So what's likely to happen here?

arcon5

So effectively you crashed a car you was not insured to use and likely didn't have permission to do so. And now don't want to pay to repair it.

I'd say either you could be done for taking without consent or driving without insurance. If the latter it's likely your dad could actually be held liable also for what I suspect would amount to a breach of contract (I highly suspect the contract will cover who can drive the vehicle). So your dad should consider himself lucky if they are only pursuing you.

But as above, your getting of lightly if they don't want to use their insurance as it would certainly affect your own premiums, probably significantly if you are a young chap.

Sgt_Pepper_2

paddedjohn wrote: »

If the handbrake is electronic then how can it not be applied when the key is removed and how can it be released without the key?
If your father applied the handbrake then its either on or off, no half measures, and if you didnt release it then it must be faulty.

Quite easily if its not been set.

colino

Are trolls allowed to sit in the big seat?

Gloomendoom

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

Quite easily if its not been set.

Don't they set themselves? I've never driven one that didn't. Not that I've driven every car fitted with one.

The whole thing sounds a bit odd to me. The handbrake doesn't work. The foot brake doesn't work.

fivetide

paddedjohn wrote: »

If the handbrake is electronic then how can it not be applied when the key is removed and how can it be released without the key?
If your father applied the handbrake then its either on or off, no half measures, and if you didnt release it then it must be faulty.

I was reading somethign the other day, might have even been on here where someone had parked a new Merc in the office car park for the first time and pushed the 'hold' button on the dash thinking that was the electronic brake.

It isn't. It's a fancy thing they have for not lettign the car roll back on a hill without you ahving to apply the footbrake etc.

Apparently it didn't start rolling until he'd got into the office at which point it was too late to sort out so the OP's story is certainly plausible.

Are you actually uninsured OP? Just wondering if you might have been covered 3rd party only which doesn't help get the courtesy car fixed but does from a legal point of view.

Sgt_Pepper_2

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Don't they set themselves? I've never driven one that didn't. Not that I've driven every car fitted with one.

The whole thing sounds a bit odd to me. The handbrake doesn't work. The foot brake doesn't work.

Not some of the ones I've driven.

Nicki

fivetide wrote: »

I was reading somethign the other day, might have even been on here where someone had parked a new Merc in the office car park for the first time and pushed the 'hold' button on the dash thinking that was the electronic brake.

It isn't. It's a fancy thing they have for not lettign the car roll back on a hill without you ahving to apply the footbrake etc.

Apparently it didn't start rolling until he'd got into the office at which point it was too late to sort out so the OP's story is certainly plausible.

Are you actually uninsured OP? Just wondering if you might have been covered 3rd party only which doesn't help get the courtesy car fixed but does from a legal point of view.

If he wasn't on the list of people authorised by the garage to drive the car, then he wasn't insured, even if he has insurance on his own vehicle which covers him third party for other vehicles. This is because the third party insurance only covers him to drive other vehicles with the owner's express consent. We had exactly this issue recently with a courtesy car and so had to check the position legally.

anotherbaldrick

If the car does not have a traditional handbrake , it has an electronic brake. The electronic brake is automatically applied when the vehicle is stationary and the engine switched off . The roll forward scenario is not possible as described with any make of car I am familiar with unless there is an unprecedented system failure, in which case refer the problem back to the rental company.

JimmyTheWig

So what type of car is it, OP?
Were the keys in the ignition?
Was the engine turned on at the time?
Is it an automatic or manual? What gear was it in?