accident in petrol station

[splang]

Hi all - Advice requested:

I was driving past a car who had stopped for fuel in a service station today - I was going slowly (slow walking pace) and as my door was alongside the other car's passenger door the 5 yr old girl (who was invisible before as she was not in a booster seat etc) decided to open her door into my car - not looking. It hit my car in the rear door panel.
I pulled in and asked the lady who was fuelling for her insurance details (very politely ) and got ' when i'm Fing (she swore a lot!) ready you ****' etc etc.

I waited and she still did not..although she had finished with the pump. So I told her I would have to phone to police - which I did (although I left the pump area to do so).

Eventually I got her details and so cancelled the call to the police. The service station manager was a witness to her verbal abuse.
There doesn't seem to be any lasting damage to my door - slight smudge will probably tcut out.

Do you think I was in the wrong? (this service station is designed so that there is room for 3 cars (two fuelling and one in the middle)..
There is CCTV which the police can request - I wonder if the insurance company can?

Thanks for any advice.

ps The lady even went on her phone in her car right by the pumps and the manager who I was chatting with had to go up and tell her to stop....
Oh, what a day!

 

[pammy]

Can't see anything that would suggest you were at fault at all. A child opened the door into your car - therefore the owners fault. If you got that amount of abuse - dread to think what the little girl will have got .

 

[Howard]

People as thick and ignorant as that should be culled at birth ...

 

[GrahamC230K]

I'd have asked her to look a the damage with me before diving for insurance details, but to be honest I doubt the outcome would have been any more pleasant.

Something that will cut out is normally fairly obvious. As it seems it's the case it will, I'd do it and forget about it.

I had someone open their door on to mine (the C200) while parked next to me. Pointed it out, including paint from their door on mine, blue on silver in the exact contact area of her door to mine - she denied it! What can you do? I told her all i really wanted was her to say sorry, I got a mouth full too.

 

[NW_Merc]

Inform your insurance company of what happened in case she decides to file a claim against you, even if there wasn't any damage to your car, in this day and age of people chasing compensation I'd inform them of the incident and all the evidence that you have.

 

[Dieselman]

Do you think I was in the wrong? (this service station is designed so that there is room for 3 cars (two fuelling and one in the middle)..

No you didn't do anything wrong. As the driver of a car she is responsible for any damage caused by thet vehicle, whether by her or passengers.

Howard has raised a very valid point..

 

[glojo]

People as thick and ignorant as that should be culled at birth ...

If it will T cut out then that would be my choice of action. I have my own thoughts on the actions of the third party, but voicing them would be of no benefit. My old sergeant always used to tell me to leave ample room when overtaking to allow for ignorant drivers\passengers that might open their doors without looking. However the onus is on these folks to make sure it is safe to do so. You are innocent, they are guilty. It would be impossible in your situation to leave the required amount of distance. Would the Police do anything? I think we all know the answer to that question. What a pity you were not in an old Land rover and they opened their door just in front of you

Good luck with the T-cut.

John

 

[Howard]

I have to say ....

When i was young and silly , i once knocked the door off a custard yellow Lada on the Greenford Road ...

This old guy just (literally) threw it wide open in front of me , i was about 10 metres away , i had no chance of stopping and it came off like in a film ...

I did stop and went to talk to the old guy , who quite happily said it was his fault, not to worry, he should have looked .....

I didn't need telling twice , so off i went ( 18 years old in a Gti Cabrio , would have done wonders for my insurance ) I painted the new wing myself in the garage , a fine job it was too

I'm much more grown up now, have a wife and a mortgage and everything ....

 

[Merc_Angel]

People as thick and ignorant as that should be culled at birth ...

You are quite right. The other point made in this thread was what the heck are those kiddies going to grow up like! No wonder the World in getting like it is

 

[Dieselman]

I have to say ....

When i was young and silly , i once knocked the door off a custard yellow Lada on the Greenford Road ...

This old guy just (literally) threw it wide open in front of me , i was about 10 metres away , i had no chance of stopping and it came off like in a film ...

I did stop and went to talk to the old guy , who quite happily said it was his fault, not to worry, he should have looked .....

I didn't need telling twice , so off i went ( 18 years old in a Gti Cabrio , would have done wonders for my insurance ) I painted the new wing myself in the garage , a fine job it was too

I'm much more grown up now, have a wife and a mortgage and everything ....

Ha ha.
Err but it wasn't your fault, you should have claimed against him...but you do these things when young and green.

 

[splang]

Thanks for your support all,

I felt I hadn't done anything wrong - just checking from an impartial point of view....

I was quite proud of myself keeping calm and polite in the face of this abuse..

 

[Merc_Angel]

Thanks for your support all,

I felt I hadn't done anything wrong - just checking from an impartial point of view....

I was quite proud of myself keeping clam and polite in the face of this abuse..

Well Done. NEVER come down to their level

 

[MBManInKen]

I was quite proud of myself keeping clam and polite in the face of this abuse..

Well done. Been there myself, so know how hard it can be.

 

[Swiss Toni]

The Police will have no interest in this whatsoever.

You, on the other hand, have a right to a copy of the CCTV and should make a request for all of the CCTV the forecourt have of you (give times, description, reg etc) in writing, and hand it to the store manager.

 

[pluggers]

A mate of mine had a little mishap on a BP petrol station recently when a car drove into the side of his as he was pulling away.From what happened afterwards the petrol station would only release the cctv footage to the insurace company after a £10 fee was recieved.But be quick as it was said these tapes are frequently used again(Every 2 weeks I think).

 

[Swiss Toni]

A mate of mine had a little mishap on a BP petrol station recently when a car drove into the side of his as he was pulling away.From what happened afterwards the petrol station would only release the cctv footage to the insurace company after a £10 fee was recieved.But be quick as it was said these tapes are frequently used again(Every 2 weeks I think).

The tapes may well be recycled on a weekly basis - although many places now download from hard disk.

"Only releasing to the insurance company" would actually be a breach of the Data Protection Act as it is the individual who is legally entitled to the images - so I take it that it is syntax, and they wouldn't release to anyone until the fee had been paid? They can charge you a small fee, though only enough to cover costs.

 

[SilverSaloon]

Inform your insurance company of what happened in case she decides to file a claim against you, even if there wasn't any damage to your car, in this day and age of people chasing compensation I'd inform them of the incident and all the evidence that you have.

i wouldnt; (see my insurance thread).... they may end up charging u next year for it!!

 

[splang]

Well, an update for you:

I had a call today from Tesco insurance (her insurer) saying they had received a claim against me.

they have decided (against her wishes) to admit full liability and will pay for repairs and hire care etc...
(any injury they asked me? lol - no)

A bit of a result - they said there is no need to contact your insurers if you dont want to - they will pay for it all and are happy to arrange everything...all merc parts and paint etc...

Quite happy now... tbh the damage would probably just buff out but as she was so mean and rude I shall accept their offer and she can pay her excess and lose her no claims...:bannana:

 

[glojo]

Quite happy now... tbh the damage would probably just buff out but as she was so mean and rude I shall accept their offer and she can pay her excess and lose her no claims...:bannana:

:bannana: :bannana: :bannana: I just love stories with happy endings. Brilliant result and thanks for the update.

John

 

[gina2201]

Well done, hope it gets sorted quickly!