Quick advice, hit and run on parked car

[Inertia]

Hi all, I hope you wont mind me asking but as its never happened to me before Id appreciate a pointer as to what to do first and I know there are more knowledgeable people then me here. I did my good deed for the day by taking my 101 year old aunt out for Sunday lunch. When I came out of the pub I found some nice person had scraped their car along the front of mine and ran off. Hopefully they caught it on CCTV as there is a camera pointed right at it but should I contact my insurance or Police first? I obviously don't want to use my insurance but Im guessing it could take a while and get messy to resolve if the other person causes problems.

 

[fossyant]

The police can't do much and it may just be logged for statistical purposes.

Certainly let the insurers know

How bad is the damage

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Only way of tracing the culprit will be via the cops if a registration number can be got from that CCTV. The cops won't want to be bothered tho'.

 

[Inertia]

The police can't do much and it may just be logged for statistical purposes.

Certainly let the insurers know

How bad is the damage

Mainly scraping on the front bumper so about 4-5 inches square patch of scraping round the foglights, I know its not massive damage but annoying. Hopefully they can get the registration, I'm not sure how they managed to do it really given where the damage it.

Will probably forget it and get it fixed myself I guess, just annoyed they will get away with it.

 

[SD1]

The cops will have little interest. Report it to them but they will make excuse after excuse. I would ask the pub for a copy of the video. Take that to your insurance company. Of course in a way it's your own fault. The same happened to my daughter and the police showed no interest at all, even though they had the make and most of the registration. Her boyfriend heard all their pathetic excuses, countered them and told them do their job. As he is a dective sergeant it helped focus their mind on doing their job. So get a police person for a bedfellow and your sorted!!!

 

[Spinney]

The cops will have little interest. Report it to them but they will make excuse after excuse. I would ask the pub for a copy of the video. Take that to your insurance company. Of course in a way it's your own fault. The same happened to my daughter and the police showed no interest at all, even though they had the make and most of the registration. Her boyfriend heard all their pathetic excuses, countered them and told them do their job. As he is a dective sergeant it helped focus their mind on doing their job. So get a police person for a bedfellow and your sorted!!!

How is it the OP's own fault??

 

[SD1]

How is it the OP's own fault??

For not have a relationship with a police officer! Obviously! If she had the investigation would be over and the perpetrator would be facing the death sentence.
Or I was only joking!

 

[Spinney]

For not have a relationship with a police officer! Obviously! If she had the investigation would be over and the perpetrator would be facing the death sentence.
Or I was only joking!

Wasn't sure! There are enough folks on here who will tell anyone an accident is their own fault whatever the circumstances...

 

[Drago]

Only way of tracing the culprit will be via the cops if a registration number can be got from that CCTV. The cops won't want to be bothered tho'.

Not so much a case of "bothered", but a case of cuts hitting so hard we don't have the staff to go to burglaries and robberies, never mind the low level (not to denigrate it) stuff.

When 84% of your operating costs are staff, and you've got to cut by 30%, yet still retain sufficient equipment premises and vehicles for th remaining staff to be able to operate, then something has to give.

DPA prevents the staff showing you the cctv, but many will. I'd have a chat with the staff, explain what happened, then ask if the cctv covers the spot where you were parked. If it does then ask them to retain in, and contact your insurers, who then have a legitimate reason to apply for a copy themselves.

If it doesn't cover the spot then there's nothing feds can do, and you'd need to hire Derek Acora.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Report it.

This toerag thought he'd get away with it too but CCTV caught him. Fail to stop, even for property damage only, should be a disqualification.

GC

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Not so much a case of "bothered", but a case of cuts hitting so hard we don't have the staff to go to burglaries and robberies, never mind the low level (not to denigrate it) stuff.

When 84% of your operating costs are staff, and you've got to cut by 30%, yet still retain sufficient equipment premises and vehicles for th remaining staff to be able to operate, then something has to give.

DPA prevents the staff showing you the cctv, but many will. I'd have a chat with the staff, explain what happened, then ask if the cctv covers the spot where you were parked. If it does then ask them to retain in, and contact your insurers, who then have a legitimate reason to apply for a copy themselves.

If it doesn't cover the spot then there's nothing feds can do, and you'd need to hire Derek Acora.

If it were me (and it had been established that cctv covered where my car was parked) I'd ask for the footage via a subject access request. Max fee they can charge is £10 but might be well worth it.

GC

 

[Scoosh]

Of course in a way it's your own fault.

How is it the OP's own fault??

In the same way that, were you travelling in a taxi in Teheran (some years ago at any rate) and the taxi driver had an accident, it was your fault, as he wouldn't have been there if you had not hired him and required him to be on that road at that particular time !

Distorted 'logic' but one can sort of understand it …

Similarly, if the OP had not been there, parked there …


I don't believe the OP has done anything wrong and am just as annoyed/ angry/ furious … resigned [sigh ] as is/ should be @Inertia. I hope you get a not-too-costly outcome.

 

[Inertia]

Thanks for all the advice all, am resigned to paying but will see what the camera shows, and how much the quote for repair is! @Scoosh , I am annoyed but what can you do, will see what happens and I wont let it ruin my day.

@SD1 , I could try and get in a relationship with a police officer but my wife may object and tell me to pay up instead.

 

[Globalti]

Amazing isn't it how precious we are about our cars? In France when parking on flat ground (most notably in Paris) you leave your handbrake off because you can be certain that somebody will come along and nudge your car with their bumper so as to create space. Consequently every Parisian car has damaged bumpers - which is what bumpers are for, isn't it?

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

When 84% of your operating costs are staff, and you've got to cut by 30%, yet still retain sufficient equipment premises and vehicles for th remaining staff to be able to operate, then something has to give.

Sounds like time for some innovative thinking and changes to working practices maybe? The service has my sympathy tho' as it's a tough place to be.