help i reversed into a parked car

[Julian Robinson]

hi hope someone can help

i recently reversed into a parked car which was covered in a tarpaulin sheet, nothing was visible on the car apart from the bottom half of the tyres

i heard somewhere that a parked car had to have something showing ie number plate or reflective panels so i could see it more clearly

to add the time was at night ant the road was not lit

[huggy41]

was the car taxed and insured to be on the road ?

[Julian Robinson]

im not sure

[assisted blonde]

Did you leave your details for the owner to contact you?

[Julian Robinson]

yes of cause i was just asking if the car had to be visable by means of cones lighting or reflectors

i seem to remember hiring a skip ant this had to be illuminated for legal reasons

[oddjobbob]

not trying to escape on the quiet for paying for any damage then?

[sailor sam]

If the car is parked on the road, it must be taxed/insured, be parked facing the flow of traffic at night (unless in a one way street or left with parking lights on), has tax disc/ number plates/reflectors on display.

 

Personally I would report the matter to the police and let them deal with it.

 

Please Note

 

The advice I offer will be based on the information given by the person needing it. All my advice is based on my experiences and knowledge gained in working in the motor and passenger transport industries in various capacities. Although my advice will always be sincere, it should be used as guidence only.

 

I would always urge to seek face to face professional advice for clarification prior to taking any action.

 

Please click my reputation 'star' button at the bottom of my profile window on the left if you found my advice useful.

[heliosuk]

Surely this must read parked with the flow of traffic? If not half the UK motoring population would be in trouble, me for one every night.

[crem]

Surely this must read parked with the flow of traffic? If not half the UK motoring population would be in trouble, me for one every night.

 

..or should have been typed as "facing WITH the flow of traffic" Either way, you are correct of course helio, the whole point of the rear reflectors is to catch the light from travelling car's headlights so they can see your car!

[sailor sam]

..or should have been typed as "facing WITH the flow of traffic" Either way, you are correct of course helio, the whole point of the rear reflectors is to catch the light from travelling car's headlights so they can see your car!

 

Yes indeed. I thought it was clear enough.

 

Please Note

The advice I offer will be based on the information given by the person needing it. All my advice is based on my experiences and knowledge gained in working in the motor and passenger transport industries in various capacities. Although my advice will always be sincere, it should be used as guidence only.

 

I would always urge to seek face to face professional advice for clarification prior to taking any action.

 

Please click my reputation 'star' button at the bottom of my profile window on the left if you found my advice useful.

[heliosuk]

It's an interesting point thought that the OP makes. As the car is covered it could indeed be a skip, who knows in the dark. Big skips are indeed car size and whether covered or not need illuminating. Worth a look at me thinks as I see quite a few of thesejust lately.

[sailor sam]

Problem is that although there are rules for leaving skips on a road at night, they are seldom enforced as far as i'm aware. Only when there is an incident is anything done it seems.

 

I knew of a VW Beetle (because of it's shape) which was 'stored' on a road in a dis-repaired state for many months. It was covered with a sheet thus hiding the number plates. tax disc and reflectors. It took about a dozen phone calls over about 6 months before anything was done about it. Question begs, who would of been responsible had someone had hit it in foggy conditions or something AFTER it had been reported to the police?

 

Please Note

 

The advice I offer will be based on the information given by the person needing it. All my advice is based on my experiences and knowledge gained in working in the motor and passenger transport industries in various capacities. Although my advice will always be sincere, it should be used as guidence only.

 

I would always urge to seek face to face professional advice for clarification prior to taking any action.

 

Please click my reputation 'star' button at the bottom of my profile window on the left if you found my advice useful.

[renegadeimp]

Normally there needs to be some kind of light/reflector showing. On skips, you have static or flashing orange lights, or cones with said lights. With cars, you have the reflectors or light coverings which reflect your cars headlights. If the vehicle is covered with a dull or dark tarpaulin, then there could be a potential claim. HOWEVER, since you stated that you reversed into it, i take it that it wasnt too far away from your original start point, and really, before reversing, you are obliged to check around the entire vehicle you intend to move, and along your intended route of travel. Unless it was absolutely pitch black on a country lane, in the middle of nowhere with nothing around, then your claim would succeed.

 

As it stands, the obligation under UK law, and indeed, even covered under the basic driving lessons given today, it was your responsibility to check the reversing route before and during the manoeuvre.