My car door was scraped and dented in the local sports centre park on Monday – has anybody any experience of accessing CCTV pictures for similar damage. It looks like a side swipe from a bumper with the dent and scrape being about 30cm long – should I bother or just put it down to modern living?

You can ask but they’ll likely hide behind the “all cars parked…..” that they all trot out and think is legally binding.
It isn’t BUT good luck getting them to understand this.

Expect to hear “Sorry Sir, data protection…” or similar 🙄

Data Protection Act will stop you i think! It’s a civil matter and doesn’t meet the criteria under the act for them to be obliged to disclose it to you.

Can’t imagine they’ll give you access. They might check it themselves, or you could contact the police. My car is covered in dents from stuff like this. Boils my piss. The police were really good though when someone hit the car while I was watching and drove off… Straight round her house and back with the insurance details. They wanted to charge her with leaving the scene of an accident.

Honestly not worth the hassle. *If* you are allowed to look at the CCTV, you’ve then got to involve insurance or small claims or whatever. Months of bother for what is likely a very cheap repair.

Just take it to your local ChipsAway, pay the £50 and get on with your life.

They wanted to charge her with leaving the scene of an accident.

Just out of interest, who stopped them ?

Just out of interest, who stopped them ?

Me. It sounded a bit excessive. I gave her the benefit of the doubt, thought, you know, maybe she’s a bit embarrassed, probably not a bad person really… Then the police went round the next day and she denied it! At which point, quite honestly, I wish I’d given them the go-ahead, but they had been very clear that I only had 24 hours to make the decision.

Her insurance paid out no bother though. So nothing lost. It’s just annoying that people are so dishonest.

Whilst leaving the scene of an accident is not a good idea, admitting liability without discussing it with your insurance company is not a good idea either. Just swap details and leave the insurance company to figure out the rest…

Get a mate to agree to be your witness and just take down the number of the next car you park next to when out shopping. Then 6 months later go to a no-win/no fee claims chasing parasite law firm and tell them to pursue a claim against that reg number. Give your witness details. The insurance company of the poor bloke next to you will roll over and pay…..

well that is what happened to me anyway. I am not bitter.

That appears to be commonly interpreted as having to deny that you had any involvement, when it actually means that it’s quite reasonable for you to admit to exactly what you did – you can say to another party that you drove your car into theirs if that is what happened and you’re simply telling the truth. All you’re supposed to avoid doing is admitting that therefore you are liable for the costs of the repair. Admitting to what you did isn’t at all the same as admitting liability.

Just take it to your local ChipsAway, pay the £50 and get on with your life.

It’s going to be more than £50 – £500 more likely.

Sue the car park for not disclosing the fact that a crime was recorded by their CCTV.

The Police can ask for the CCTV footage (section 29 Data Protection Act). Report it as a crime. The supermarket still doesn’t have to disclose but most people get all gibber when the Police ask so probably will.