Someone hit my Zed

[g8jka]

I was at the Gym on Tuesday night and came back out to my car, unlocked and opened the door and the alarm beeped to indicate the shock sensor had been activated. I had a quick look around the car and couldn't see any major damage as it was dark. Didn't think much of it, sometime it will go off if there's a loud exhaust driving past and parked next to me was a new Civic Type R with quad pipes, I thought this may have triggered it. Anyway, yesterday I was going round to my Dads to do an oil change, I opened the bonnet to put some engine flush in and noticed the sidelight smashed. There was also scuffs around it and the paint has almost split in a couple of places.

Got home last night and had a look at the footage in case anything had been picked up. Bingo, see the video!

Hit my zed, pulled back into the space and drove off very carefully a couple of minutes later.

As I say it's not done a lot of damage, you would think more going on the bang. A new sidelight and some polish would probably see it OK as it was going to be repainted as some point anyway. Obviously that's not the point. I'm trying to find the owner and get it sorted without going through the insurance.They may see it as a new bumper, repaint and new sidelight which may write it off. I've found who they are insured with and I am off to the police station later to report it, if I can't found who they are I may end up going to my insurance.

 

[gookah]

Don't forget the damage further up by the headlight where it had crazed and cracked all the paint.

 

[Sean d]

Those cracks are stress lines in the plastic and it will need sanding right back, hope the police will do thier job but they generally won't get involved in matters such as this, for the record, it would be new bumper for insurance but you could get a body shop to quote for repair rather the replace.

 

[Redline]

Bang to rights. Problem is it isn’t on the public highway so I’m not sure if failing to stop is an option for the police.

 

[Bringit96]

Might be worth asking the gym staff if they recognise the car or the plate and see if they can put a name to it?

 

[g8jka]

Bang to rights. Problem is it isn’t on the public highway so I’m not sure if failing to stop is an option for the police.

That will be their get out not to get involved. I do know a lot of Police officers that will help me out if I don't get anywhere going down the normal routes.

Those cracks are stress lines in the plastic and it will need sanding right back, hope the police will do thier job but they generally won't get involved in matters such as this, for the record, it would be new bumper for insurance but you could get a body shop to quote for repair rather the replace.

This is why I don't want to go through the insurance as they will say new bumper and paint. That will write the car off. I've been in touch with my mate who's a Police officer and he has told me the process. Been to the Police station and got an incident number, they don't really want to do much else. They just said inform my insurance and it's in their hands. I have logged a claim, waiting to hear back from them and see what they say. I'm in the process of trying to find out who owns the car and give them the option to own up or I'll take it further.

I can't see the gym helping too much, it's newly opened and the car park hasn't been touched, lines are terrible and there's nowhere near enough spaces for cars when it's busy. They were even on the door the night after asking people to use an alternative car park. Chances are the owner of the car will be back there at some point and if I see it I'll hang around. I doubt they will be in contact now even if they know I am trying to speak to them, if they had any decency they would have waited around or left a note at the time and not driven off.

 

[Tfp]

I'd be so annoyed.

Clearly knew they'd done it, other wise they'd have just driven away.

I'd be determined to make them pay.

If the Police can't help then go through their insurance.

Or small claims court, you certainly have evidence.

I'd be concerned about going through insurance, doesn't it put a mark against you? Even non fault claims affect your next renewal don't they?

 

[Mazza]

Surely if you have the registration then you can get the owner details from DVLA. Thats how the parking companies get your info.
Just say that they drove off after an accident/incident.

 

[Brian4]

if they had any decency they would have waited around or left a note at the time and not driven off.

Sorry to hear about your damage and hope you get it sorted soon. We got our 3 series hit on the rear bumper last week outside the Father in law's but again nobody bothered to own up. Still needs the bumper respraying.

 

[Ianmc]

Knowingly driving off after an incident without further ado has to be illegal. If you can get their address send them a bill for repair, to include a hire car for a few days.

 

[Redline]

It’s unlikely that the gym have Reg numbers of their punters cars. They’ll also have a standard disclaimer for users of the car park.

I would have have thought that you may have to identify the culprit and threaten them with civil prosecution for recovery of costs after they drove off deliberately. They caused criminal damage after all.

Agree on the comments about insurance. The car is worth more to you than the insurance will cough up for it. For such a minor issue it’s a con bordering on criminal for them to write it off. Also it’s decidedly in-green if the insurance is putting profits before the planet.

 

[Bampz]

Had an incident last year when in supermarket carpark car parked next to me swung open passenger door and dented my cars rear door ,drivers attitude was these things happen and walked off passenger did give me a phone number and I had the car registration number. I knew the main dealer where his car came from so called into the dealer asked for the guys address but no go quoted data protection , phoned the phone number couple times no answer went to voice mail , next stop get quote for my car from dent repair guy , call into police station to report incident and he did say they would check it out, so texted the phone number ( damage to my car £100 this has been reported to the police for further action ) response was almost instantaneous phone rang offer of payment was made and car sorted

 

[Carl Brown]

Had an incident last year when in supermarket carpark car parked next to me swung open passenger door and dented my cars rear door ,drivers attitude was these things happen and walked off passenger did give me a phone number and I had the car registration number. I knew the main dealer where his car came from so called into the dealer asked for the guys address but no go quoted data protection , phoned the phone number couple times no answer went to voice mail , next stop get quote for my car from dent repair guy , call into police station to report incident and he did say they would check it out, so texted the phone number ( damage to my car £100 this has been reported to the police for further action ) response was almost instantaneous phone rang offer of payment was made and car sorted

Absolutely correct on all points GDPR regulations around data protection. Go to police let them sort it.

 

[Grumps]

So annoying. Just leave a note with your details!! I couldn't have driven away, it would play on my mind. Hopefully you'll get to the bottom of it Dave and hit their pocket with the repair bill.

 

[t-tony]

Sorry to see this Dave. I hope you do get compensated by the toe rag who did it, be it male or female. My guess it was the latter.

Tony.

 

[Mint]

Bad news Dave, hope you can get a good resolution and find the perpetrators. It may mean sitting in the gym car park, not in your Zed, for a while. Good luck.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Sorry to see this Dave. I hope you do get compensated by the toe rag who did it, be it male or female. My guess it was the latter.

Tony.

But probably true.

 

[Dino D]

That’s a pain.

Don’t want to add to your woes but I also cracked one of those black bumper lights and the original supplier in Germany was out of stock for at least a couple of months over Spring/Summer this year. I’ve not checked recently but will dig out the link and let you know what I find.

Alternatively fill the holes and move the sidelights to the headlights - I toyed with the idea, makes the bumper look cleaner and will be more noticeable on your silver car for sure (but equally so I like the placement of the sidelights as it makes the car look as wide as it is which helps not being squeezed off he road I like to think)

 

[Mrs Mint]

Sorry to see this Dave. I hope you do get compensated by the toe rag who did it, be it male or female. My guess it was the latter.

Tony.

Tut tut Tony please don't label us all the same
I have been the person hitting a car in a car park and i did leave a note with my correct details
So my guess is it could be either male or female
Chocolate for every female forum member is in order mines Galaxy Thankyou

 

[Mrs Mint]

But probably true.

Tut Tut you too more chocolate coming our way girls