Lewegie

Girlfriend had a very minor bump yesterday, bumper to bumper with another car. Both drivers got out, only apparent damage was her number plate cracked.
The guy said he wanter BMW to check his bumper over and he will call tonight for insurance details.
Question is, does she have to provide insurance details when there was no apparent damage, (the collision was really that small). If it turns out damage has been caused, if she is deemed to be the cause of the bump, can she opt to pay it herself.
From what she has told me its a 50/50 knock for knock situation.

davegtt

She can offer to pay for it herself, Ive done this once (or twice ) in the past. usually though it can cause some akwardness as the other party will demand the most expensive garage (i.e BMW) to repair it themselves at a stupid cost... when you know full well it shouldnt cost half of that

Lewegie

Thanks Dave, i tend to think that is exactly what this guy is going to do as he mentioned taking it to BMW. If it goes through the insurance i guess the ins company will nominate a repair garage.
Fingers crossed there's no damge or i can imagine her having to go through all the paperwork to prove it wasn't her fault.

davegtt

Dunno. sometimes an insurance company will let him have it repaired at his choice.... depends who you are insured with. 1 bump (Im going backa few years though btw ) I had a similar thing to your misses, rolled into the back of the car infront (wasnt paying attention. broke my num plate, broke a headlight lens too (cr@ppy cheap quad lights, if it was std head light it wouldnt have broke) anyhow there was no dmg or even paint dmg to the other car. she took my number just incase.... next thing I know shes took it to a bodyshop to have it checked and "aparently" her boot doesnt open and the floor pan is all bent yet there wasnt even paint dmg on the bumper and I was in a little reno 5 with hardly any dmg???? so after a bit of arguing I told her to get lost cause I think shes trying to pull a fast 1 and sent her onto my insurance company and let them know I thought she was pulling a fast un. the claim still went through thou

Lewegie

Amazing how much damage can be caused to one vehicle from a cracked number plate !!!!
Luckily, she was switched on and took some photo's of both cars, but going on your experience, this may not make any difference if this guy comes back with all sorts of damage. Why do i always fear the worst.

mad_dr

What was the situation that made it a 50/50 fault?

Lewegie

Going up hill in traffic, as she stopped she saw car in front rolling back. Her front bumper, his rear bumper.
I think she may in seen to be in the wrong as she was behind even though the car in front was rolling back.

03-CTR

personally i wouldn't pay or say anything until it is proven to be your girlfriends fault.

if it was her fault and the bumper is damaged then fair play but i'd want to see some cast iron proof that there is 'actually' some genuine damage.

if the paint has not been cracked then it is unlikely that the bumper will have been damaged as paint is more prone to cracking than the polymer used for bumpers. ok the number plate has cracked but they are quite brittle by comparison.

not sure if this is possible but an independent inspection would be the way to go given that bmw will want to make money regardless of damage

03-CTR

that's got to be his fault surely as you're supposed to apply the handbrake in these kind of situations.

Lewegie

Thanks CTR, i will obviuosly wait to see whether she is seen to be at fault. An independent assessment would be the way forward. Hope thats possible. By the way, it was her number plate that was cracked, no signs of damage to his bumper.

03-CTR

i can't honestly see how it can be proven to be her fault. as a driver you are 100% responsible for the car an if it's rolling backward on a hill and you're sat in it then it shouldn't be. what he did was dangerous as a pedestrian could have been passing in between the two cars.

i thought that it was your girlfriends number plate that was damaged so in that case i'd see what the beemer driver says. if he starts trying it on then i'd take him to the cleaners if/when it's proven to be his fault.

vindaloo

If she was stationary at the time then it's the other driver's fault for not controlling his vehicle. Problem is you'll need a witness or the other driver to be witless. If it goes to insurance make sure you state the other car rolled back. Who knows, BMW driver might cop to it in his statement.

J.

Leslie

There is no way that can be her fault as lonmg as she can prove he was rolling backwards. Its is exactly the same as someone reversing into a parked car.

She should carefully get him to admit that he was rolling backwards and later deny any culpability.

Les

davegtt

ahhh but then he could say he rolled back a couple of inches and that she stopped too close to him, hence it's her fault, she should have left a couple of feet gap between the 2 cars when stopping behind him...

brihoppy

does that matter if shes stationary, as far as im aware, even in traffic a stationary car is considered to be parked isnt it...so in theory, he has reversed into a parked car...surely its the same principle if you park too close to someone and they bump your car trying to get out...your a dick for parking too close, but its their fault they hit you...?!

Jap2Scrap

I'd recommend having ready some method of recording the inevitable telephone conversation. Then get the other half to clearly state "But surely you only rolled back into me at about 5mph, how did you do that much damage?" when he gives her the extortionate repair quote. If he doesn't answer by saying something along the lines of "Oi cow, you drove into ME!" it'll go some way to proving that he did hit her instead of vice-versa when the insurers get involved.

It might sound extreme but I can virtually guarantee her insurers will end up footing the bill else.

Harry_Boy

Don't believe that it's relevant how close she was to the car in front. If he rolled back, then he has simply failed to control his vehicle properly, and is therefore 100% culpable.

If she was stationary and he was moving (backwards!), then she has no liability for the damage caused. On the other hand, he is responsible for whatever damage he has caused to your girlfriend's car.

Lewegie

Thanks guys but she said it all happened so fast that she was only stopped for a second before he rolled back and got out and accused her of running into him. She said she hadn't even realised they had touched the impact was so light. Must get her to phone her insurance company just to advise them of what happened.

He will claim she hit him, she will claim he rolled back into her.

Will keep you updated of how this pans out.

Drunken Bungle Whore

Would suggest keeping one of these in the car:


http://www.disposablecamerashop.co.u...ils.asp?PID=34

Very handy if someone tries to enhance the value of an accident.....

Tiggs

unless the guy is a complete moron he will claim she hit him...i would!

16vmarc

Ive just phoned my insurers about my bump back in september. Still no progress!!!!


Corner

Spoon

What, like she did.

Tiggs- The thing is, personally I wouldn't be such an arsé as to say it was her fault if I did roll back, but then that's me.

DrEvil

Good luck - mostly the person behind cop's it for not leaving enough space between them and the car in front - well in the examples I've heard of in the past.

Sorry.

As Tiggs said, the guy will no doubt claim she hit him and deny rolling back.

Good luck - hope it goes in your favour.

midget1500

traffic lights, on a hill, rolling back - certainly seems to be the most plausible explaination. when he phones ask for his insurance details first!

Leslie

You are not really a man of honour then Tiggs!

As far as I know, if someone hits you after you have stopped, even if you are causing an obstruction, then it is the other driver's fault. That is why it is sensible to come to a complete halt if you have a vehicle approaching you on one of the very narrow roads we have around here.

Its a good defence against the buses here who often try to force you off the road.

Les