Accidental damage to car - question

[PaulSB]

Agreed, I think it is not great that A and C went through arrangements without Sandra knowing, but we don’t have the full story. Did Sandra’s Daughter report to her what happened, if not, why not? Personally I would be a bit annoyed that I was not consulted and would want to see a receipt/photos but ultimately I would pay for my child’s mistake as I could not see A or C out of pocket. Maybe I am unique in this, but I won’t change my position.

No you’re not unique. I would pay up for my child’s mistake. I understand why Sandra is upset about the arrangement between A and C but in the same position I would put my hand in my pocket.

 

[PaulSB]

Irrelevant whataboutery - sorry, @PaulSB. The only practicality in this thread is the one described (?) by the OP.

No need to apologise. I’m not upset. Thank you anyway.

 

[mjr]

I’ve driven for 45 years and until today I was unaware a car driver is legally responsible for the actions of a passenger. In fact the only information on this I have is from unknown posters on a cycling forum. I’m therefore not convinced it’s correct.

Can you provide evidence of this? I’ve googled for a few minutes and found nothing other than an item on littering.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regulation/105/made is the regulation where it's an offence for a car user aka driver to permit a door to be opened dangerously.

I see you found the one on littering. This responsibility is piecemeal AFAIK, defined by lots of little regulations. I suspect it's not a general responsibility so as not to include some truly bizarre evils done by passengers that a driver couldn't reasonably prevent, unlike checking their mirrors and warning a passenger not to open their door because a car is about to pass dangerously close.

 

[growingvegetables]

I would pay up for my child’s mistake.

I'd happily (?) have my child pay up for his/her mistake.

But ... I do (still) have a problem with the casual, and (as of now) unevidenced, assumption that the youngest female present is liable.

What scares me? Precisely that.

 

[oldfatfool]

Another thought for Sandra, if she tells a to jog on, the next time her 15yo daughter needs a lift, possibly at night, maybe all her freinds will tell her to take shanks' pony or ring her mum.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

OK this is how you’ve interpreted my words. I have to tell you you’re wrong and I don’t hold with the four wheels are good barge your way through approach.

I do feel you’ve taken my words and extrapolated them a very long way. Can I ask a question by giving a scenario.

You’re driving on a single carriageway, typical urban road or street. There are cars parked on both sides restricting the road width to sufficient for cars to pass each other in opposite directions. There is though insufficient road width for drivers in both directions to move out of the door zone without crossing the centre of the road.

What position in the road would you adopt? How long would you be prepared to wait stationary until you could pull out sufficiently to be out of the door zone.

This is what I mean by the practicality of modern driving. If every driver positioned the vehicle outside of the door zone traffic would come to a standstill in minutes. I’m not advocating “the I’m in a big metal box I own the road approach.”

You would drive down the road a speed which would allow you to stop in the event of a door being opened, granted there is always a chance that even at a moderated speed somebody will still open a door, you do not do what it appears you currently do barrel down the road without a care.

 

[oldfatfool]

But ... I do (still) have a problem with the casual, and (as of now) unevidenced, assumption that the youngest female present is liable.

What scares me? Precisely that.

If the daughter had opened her door and it had been into the path of a cyclist rather than a car, who would you have been trying to blame? The driver or the cyclist?

 

[oldfatfool]

You would drive down the road a speed which would allow you to stop in the event of a door being opened, granted there is always a chance that even at a moderated speed somebody will still open a door, you do not do what it appears you currently do barrel down the road without a care.

So in future every time a cyclist gets doored it is their fault for riding too close to parked cars or cycling too fast.

 

[Spinney]

Mod note: this is getting well beyond the original query, and is going round in circles.
Time to leave it.