Think a neighbour scraped my wife's car - what to do?

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Think a neighbour scraped my wife's car - what to do?

60 posts & 28 voices | Started 6 months ago by GrahamS | Latest reply from bigyinn

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GrahamS - Member

Hive advice please:

A few weeks ago my wife noticed a decent sized scrape on her passenger-side real wheel arch. No note or anything to indicate who had done it and when. Typical

This morning I noticed that a car which has sat stationary in our street for a couple of weeks, has a very similar scrape also on their passenger-side real wheel arch and it seems to have unusual lime green paint transfer in it, identical to the (hideous) colour of my wife's Fiesta.

So what to do?

We're not sure who owns the car, it could be any of half a dozen houses. Do we just go door-to-door and demand to know who owns it?

Is there any point? Presumably they will just claim that she hit them without realising it (possible I guess, but very unlikely as [A] she is a good driver and [B] she has rear parking sensors which would be going mental before she hit anything in that area).

Is it worth getting the bizzies involved? Seems a bit much for a simple scrape.

Posted 6 months ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

Plod won't be interested - try popping a note on the offending car politely asking whether they are aware their car may have clipped your wife's.

It might have been your wife that did it and she daren't admit it though

I do see loads of cars with reverse sensors on them with dings though - I think people rely on them way too much. My brother in law just clipped his one week ond 5 Series BMW in such circumstances. Ouch.

Posted 6 months ago #
brassneck - Member

Drink a pint of water

Wait a while.

Locate neighbours shoes.

Do what comes naturally

To be honest, if they weren't decent enough to leave a note you're probably onto a loser. I've lost a couple of powered wing mirrors because somebody couldn't be bothered to slow to a sensible pace on the narrow roads round here, never got any joy.

Posted 6 months ago #
KINGTUT - Member

Forget it and move on, it will be impossible to prove anything.

Posted 6 months ago #
nedrapier - Member

Not even playing devils advocate, or insinuating anything at all, But genuinely interested:

There are scrapes on both cars, is there any way of telling which one was moving when they came together?

Posted 6 months ago #
monkey_boy - Member

Forget it and move on, it will be impossible to prove anything.

sadly i th ink this is your best option as frustrating as it is

Posted 6 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

It might have been your wife that did it and she daren't admit it though

Considered that, but she's an honest sort and would be mortified if she (knowingly) hit another car. Especially in her own street.

if they weren't decent enough to leave a note you're probably onto a loser

I suspect they may just not have noticed. There are quite a few elderlies in our street who probably wouldn't have heard it if they did it.

Posted 6 months ago #
B.A.Nana - Member

I thought parking sensors were just back and front, not on the side aswell.

Posted 6 months ago #
camo16 - Member

You could glare piercingly at all potential suspects you encounter in the street.

The person who ducks your gaze is your culprit. That's when you wee in their shoes.

Or sigh, shake your fist at the way Britain has become a 'broken society' and move on.

Posted 6 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

There are scrapes on both cars, is there any way of telling which one was moving when they came together?

I'm sure there is forensically, but I doubt any insurance company would give that much of a crap.

Posted 6 months ago #
deadlydarcy - Member

If he or she hadn't been decent enough to admit to it in the first place, then how likely is it now? Annoying as it is, you might just have to let it go.

Posted 6 months ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

I thought parking sensors were just back and front, not on the side aswell.

They wrap around the sides on some cars to give coverage on the corners.

Posted 6 months ago #
nedrapier - Member

Actually having thought about it for a moment, you probably could. some will probably be dead easy, but some probably less so eg 2 wheel arches on one car equally scraped, and a full length scratch on the other.

Posted 6 months ago #
Harry_the_Spider - Member

Forget it and move on,

Like he says^

You could let a couple of tires down though.

Last year the old bloke over the road reversed into my mum's car when she was visiting then buggered off despite his wife standing in the road and waving him out. We though it looked a bit close from our front room but found a scrape later in the day and there was a corresponding ding in his car.

The week after a combined harvester was struggling to get up the lane passed a parked car and took out about 8' of the guy's hedge with its rear wheels. It didn't stop.

Karma in action.

Posted 6 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

I thought parking sensors were just back and front, not on the side aswell.

True, but they do cover a fair area to the rear corner.

Posted 6 months ago #
bigyinn - Member

Yep, unless you have a witness who comes forward or the owner of the car happens to be a reasonable person you're onto a loser. Sorry. Its not right or proper, but I've had the same and it really fecks me off. Found 2 new scratches on the car that must have been done by someone walking past it. Boils my piss, it really does.

Posted 6 months ago #
brassneck - Member

I suspect they may just not have noticed. There are quite a few elderlies in our street who probably wouldn't have heard it if they did it.

I think you're being a little too charitable
If they didn't notice a scraping sound they probably shouldn't be driving. Maybe they had some bangin' choons on though

Posted 6 months ago #
brassneck - Member

I'm sure there is forensically, but I doubt any insurance company would give that much of a crap.

