Hit by another car in supermarket car park

Charliezoo

Hi all,

My partner was reversing into a space in a supermarket car park this afternoon when some idiot accelerated fast up to the car and tried to squeeze past in between the back of the car and the space. Needless to say he ended up smashing into the rear corner of my partner's car. His car was far worse off damage wise than my partner's. The driver got out and was aggressive to my partner but when my partner asked what on earth he was doing - hadn't he seen the big white reverse light and the car at an angle reversing into the space? He blamed the fact that the sun was in his eyes!

They swapped details but I'm wondering who's favour the insurance company will see in - we all see people in car parks revering into spaces and we're normally sensible enough to sit and give them space to get on with it, it's really stupid that this guy decided to try and squeeze around the back of a reversing car at speed but then I'm worried that they might see my partner at fault as he was the one reversing.

We're not sure whether to put in a claim for the small amount of damage to our car or to sit tight and see what the other guy does. It's clear to us that the other guy was in the wrong, especially seeing that he blamed the sun for being in his eyes and not being able to see but we'd rather not get into a situation where my partner could potentially be found at fault by the insurers.

Has anyone got any advice please?

Strider590

I don't know about anyone else, but if the sun is in my eye's I slow the f**k down.......

But despite 3rd party having no leg to stand on, the insurance companies will drag this out for a VERY long time and eventually try to offer a 50/50.

Loganfire

A lot of insurance scam happen in supermarket car parks did you other half take pictures with his phone as that can help..

maninthestreet

Wihout any independent witnesses, it's likely to be declared 50/50. If it's a scam, expect to hear from your partner's insurance company that the other driver has a 'witness' to the accident.

Charliezoo

Thanks, now you've mentioned it I wouldn't be surprised if its a scam. It was a pretty old car and why would you accelerate towards a car sitting horizontally in a car park when the sun's in your eyes? The driver's reaction was odd, initially aggressive and then wanting to shake my partner's hand.

He didn't take pictures as far as I know but he's going to contact the supermarket on the off chance there's some CCTV footage.

Looks like we don't have much chance though if it is a scam, sounds like my partner will have to pay out his excess for some stupid scum bag's scam or bad driving.

mattyprice4004

Arghhh, always always ALWAYS take pictures at the scene. The driver could now claim all sorts of other damage was done by your partner.

Charliezoo

Well my partner got a call from the kid's dad, basically saying "look mate, you know it was your fault, accept liability and we'll get the car fixed at a local garage and you can pay up." My partner had to stop himself from laughing out loud! He calmly explained the accident step by step to the kid's dad and he just went very quiet, especially at the bit where his darling son admitted that he couldn't see because the sun was in his eyes. My partner said he had protected no claims and a low excess and would be happy to go through the insurance where it likely to be found 50/50. The kid's dad sounded pretty put out by this and said he'd talk to his boy again about it.

My partner reckons the kid was probably only about 17 so has a lot more to lose than him when it comes to making a claim. If that's the case I'm tempted to tell my partner to put a claim in himself to totally screw him over!

adamc260

You need to be a bit careful here, the onus is generally on the party carrying out the manouver in this case your partner who is reversing to ensure it is clear and safe to do so. I agree the third party was an idiot for trying to get past and was clearly very impatient. Hopefully things get solved amicably.

McKneff

After any incident you are required to inform your insurance company whether you make a claim or not.
They wont be best pleased if it all comes out later and you havent informed them. You would be breaching your contract terms.
Its in the terms and conditions of all policies.

Do the right thing, do it properly but this is only a 17 year old kid, a lad who has made a mistake, yes, but please dont 'Screw him Over'

Charliezoo

McKneff wrote: »

Do the right thing, do it properly but this is only a 17 year old kid, a lad who has made a mistake, yes, but please dont 'Screw him Over'

A mistake? This boy racer in an old, lowered Astra tried to squeeze behind a reversing car at speed while he couldn't actually see then proceeded to get out and threaten my partner screaming obscenities about an inch from his face and then got his dad to phone the next day to tell him to pay cash to some random garage to fix the damage his idiotic teenage son inflicted on his own car while showing off to his 3 mates.

Seriously if this was a kid who'd genuinely made a mistake and was polite about it I'd be thinking very different about the whole situation.

When I say 'screw him over' I just mean putting in a claim which will obviously cost him, not doing anything wrong or malicious at all.

Charliezoo

adamc260 wrote: »

You need to be a bit careful here, the onus is generally on the party carrying out the manouver in this case your partner who is reversing to ensure it is clear and safe to do so. I agree the third party was an idiot for trying to get past and was clearly very impatient. Hopefully things get solved amicably.

The trouble was it was clear and safe, this car came speeding around the corner and straight into the side of my partner's car, you can see from the damage on my partner's (it's on the side, not at the back) that he's not reversed into the other car.