Driveway removed, car in a hole - my fault?

motorguy wrote: »

Yes indeed - think of the children!
Personally the first thing i'd have done if i'd got stuck was go rap the guys front door, apologise and say you'll move ASAP and then check for damage to his drive.

Finding a car stuck in your driveway, the driver not having shown any interest in checking for or attempting to pay for any damage to property and then driving off would probably make me fairly hostile too....

Still not sensing much ownership on your part that this was YOUR fault.

As I stepped out of the car to see why it wouldn't move, a voice from an upstairs window shouted "What the f*** are you doing?" to which I replied "I'm stuck." He shouted back "Better get someone to tow you out then" and shut the window.

His immediate hostility didn't really make me want to knock on his door to converse further. When he appeared and said he had my reg and "would come after me" and said "don't you have any common sense?" I decided it was probably best to deal with him as little as possible.

I haven't come here looking for confirmation as to who is at fault but more how could this have been avoided?

I guess I could have parked, got out of my car and surveyed the area with a torch to ensure someone hadn't dug a hole.

Or I could've carried on driving and turned at a roundabout (?) but I had been looking for somewhere to turn for half a mile or so and didn't know where the road was leading nor how long I'd have to drive to find somewhere.

Or he could have had some forethought and ensured the trench was visible.

I guess the homeowner never, ever turns his car in other people's driveways. Or makes mistakes.

Last year a lorry driver reversed the wrong way up a one way street and hit my parked car. I was polite and understanding that mistakes happen and his actions weren't malicious. No-one died, no-one was hurt. But it seems I should actually have shouted at him, called him names, sworn and made the situation as difficult as possible. Well, you live and learn!