I had my lotus scratched all the way down one side whilst it was parked in a shop car park. The #@£$% involved got out, looked at it. laughed and drove off. Luckily someone else saw it, wrote me a note and left their address to act as a witness.

The insurance company still wanted to call it 50/50
I took umbrage, and applied what pressure I could.. in the end they discovered the other driver was also covered by them! 8 months later they coughed for the repair and respray, and re instated my NCD.

All this demonstrates is that insurance companies will try anything, inclusing hoping you die of boredom, to avoid paying out. That's your next unpleasant choice, whether to bother or not

Posted 6 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

It's not exactly major damage:

I doubt it'd even be worth getting insurance involved in it.

Note: you can see the black paint from the offending car. The "unusual" colour of the missus car. And the proximity to her rear parking sensor.

Posted 6 months ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

Most of that looks like it will polish out.

Posted 6 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

Most of that looks like it will polish out.

Yeah it's really not too bad, which is why we don't want to make a major fuss.

Posted 6 months ago #
deadlydarcy - Member

Nice colour.

Posted 6 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

She likes it. I refuse to drive it in case anyone sees me.

Posted 6 months ago #
hora - Member

Personally I'd knock on doors until I found out whose car it was then ask them to come over/show them the damage and ask them pointblank about it.

If you don't fancy that there is nitromores.

I most certainly wouldn't leave it. To put that right will cost you circa £100-£300. If/When you eventually PX or sell it you'll lose circa the same amount. Why do people see it as a soft-crime or 'one of those things'?! Mind boggles.

Posted 6 months ago #
Gachet - Member

Most of that looks like it will polish out.

The black marks won't polish out, that's where the paint has been taken off and it's down to the plastic underneath.

It might have done some damage under the bumper as there looks to be a piece of balck plastic (wheel arch liner?) showing where the bumper meets the rear arch.

Posted 6 months ago #
hora - Member

Chipsaway would sort that out. I had similar when an RSJ jumped out and hit my car. Cost me £100.

The question is- the wheel arch liner was dislodged as well which means someone was parallel parking and they'd have definitely heard a crunch (unless they had really loud music on) but then if they didn't hear it they'd have carried on with the move and caused even more damage- probably pulled the clips off the corner of the bumper/causing the bumper to sag etc.

Guessing alot here - but possibly either the driver is OLD, doesn't care a jot or was pissed when they came home.

Posted 6 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

The other car:

Not obvious on the photo, but that paint transfer is exactly the same green.

Posted 6 months ago #
hora - Member

Peugeot 206? Its brazen. Why park your car back there with evidence on. Pissed driver or someone who thinks **** you.

At least you'd get your car repaired or try and t-cut out the paint wouldn't you?!!!

Posted 6 months ago #
gravitysucks - Member

Personally I'd knock on doors until I found out whose car it was then ask them to come over/show them the damage and ask them pointblank about it.

I would do this. Even if they point blank deny it at least they'll know that you know it was them. Card marked and all that.

Also knocking on other neighbours doors brings it to their attention as well. Shame them into it or at least let your neighbours know what a plonker they are.

My money's on it being a young driver to scared or stupid to do something about it. You might find yourself knocking on his mum's door who will do the right thing.

Nothing ventured and all that...

Posted 6 months ago #
bigyinn - Member

Look at the number of scrapes on that car. Clearly they're either a cr@p driver or simply don't care.
Stick a note on the windscreen and appeal to their better nature, but I suspect you'll be ignored!

Posted 6 months ago #
bikebouy - Member

You are angry..

Seek revenge...

Posted 6 months ago #
derek_starship - Member

Insert in their exhaust pipe - get a brew and a hobnob and wait...

Posted 6 months ago #
Cougar - Member

I was going to say "take photos" but you've already done that. Hm. Take better ones.

I strongly suspect that the other driver is either innocent or oblivious. If they knew and didn't want to 'fess up, they'd hide the car somewhere until they got it fixed (or, at least, face it away from you so you're less likely to notice.)

It is feasible that they just didn't realise. Years ago now, I once got a letter saying a claim was being made against me due to me clipping another car. Allegedly I was reversing out of a parking space in a car park and they claimed I'd caught their door as the nose swung out. I thought "yeah, right," but then went to look at my car and sure enough there was a scuff on my bumper that tallied with the photos of their damage. The solid bumper and relatively soft door skin meant that I simply couldn't feel it.

Posted 6 months ago #
hora - Member

Its impossible to be oblivious though. You'd feel resistance and/or noise.

In any case do it sooner rather than later. Show someone the evidence asap and ask them to refuite it.

After all, whats to stop the owner of the 206 thinking 'its a nice day I might take my car for a £5 valet'. Then you'll never know if its buffed out.

You never know the persons Mum etc may say 'oh again FFS'. They may say 'no' or they may say 'how much'.

Leaving it may result in you feeling injustice and abit of stress.

Posted 6 months ago #
organic355 - Member

Forget it and move on, it will be impossible to prove anything.

you have clearly not whathed CSI miami.

Posted 6 months ago #

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