 

[MrC]

If she's not bothered I'd claim her insurance. Being honest not going through insurance is normally a better bet but if that's her attitude then I'd just do lawful thing and report a collision. Hopefully you took pictures of her car and yours???

 

[Flipo's Mum]

Insurance. Get her details. She'll lose her no claims discount but won't have to pay anything immediately.
really feel for you. I got a new car last year and it seems to just attract idiots who hit scratch and dent it. I get so angry about it!!

 

[Mary Poppins]

I would phone your insurance company and get them to deal with it. You have tried to sort it out privately, but with an attitude like that she really isn't a friend and you shouldn't have to put up from her. I would text her and say very nicely that you have taken advice and will leave it to insurance to sort out. You may be a barrage of abuse back, but it's really not your problem. She drove into your car and she will have to pay for it.

 

[Jessey]

I would give her one chance to stump up the cash and then hand it to your insurers, definitely take pictures if you haven't already (hopefully showing the paint transfer), I would be livid, you can't do that much damage and not know about it!

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

I agree, don't take it on yourself. You have a new truck and you want it fixed - that's what insurance is for. You were parked, and there'll be people can attest to that (you were already at the party) so there's a fairly open and shut situation I would think.

 

[KP nut]

Agree with everyone else. Her attitude is just not your problem. Unpleasant people often think they can get what they want because reasonable people don't like conflict and back down. So stay polite but very firm. You'd like your car repaired and that is what it will cost and that is what insurance is for.

 

[squidsin]

No wonder she's been in a car accident where she was 'actually injured' if that's how she drives! What a rude cow. You don't owe her anything. Get it sorted through insurance and give her a wide berth, I would!

 

[MrC]

Well I have someone who doesn't share your reluctance for insurance claims! I had someone today whom I didn't even bump with my car ( close one he slammed on the brakes at a junction Despite moving off, thank god for ABS) want my insurance details and follow me all the way from my village to the motorway. I've had to inform my insurance company of the possibility of a false claim and take pictures of my car to prove that there was no collision and no damage nor paint transfer etc.

 

[joellie]

Well I have someone who doesn't share your reluctance for insurance claims! I had someone today whom I didn't even bump with my car ( close one he slammed on the brakes at a junction Despite moving off, thank god for ABS) want my insurance details and follow me all the way from my village to the motorway. I've had to inform my insurance company of the possibility of a false claim and take pictures of my car to prove that there was no collision and no damage nor paint transfer etc.

I watched a tv programme recently about criminals who on purpose caused accidents to get money of the innocent driver...I wonder if that's what has happened here!!! There favourite tactic was to slam on the breaks at roundabouts and junctions hoping the car behind would go into them.

 

[Kite_Rider]

Well I have someone who doesn't share your reluctance for insurance claims! I had someone today whom I didn't even bump with my car ( close one he slammed on the brakes at a junction Despite moving off, thank god for ABS) want my insurance details and follow me all the way from my village to the motorway. I've had to inform my insurance company of the possibility of a false claim and take pictures of my car to prove that there was no collision and no damage nor paint transfer etc.

This is exactly what happened to my husband a few years ago, only because he knew he hadn't hit them he never rang his insurance company, it was only when he came to renew his insurance that he found a claim had been made and the insurance company paid out without even contacting him. Disgusted.

As for @CharliesAngel i too would just go through insurance as she clearly has no intention of paying up.

 

[CharliesAngel]

that’s blimmin awful MrC

thanks all, yes i took photos. I emailed her a copy of the quote last night and she asked for my bank details.. but so far no funds have come into my account. Im unsure how long to leave but yes I agree, she will get one chance and then I will go through insurance.

I feel so upset someone (whatsmore someone known to me) would disrespect my property so much It just about broke the bank to get this truck and its my pride and joy!!

 

[CharliesAngel]

so, so far no reply to my email and no funds in my bank account. I have sent her a text to ask - did you receive my email ok please? and so far no response. I have decided to give her until the end of the week and then on Friday if I haven’t heard anything, will just phone the insurance people.

 

[CharliesAngel]

update to this - so she stalled all week and then today sent me a loooong email basically questioning every aspect of what had happened and requesting photos of the damage. She then phoned me and said her and her husband were going to come round here with their car to compare the damage and tried to tell me there was hardly a mark on her car. Well I (plus 2 witnesses) saw the size of the scrape she had done so that was a load of rubbish! Tbh I felt Id been patient enough and said I wasnt prepared to discuss any more with her and gave her until 5pm today to pay me or Id go to the insurance company. She then sent me a text saying she didnt feel there was enough evidence for a claim to say she was at fault and she wasnt prepared to pay so to go ahead and put it through the insurance!! Now I have a £500 excess and was told Id have to pay that and then try and claim it back from her if she was found to be at fault and clearly she is now going to deny it all

She claimed i have caused her so much anxiety and stress over this etc and yet the whole time I was the one trying to be ‘nice’ after having my brand new , stationary, parked car hit!!

Anyway - turned out there are still some solid, decent people in the world as 2 friends from the party spoke to her this afternoon (and tbh they know her better than they know me) they told her they would be willing to write supporting letters for me and that she was behaving disgracefully and to cough up. funnily enough, the money went into my bank account later this afternoon!! I did however get a long message from her saying (wait for it ) she has been signed off work for 2 months due to anxiety which is ‘driving related’ and this and the way I have dealt with it (eg by not confronting her immediately) has made her symptoms worse and blaming me for causing her stress. Apparently because of this driving related anxiety she has a dash-cam but oddly the footage from that afternoon had been mysteriously deleted!?

thanks for all the advice guys and letting me vent on here x

 

[carthorse]

The words "manipulative bitch" spring to mind. None of this is your fault & she shouldn't be trying to make you feel bad because you want the damage she caused paid for.

If she has driving related anxiety can she not just get the bus or similar to work? I do hope she isn't driving until she's fit to (though I'd put money on there probably being nothing wrong with her).

 

[KP nut]

Some people are self absorbed beyond all reason. Literally cannot fathom the world beyond their own self interested perspective. Take absolutely no notice. You've got the money which is a great outcome. The rest is really her problem not yours.

 

[Mary Poppins]

The words "manipulative bitch" spring to mind. None of this is your fault & she shouldn't be trying to make you feel bad because you want the damage she caused paid for.

This exactly!! Don't be fooled for a second. She drove into your car, she was at fault and she should pay. I am pleased that you got the money and I hope that your car is pristine again after the work has been done.

 

[CharliesAngel]

thanks you guys - honestly , i picked my wee one up from nursery this morning having just had messages from her and had tears welling up! I just hope I can avoid seeing her in the future but she’s pretty local

 

[KP nut]

It would upset me too, but you can be assured that she is probably self absorbed about lots of other things too. She'll be on to the next grievance involving someone else soon!