Very minor car park accident - other party refused details

diego_94

Good morning

so Yesterday afternoon I was involved in a minor incident in a car park. Was pulling away out of a space, and next doors car door swung open and hit my door. The owner had his head in the car and the wind caught it.
I got out to check damage, and there is a very small mark on the handle. The owner apologised for what happened and went to walk off, to which I said excuse me and asked for details etc. His mate who was there said I drove into him and refused to give any details. After a bit of to and fro they walked off saying I could get everything from their reg.

Now the damage is tiny, probably 1mm square chunk of paint missing from the handle and the excesses on insurance will probably be more than the damage actually will cost. So I think I am over reacting a little bit. Also it’s a he said she said scenario so I am never going to prove anything. 

However the flippancy from the owners and the fact they refused to give details annoyed me. Is there anything I can do? Don’t want to bother the police with it.

facade

diego_94 said:

However the flippancy from the owners and the fact they refused to give details annoyed me. Is there anything I can do? Don’t want to bother the police with it.

Unless you can cause a piano to fall from the sky on top of their car (or them) then you can either

a) remember who they are, write it in your little book, and spend the rest of your life thinking about it, and waiting for a chance to do something to them.

b) try and get over it, get a bottle of touch up paint and fill in the mark and don't look at that side of the car again.

In real Life, triggering the expense of involving insurance over one tiny paint chip is going to bite you.

diego_94

Thanks for your advice. This is exactly what I needed!

mobileron

Superglue his locks?

diego_94

Haha unfortunately I don’t know where they live. 

user1977

diego_94 said:

Haha unfortunately I don’t know where they live. 

Well, they did at least give you a hint about a method of finding that out...

ontheroad1970

user1977 said:

diego_94 said:

Haha unfortunately I don’t know where they live. 

Well, they did at least give you a hint about a method of finding that out...

Having the Reg number won't give you their address. You can under limited circumstances get their insurance details from MID.

user1977

ontheroad1970 said:

user1977 said:

diego_94 said:

Haha unfortunately I don’t know where they live. 

Well, they did at least give you a hint about a method of finding that out...

Having the Reg number won't give you their address.

Oh yes it will:

https://www.gov.uk/request-information-from-dvla

(well, the registered keeper's address).

ontheroad1970

Fair enough 👍

TooManyPoints

However, if all the OP wants to do is "...get a bottle of touch up paint and fill in the mark" he may be in for a disappointment. When completing DVLA form V888 he must supply (along with the vehicle's Registration Number) a description of the damage to his car, a photograph showing said damage, and either an invoice or an estimate for the repairs.

Bendy_House

Alas, there are two sorts of folks in this world. And I think that has become very much more apparent over the past 2-3 years.

Diego, I suspect, is one type, so wouldn't dream of (ok, he'd restrict it to a pleasant dream...) of supergluing anyone's locks, however much they deserved it.

The folk in the other car are very much the other type.

Just know you are better than them, 'cos you are.

Had it been a less 'minor' incident - a dented panel, etc., then you'd have had to take action; photos, ideally video recording the aftermath and the other party's responses, notifying insurance, and - if serious enough - could it be reportable to the local police (expect to have to wait a week+ for a response...) as leaving the scene of an accident? I dunno.

Folk like that make the rest of us better.