Bump with my car

[Mollierose8]

Yesterday I was pulling out of my Close into the main road, looked to my right and some cars coming but had time, looked to my left and parked car obscured my view, pulled out a little bit and a car coming, so pulled backed so I would'nt get in way of cars to my right, bumped into a mini-cab (I know I should have looked!).

 

Anyway, I apologised profusely to the driver, I had cracked his number plate slightly around the screw, he was so mean and upset me horribly and can't stop thinking about it.

 

He took a picture of my plate (undamaged, not even a mark anywhere) and a picture of his and looked at me expectantly, "Are you bothered" I said....yes he was, so we exchanged 'phone no and addresses and I wrote down his number plate, if he doesn't hear from me it 'will have to go through the insurance' he said. I looked on Ebay and a new number plate is 10 to 14 poundsI

 

So do I get in touch and offer to get a new number plate - I am dreading that 'phone call - I just know he's going to make more of it than is necessary.

[raydetinu]

best to get it over with and ask him for the cost of replacement, which as you say should not be too costly but he may add cost of inconvenience to go to shop and fitting etc. so about £50 should cover it.

[citizenkain]

I would tell him to get his number plate fixed and you will pay a reasonable amount and thats it sorted,try and record the call in case he does get smart,he was probably expecting you to give him £20 cash or something!

[Mollierose8]

Just what my husband said but I think I'll wait for his call first...wished I'd had the forethought to do that. He won't get fixed anyway, its so minor. Thanks.

[MaisyMouse]

Just what my husband said but I think I'll wait for his call first...wished I'd had the forethought to do that. He won't get fixed anyway, its so minor. Thanks.

 

My car had to have a new one for it's last MOT as there was a tiny crack in it. Unless the garage is doing other stuff on the vehicle at the same time the owner will have to present his documents to the shop that makes a plate for him, so there is a little bit of inconvenience involved.

 

Having said that though, the plate itself was 9 pounds to make up.

[debbbbsy]

Was he a private mini cab or part of a larger group.

 

If part of a larger group, you should phone them and complain about his behaviour, at no point during your converstaion should you admit liability or that you hit him. simply mention the incident but refer primarily to the rudeness.

 

If there was no damage to your bumper, what makes you think you caused the damage to his bumper. It may have been pre-existing.

 

If there were no other witnesses. Do nothing. You could argue, he hit you. Thats why you exchanged.

 

As for your insurance company, it depends who you are with. Admiral are ****, they will mark it on your record even if you don't make a claim.

[raydetinu]

what is wrong with some people! I give up.

Sometimes you just have to be fair and honest. and pay up.

I doubt you would feel the same way if it happened to yourself.

[Mollierose8]

Excuse me raydetinu, I've had exactly the same happen to me plus my wing mirror slightly scratched on another occasion, they were so minor I didn't feel the need to throw a strop with the driver. The mini cab driver was absolutely OTT....its always a case of using discretion and common sense. So doubt no more. (<:>

[Desperate Daniella]

I think, as citizenkain says above, he might have expected you to offer him in £20 in cash - but that's a blokey thing to do. It certainly wouldn't occur to me.

 

Often people don't bother about chasing up a minor scratch, but if he does contact you and says he's getting it repaired say that you want an estimate from a garage and will also require the receipt(s).

 

I scratched someone's bumper very slightly when I was manoeuvring into an office parking space - not helped by the fact that he was overhanging my space anyway. I apologized and admitted liability of course and said that if he got an estimate for the damage I would decide whether to pay him in cash or go through my insurance company. His car was very old, and probably worth no more than £200-£300 and had scratches and dents all over it.

 

I didn't hear anything for three months and then he rang me and said he'd had the car repaired and it had cost him £300 and he wanted me to send him a cheque. I got a male friend of mine to ring him back later and ask him to send me the estimate and final receipt and I never heard another word. If he had asked me for £50 I would have paid him, but of course he had to try to rip me off.

[Mollierose8]

Your right Desperate, I think it is a blokey thing to do..and if he had said £20 will cover it...I would have paid him. But thinking on it later and I didn't mention earlier he muttered about having to go through the insurance if he did not hear from me. I muttered back 'what? what about excess?' he just grunted and we didn't even exchange insurance details!!! When I was scrabbling in the car for a pen and paper for his address and 'phone number, I went to the back of my car and there he was with his bonnet up gazing inside ! I said that's a bit OTT. (perhaps he was trying to avoid his passengers prying eyes, certainly wouldn't be floods of water). Anyway, the upshot is I'm glad I sat tight and its been a week and I've not heard a word from him.

 

Its good you didn't get ripped off.

Edited April 28, 2013 by Mollierose8
Grammar