damaged car supermarket carpark

superflygal

Hi folks,

I had parked my car in a parent and child parking bay with my little one, when I reversed out I heard a tearing noise and my whole front bumper was ripped off. I couldn't understand it as I had checked all my mirrors before reversing. There was a flag pole but I had clearance.

When I got out I saw a square concrete block was holding the flagpole up. The concrete block was positioned on the hatched pedestrian route and was painted the same grey as the car park floor. As such it was not prominent and I would say it was camouflaged amongst the grey background.

I contacted the supermarket's customer services department. They asked how much the repair would be. I told them (a few hundred). They changed their tune then, and were rude and dismissive.

I was wondering if any kind MSErs know anything about car park legislation? I understand I was in charge of the car at the point the damage occurred, but I do feel any potential hazards, such ad a concrete block on a walking route, directly adjacent to a wide bay, should be clearly identifiable visibly, or of a shape and design that would not cause damage or injury to a person.

Grateful for any constructive advice!

sfg x

mchale

superflygal wrote: »

Grateful for any constructive advice!

sfg x

Open your eyes

SuperAllyB

Not got any constructive advice. Just be grateful it wasn't a toddler in a grey hoodie that was camouflaged against the car park floor.

Tigsteroonie

superflygal wrote: »

I had parked my car in a parent and child parking bay with my little one, when I reversed out I heard a tearing noise and my whole front bumper was ripped off. I couldn't understand it as I had checked all my mirrors before reversing. There was a flag pole but I had clearance.

When I got out I saw a square concrete block was holding the flagpole up. The concrete block was positioned on the hatched pedestrian route and was painted the same grey as the car park floor. As such it was not prominent and I would say it was camouflaged amongst the grey background.

I contacted the supermarket's customer services department. They asked how much the repair would be. I told them (a few hundred). They changed their tune then, and were rude and dismissive.

I was wondering if any kind MSErs know anything about car park legislation? I understand I was in charge of the car at the point the damage occurred, but I do feel any potential hazards, such ad a concrete block on a walking route, directly adjacent to a wide bay, should be clearly identifiable visibly, or of a shape and design that would not cause damage or injury to a person.

Grateful for any constructive advice!

It hasn't caused damage or injury to a person, it's caused damage to a car. But if it is on a path (a walking route) how/why were you manouvring your car there? It's customary to drive/reverse out of a space onto a road - did you swing wide, using the path for part of your manouvre? What if there had legitimately been a pedestrian there?

Alter_ego

Some might say you shouldn't drive on a hatched pedestrian area. But I guess you won't see that as constructive.

Edit- Sorry I type slowly

rs65

superflygal wrote: »

As such it was not prominent and I would say it was camouflaged amongst the grey background.

Did it have a flag pole sticking out of it?

Was it there when you parked or was it installed whilst you were shopping?

I think you have zero chance of blaming this on anyone else.

Strider590

superflygal wrote: »

when I reversed out

There is your big mistake, reversing out of spaces is very hazardous, you're having to watch the back of the car as well as the front, this is why I won't park next to anyone who's driven nose first into a parking space if I can possibly help it.

Reversing into a space, only need to look out at the rear.
Driving out of a space, only need to look ahead.

Perhaps i'm slightly biased, but my car has been swiped 3 times now by drivers swinging their front end into it whilst reversing out of parking spaces and my nephew got reversed into when he was 7 years old, again by a driver reversing out of a parking space.

I understand a lot of people do this because they lack the confidence reversing into tight spaces, but reversing out of a space is actually a lot more risky.

RichardD1970

Strider590 wrote: »

I understand a lot of people do this because they lack the confidence reversing into tight spaces, but reversing out of a space is actually a lot more risky.

I understand that a lot of people do it at supermarkets (me included) so that they can access the boot more easily and not be walking down the side of your car with bags full heavy shopping or worst sill trying to squeeze the trolley down there.

Iceweasel

Was the concrete post and/or the flagpole damaged?

Did you inform your insurance company of any damage to 3rd party property?

How on earth could the supermarket be responsible for the damage to your car caused by a large inanimate static object that you failed to see?

Serious question - when did you last have your eyesight tested?

I think that you need to sit down and have a serious think about this.

Silver-Surfer_2

God forbid anyone should have an accident whilst reversing.

What this driver equally stupid when reversing?
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4883093

AdrianC

Everybody is capable of driving into large stationary concrete blocks, if they don't look where they're going as they drive across the clearly-marked pedestrian areas, no matter what the contents of their underwear.