Just hit my neighbours car

[Nightshade]

Argh, bad morning.

I stayed off work because I'm full of cold, then ran my little girl to school and came home to go to bed. My street is made of really narrow houses - my estate is longer than my house is wide! So, both my neighbours either side insist on parking exactly outside their house. They'd left a gap outside my house and I thought I could squeeze in......

It wasn't to be

Just scuffed my wing against his rear bumper on the tuck in of my parallel park. Absolute 0 damage to my 406 - it was covered in chalky paint that looked like talcum powder, but it just brushed off. I went round to apologise and offer to make things right. The guy blew up in my face shouting and swearing - he was late for work too, so I guess that didn't help. So I'm gutted. I really didn't get the chance to asses his car properly - my guess is that lots of it will brush off, like mine, but obviously there is some paintwork damage. Plastic bumper, so I think it should be ok panel wise.

I don't know if I should suggest we go through insurance? or take it to a local body shop (hassle for him I guess) or maybe one of those mobile repair guys?
Any thoughts?

[scotty73]

Mobile repair guy especially if you can call him out and hear the quoted price.

[ally406]

I know you've scuffed his car, but that's not an excuse for losing his head and shouting and swearing. You are perfectly within your rights to tell him to go away and come back when he's calmed down (or grown up a bit). It's happened to me, it's happened to all of us, you take some details, it gets fixed, life goes on, big deal! At least you told him, 99% of people just drive off.

[Nightshade]

Hehe yeah. We've had do's before over parking, nothing major but he has a constant bee in his bonnet about the length of my car. He got all excited when he saw me building a drive out the back of my house, then wasn't impressed when I put the caravan on it

A local bodyshop think it might even get away with a good buffing! Apparently worst case scenario is £200 for a full repaint of the bumper, so I doubt it makes any sense to go through insurance.
Hopefully he'll calm down, though I do sympathise - sucks to have your car bumped. I don't think I can do much more.

[Welly]

You'll have to sound him out regarding the repair, depending on what sort of car he has and what sort of car owner he is (apart from being an arse that is) then he may well accept a 'Smart Repair' if not he might want it done at a bodyshop (probably nearly £200.00?) so this is when you might have to think about going through the insurance (and pay the excess).

Or, it might be one of those cases where you offer him some money to get a Smart Repair, he accepts, and then never gets the work done (you know the kind).

You must remember that YOU are the good guy here for telling him where most would just 'do one' until the dust settles (no pun intended).

Let us know how it goes.

[Welly]

Make sure you get a sneaky picture of the damage to his car for your records.

[Doggy]

...But stop short of autographing the dent, this is unlikely to go down well.

As the others have said, you're the good guy here. A rational person should have realised this by the time they get home.

[Ares]

Sorry to hear that,but it was really nice of you to stop and tell that you bumped his car.

like somebody said before,most of them would just continue to drive.
He should be gratefull for your act,(not bumping but admiting )

Dont worry,these things happen,put some Black Adder on TV and you will cheer up.
keep us posted.

[Captain Jack]

I hate twatty neighbours... In fact, I just hate neighbours! There's always some sort of hassle with them. Some people think they should be walking on a bed of flower petals...

[scotty73]

I hate twatty neighbours... In fact, I just hate neighbours! There's always some sort of hassle with them. Some people think they should be walking on a bed of flower petals...

I don't get any of that here see I've never been involved in or seen any arguments over parking in my street in all the years I've lived here and trust me it's a twat to park here and people who don't even live in the street park here.

I do have a theory mind you and it involves a big bridge but I'll leave that for another day.

[rwb]

I feel for you Nightshade. Hats off to being a grown-up about it.

walking on a bed of flower petals

that really winds them up