Clearly I have bought a magnet

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@MARK

Active Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
756
Location
Spalding, Lincolnshire
Car
Audi A7 Quattro
So having had a run in with a mental motorcycle rider a couple of weeks ago which needed the Dent Devils guys finest to sort, there I am driving down Chiswick High Road thing morning when crunch!

Mr White Van Man has clearly failed to spot I have stopped and has driven straight into my drivers side rear corner.

So I get out of the car and his co pilot is hanging out of the window asking if there is any damage.

At this point the driver has not got round to putting down his bacon butty.

So a good look around and it looks like he has rolled into the plastic bumper and there is no damage so after checking, checking again and telling Mr White Van man to wake up, we get on with our days.

For some reason, something in the back of my mind told me to make a note of his reg number as he was driving off.

Then when I was walking up to my car this afternoon I spotted it.

Sure enough the plastic was undamaged but there on the wheel arch was the dent :wallbash:

Right on the edge of what appears to be a single thickness of metal so hopefully the guy from Dent Devils will be able to sort it but none the less.

So I now need to send off £2.50 to DVLA to get the registers keepers details and then drop him a letter giving him the option of a £75 plus VAT Dent Devils bill or a call to his insurance company.

My gut feeling is that he will deny everything but at least that part of town is crawling with CCTV although I really don't want to go down the insurance route for something so minor.

But this is more damage than 4 years with the previous car so I am thinking of putting tyres round the side of my car like they do on boats as clearly I have bought a magnet.
 
Fix it and take it on the chin... If you believe in the saying that these things happen in 3's... you've got 1 more to go !
 
Fix it and take it on the chin...

Yup, Its done now, let it go. Is it really worth your time and effort to pursue the clown that bumped you for £75.. if there is a next time, inspect thoroughly and take pictures...
 
Yup, Its done now, let it go. Is it really worth your time and effort to pursue the clown that bumped you for £75.. if there is a next time, inspect thoroughly and take pictures...

I am going to get the details and send the letter. For the sake of £2.50, if you don't ask etc...

To be fair, he was apologetic, wasn't driving like a chump and I got the impression it was his van rather than a company one. If he had been driving like and idiot then my reaction would have been very different but it was just one of those things. Could it have been avoided? Yes had he been slightly more awake but s@@t happens.

As you say though, if he doesn't play game, not much I can really do about it.
 
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Its your call.. Keep us posted about what happens..
 
So having had a run in with a mental motorcycle rider a couple of weeks ago which needed the Dent Devils guys finest to sort, there I am driving down Chiswick High Road thing morning when crunch!

Mr White Van Man has clearly failed to spot I have stopped and has driven straight into my drivers side rear corner.

So I get out of the car and his co pilot is hanging out of the window asking if there is any damage.

At this point the driver has not got round to putting down his bacon butty.

So a good look around and it looks like he has rolled into the plastic bumper and there is no damage so after checking, checking again and telling Mr White Van man to wake up, we get on with our days.

For some reason, something in the back of my mind told me to make a note of his reg number as he was driving off.

Then when I was walking up to my car this afternoon I spotted it.

Sure enough the plastic was undamaged but there on the wheel arch was the dent :wallbash:

Right on the edge of what appears to be a single thickness of metal so hopefully the guy from Dent Devils will be able to sort it but none the less.

So I now need to send off £2.50 to DVLA to get the registers keepers details and then drop him a letter giving him the option of a £75 plus VAT Dent Devils bill or a call to his insurance company.

My gut feeling is that he will deny everything but at least that part of town is crawling with CCTV although I really don't want to go down the insurance route for something so minor.

But this is more damage than 4 years with the previous car so I am thinking of putting tyres round the side of my car like they do on boats as clearly I have bought a magnet.
Firstly bad luck & secondly(hindsight i know)from past experience always exchange details after an accident(however minor)as you are now aware even after what appears to be a minor shunt there can be hidden damage & if insurance details etc are exchanged at the time you have something for your insurance to go on.Unfortunately even if you get the registered owners details they are unlikely to admit liability so as others have said take the £75 on the chin & if it happens again you will be better prepared.
 
I must have the OPs old magnet -
No accidents in over 20 years, yet in the 3 years that I have owned this car it has been hit 5 times - twice whilst I was stationary, and three times whilst I was not even in the car.
 
I'm sure I've read somewhere that Black coloured cars are more likely to be hit than any other colour.

Sorry to hear this, I hope you get it sorted soon. :)
 
@Mark - did you ever get the details from the DVLA?
 
@Mark - did you ever get the details from the DVLA?

Yes I did.

Clearly I had misjudged the other driver as I wrote him a "nice" letter asking him to either pay me the £90 or give me his insurance details.

His son then called me (as his faather doesn't speak much english) and at first denied the event ever happening before then admitting it did happen but that I was making it up any claim of damage then denying being there again whilst his father was in the background ranting and swearing.

He then claimed that I had left it to long and should have got straight in touch. Not really my fault that DVLA took weeks to provide the information (although the Christmas break delayed things further I am sure)

Then his father grabbed the phone and launched into a torrent of abuse :eek:

Sometimes I am too trusting in human nature expecting everybody else to be as honest as I am.

So for £90, there is no point in me chasing this liar any further

So if you are in the West London area (especially the White City area where this guy comes from) watch out for a white van BX55 GPO. You really don't want a run in with him
 
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a smartphone is your friend ;-)

a few photographs and don't forget there is a recording option for making quick 'notes' on scene... can always come in handy later...

I've found if you suspect everyone; you usually are pleasantly surprised... now i prefer that to the other way round...
 
A well wielded tyre iron can always get revenge! A windscreen and a door glass would set him back a good £100 on insurance excess....... You must have said blokes address! You tried to be nice! :ban:

Obviously I jest :p
 
Is it an offence to let all of his tyres down?

Someone I know did that to a chap who "stole" his space in a multi storey. Imagine how angry he'd be...............
 
A well wielded tyre iron can always get revenge! A windscreen and a door glass would set him back a good £100 on insurance excess....... You must have said blokes address! You tried to be nice! :ban:

Obviously I jest :p

I could hit every panel on the van and the windscreen and I doubt the driver would have noticed. The van was rather battered

But

I'm a better and bigger person than that.
 
oh well lesson learned to be more of a pessimist! Assume everyone isnt as decent as you are!
 
I sometimes think my car is a magnet.
I can park in a isolated parking space and attract other motorists to park close to me.
They seem drawn to me or the car even to the point of ignoring other spaces just to get closer. At first I thought I was being paranoid or obsessive but as I got there first it must be them.
Can someone explain the mindset of these people?
 

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