help needed contacting the police and opinion needed

red_devil

Cant see where else to put this. Hope it dosent get moved? Id like your opinions.

while out shopping today i saw a man back his car into another car and drive off it was careless he was trying to pull out. I saw it and i noted down his number i happened to have a pen on me. I then left a message on the car windscreen to say your car was hit i saw it and this is the mans registration i thought you should know. It was an old car but thats not the point is it the man drove off and caused abit of damage. I would want to know if it were my car.

I carried on shopping and later on noticed the car had gone i presume they got the note altho i dont know for sure. I didnt leave my name or anything just that i had seen it happen. I wasnt sure if this was enough so when i got home i called the local police station to ask advice and say id seen what happened if anyone got in touch. I couldnt get through i hung on for 4 mins in a queue usual story and then hung up the phone. I wondered whether to just leave it now ive done my best or try the police again. The driver might not even care and i might be ringing the police for nothing. would i have to give all my details too. Any advice. Would you leave it now. Im not prepared to keep ringing the police and being held in a queue for ages.

I just like to do the right thing if i can and its annoyed me that the man drove off.

novagirl

I'd just leave it now to be honest....you tried!
I've left a note before on someone's car saying I'd seen someone hit it and left my mobile number on it if they ever needed to contact me. Nothing came of it.

bestpud

Hmm, that's a tough one!

I'm not sure if the owner could do anything without a witness? If that is the case they could be stumped, even if they took the reg number to the police. I guess the guilty person could also argue someone else had done it and put his reg number in place of theirs?

Where is your local police station? Is it easier to just go there, or would it be miles out of your way?

Part of me is thinking you've tried and part is wondering how I'd feel were it my car that had been hit...

red_devil

tricky isnt it. the police station isnt too far. I just dont know how far to take it all. I wonder if i could email the police.

pinkshoes

I'm not sure your note would have been much use without your contact details too, because they'll need a witness. Unless there was CCTV in the carpark?

Which police number did you phone? Try the 0845 one for whichever region you're in, for reporting non-urgent crimes.

Very good of you to leave a note though! I'm always amazed at how many people cause damage and just drive off!

red_devil

i did try the 0845 upon my return but i had to hang up as was waiting for 4mins and no sign of my call being taken. Its a shame i didnt get through. More opinions please all welcome.

Butterfliesarepretty

red_devil wrote: »

Cant see where else to put this. Hope it dosent get moved? Id like your opinions.

while out shopping today i saw a man back his car into another car and drive off it was careless he was trying to pull out. I saw it and i noted down his number i happened to have a pen on me. I then left a message on the car windscreen to say your car was hit i saw it and this is the mans registration i thought you should know. It was an old car but thats not the point is it the man drove off and caused abit of damage. I would want to know if it were my car.

I carried on shopping and later on noticed the car had gone i presume they got the note altho i dont know for sure. I didnt leave my name or anything just that i had seen it happen. I wasnt sure if this was enough so when i got home i called the local police station to ask advice and say id seen what happened if anyone got in touch. I couldnt get through i hung on for 4 mins in a queue usual story and then hung up the phone. I wondered whether to just leave it now ive done my best or try the police again. The driver might not even care and i might be ringing the police for nothing. would i have to give all my details too. Any advice. Would you leave it now. Im not prepared to keep ringing the police and being held in a queue for ages.

I just like to do the right thing if i can and its annoyed me that the man drove off.

The other day I was driving to work into Mcr on Rochdale Road and noticed a woman with kids in her car and she was on the mobile driving (never stopped talking into the phone) and she carried on driving while talking one hand on the wheel and turned right after about half a mile still on the mobile. Her reg was easy to remember and so I emailed the police with all the relevant details, guess what I did not even get a thank you or a anything!

It just annoyed me that she did not care about what would happen to her kids if she crashed or caused a crash.

Whats the point??

red_devil

well done you, ive seen it as well its awful. Im almost wishing i had said to the man you've just hit that car wonder what would have happened you only have a min to think but i could have said arent you gonna leave your name etc?

pinkshoes

shawtj2 wrote: »

The other day I was driving to work into Mcr on Rochdale Road and noticed a woman with kids in her car and she was on the mobile driving (never stopped talking into the phone) and she carried on driving while talking one hand on the wheel and turned right after about half a mile still on the mobile. Her reg was easy to remember and so I emailed the police with all the relevant details, guess what I did not even get a thank you or a anything!

It just annoyed me that she did not care about what would happen to her kids if she crashed or caused a crash.

Whats the point??

Unless you had hard evidence such as a photo of her doing it, including the car reg in the photo (very difficult to take if it was just you in the car, as you would have been no doubt breaking the law yourself), then there's not much the police can do.

I believe they get alot of emails from people trying to get others in trouble out of spite, so maybe they didn't realise it was genuine?

superscaper

The police wouldn't do anything anyway beyond making sure the guy gave his insurance details to the other driver. It's a civil matter.

Blacksheep1979

It's a crime anyway so you should report it - besides people who drive off are scum. Did you get the reg of the car that was hit as you could ask the police to contact them and pass on your number incase they need it.