Nudged car in front of me - car drove off like nothing happened.

Davisen

I was sitting at a roundabout, and the bumper on my car made contact with the bumper of the car in front of me - I'm relatively sure it was my car that nudge his, since I don't remember seeing it rolling backwards. And while I could see there was no damage, I crossed the roundabout behind him and got ready to pull over on the hard shoulder. But he kept on going - so I went a bit further, thinking he was waiting to pull over, but I wasn't able to follow him through the next roundabout in time and lost him.

It was only a minor bump, but should I be worried that we didn't exchange details? I've had the back of my car bumped a couple of times since I started driving, and recieved no damage, but we at least stopped and talked. Aren't you supposed to do that at the very least?

tbourner

If they didn't stop then don't worry about it, especially if you didn't get their number plate, what are you expected to do?

Lum

To cover yourself you might want to report the accident at your local police station, it'll just go in the station log book but it gets your version of events down in writing in case anything comes of this later.

Not sure it's worth it though.

anotherbaldrick

Lum wrote: »

To cover yourself you might want to report the accident at your local police station, it'll just go in the station log book but it gets your version of events down in writing in case anything comes of this later.

Not sure it's worth it though.

What are you going to report ? I think I might have kissed his bumper but I don't know who he was, did not get his reg.no. or insurance he did not to get any of mine. You will be popular down at he nick trying to get the woodentops to make something out of that !!

tbourner

Worst case is they thought you were trying to car jack them or something, so didn't want to stop, if you get a call I'd be inclined to say you didn't notice hitting anyone.

thenudeone

I would definably report this to the Police. You are supposed to do so "as soon as practicable and in any case within 24 hours".

How do you know that the driver hasn't already reported to the Police that you were in an accident and failed to stop and exchange details? If you fail to report it, his side of the story will look more believable.

tbourner

thenudeone wrote: »

I would definably report this to the Police. You are supposed to do so "as soon as practicable and in any case within 24 hours".

How do you know that the driver hasn't already reported to the Police that you were in an accident and failed to stop and exchange details? If you fail to report it, his side of the story will look more believable.

Because you were just rolling forwards and hit the brake pedal a bit hard but stopped just in time, the driver didn't stop so there was no reason to think you'd hit them. Nobody in their right mind would do you for failure to stop in those circumstances.

thenudeone

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

What are you going to report ? I think I might have kissed his bumper but I don't know who he was, did not get his reg.no. or insurance he did not to get any of mine. You will be popular down at he nick trying to get the woodentops to make something out of that !!

The OP has no idea whether any damage was caused but as the vehicles came into contact, some some damage is a reasonable possibility.
You are legally obliged to report an accident under these circumstances. It's the job of the police to record it. This happens all the time (although usually deliberate drive-offs). It is irrelevant that the OP has no details of the other vehicle. That's precisely why the law says that you must report it, so that the police can cross-check the reports.

hartcjhart

report it and sit back and await the false claim for whiplash etc

King_Nothing

Don't report it to anyone, it's a total non-incident, the other driver obviously didn't care about it or notice it, if you're cars not damaged whats the point in reporting it, all it does is mark your driving career with an incident. Also if the other driver reports it, what do you think will happen if they asked him what happened next "Ohhh well, I just continued on driving, didn't bother to get out or anything".

Don't listen to the jobsworths on here.

DirectDebacle

Basically if there was no injury or no damage then no requirement to report.


170

Duty of driver to stop, report accident and give information or documents. E+W+S

(1)This section applies in a case where, owing to the presence of a [F1mechanically propelled vehicle] on a road [F2or other public place], an accident occurs by which—
(a)personal injury is caused to a person other than the driver of that [F1mechanically propelled vehicle], or

(b)damage is caused—
(i)to a vehicle other than that [F1mechanically propelled vehicle] or a trailer drawn by that [F1mechanically propelled vehicle], or
(ii)to an animal other than an animal in or on that [F1mechanically propelled vehicle] or a trailer drawn by that [F1mechanically propelled vehicle], or
(iii)to any other property constructed on, fixed to, growing in or otherwise forming part of the land on which the road [F3or place] in question is situated or land adjacent to such land.

(2)The driver of the [F1mechanically propelled vehicle] must stop and, if required to do so by any person having reasonable grounds for so requiring, give his name and address and also the name and address of the owner and the identification marks of the vehicle.