Note on my windscreen

[mjb]

Got to the car park after work this evening and saw this note under my windscreen wiper in woman's handwriting:

Sir, I believe you have damaged my front nearside bumper whilst exiting this space last Thursday. Please can you cooperate whilst I try to repair the damage to my blue CRV. Thank you <name and mobile number>

I've just checked my records and I probably was near the same spot last Thursday, but I don't remember an SUV and surely I'd have noticed hitting one?

Due to the carpark layout, the only places you can really impact someone are your nearside front bumper to someone elses offside side, or your offside side to someone else's nearside front bumper. I've checked my side and it's actually one part of the car that's not damaged (despite being keyed ). I always keep a close eye on my mirror as I'm pulling out too, as often there's only an inch or 2 between my offside rear door and the next car along.

I have no idea how she thinks it was my car that did it (I've forgotten what I've parked next to by the time I've reached daylight outside the carpark!), other than she's just blamed the driver of the mashed-up looking car. Confusingly I was there on Friday, but have been off Mon-Wed this week, so she must have been waiting for me...

Anyone know what my legal situation is, and any advice on what I should do?

I can't afford to maintain my own car, let alone fix someone else's!

[TooT]

If i was you i would leave a note on her car saying summat like 'i sorry but you have the wrong car it was not me who damaged your car'

Unless she has a wittness she is stuffed.

Is there any of your paint on her car do you know? If no aswell shes got no chance.

Has the carpark got cctv?

[mjb]

Has the carpark got cctv?

Nah, it's secure in a different way. It's in a dimly lit network of tunnels under an old railway bridge with only one way in or out - past the attendant who knows everyone

Hmm think I'm going to nip out and clean the car, just to satisfy myself that there's definitely no new marks. Also, it's spent a night in blackpool and I don't want it rusting on me

[ThePrisoner]

Clean your car to satisfy there are no marks, and leave a note on her car saying it wasn't you. Just deny it, and there will be no proof.

Your insurance company won't pay out if you can't remember having an accident and there is no evidence, chill man.

Pris.

[mjb]

Clean your car to satisfy there are no marks, and leave a note on her car saying it wasn't you. Just deny it, and there will be no proof.

Actually having just cleaned it and freaked at just how many marks there are when you look closely (which is why I don't clean it very often!) I'm happy to say "OK, can you identify which mark is yours?" there's that many of 'em I swear as well as being a taxi in a past life it spent some time as a banger racer... EVERY corner is scuffed at least once, every panel has chips, dents and scratches... And none of it's been me! Surely I should get an insurance reduction for it given how undesirable it'd be to a tea leaf?

Your insurance company won't pay out if you can't remember having an accident and there is no evidence, chill man.

I thought insurance policies didn't cover you off the road, hence being more worried about a small claims court summons...

[DaiRees]

Ring the number and say "wasn't me, and by the way I have reason to believe that you have bumped the opposite corner of my car, and I need £30 for the wiper arm and blade you damaged stickng notes under it, and what do you look like? and what are you wearing? and show me how well you can drive by reversing onto this....."

How the hell can she say that?

Cheeky bint!

[V6Exec]

With respect to the small claims track, should she put a claim in she would need to provide evidence with the claim form. Form what you have said, clearly all she has is that you both use the same car-park.

There is the "CSI" route of looking for paint chips etc, but there is no proof that any paint is from the other vehicle (yours or hers). Any paint could equally be from another vehicle entirely.

Balance of probability would be in your favour.

[neildavies]

Sounds like their using you as a scape goat. Phone up to deny it, be polite. Also ask her how she came to the conclusion that it was your car.

[Welly]

Actually m - I WOULD NOT ring her. Ignore her altogether. You have not done anything wrong so don't get involved. To ring her implies some form of interest on your part.

She has picked on your 'banger' because that's what stuck up materialistic people do - they believe that because your car is old then you don't care where you park, what you hit etc.

If you find her waiting for you in the car park you can politely show her what a nice chap you actually are and clearly, but helpfully, confirm your innocence.

Welly.

[niz406]

I bet she hit you then thought..... "i'll write him a letter and I bet he will call me, just because I'm a cock whore" lol

Sod it off dude..... She or her fella are obviously the guilty party.... or its a scam... so I'd just ignore it...

[mjb]

Actually m - I WOULD NOT ring her. Ignore her altogether. You have not done anything wrong so don't get involved. To ring her implies some form of interest on your part.

To quote the car park guy this morning: "oh that stupid woman? just ignore her..."

She has picked on your 'banger' because that's what stuck up materialistic people do - they believe that because your car is old then you don't care where you park, what you hit etc.

It is actually a fair assumption. I mean you really should see the state of my car - it's obvious a previous owner wasn't as careful as me - you could grate cheese on my bumper corners! You don't get a car to look like that unless you hit things. Thankfully the only things I've done to it are the bonnet and in the last week or so, a strange outwards-facing dent on the front edge of the driver's door. Must remember to see if that could have been done by the hinge as others here have mentioned...

Still, what can she do? I'm just going to ignore her - she probably did it herself on some other poor sod's car... We all know how well SUV owners can park

OOH OOH OOH OOH I did a great parking job the other day. Very steep hill, about 25 degrees incline. 5 people + luggage +tools in the car. I did a perfect first-time parallel park (reversing uphill) into the length of my estate plus 39" (one of the passengers was impressed enough to actually measure it). 1 1/2" from the kerb front and back. Also impressive was how I left it 1/2" from the car in front because I can quite happily judge the 'roll' on the handbrake. Conscious decision to get close because I needed boot access and it's better to nudge another car if something happened instead of crashing into it

I can't park on the right for sh*t though. Always mis-judge the distance and end up 6" from the kerb

[Welly]

I must dig out my Advanced Driving manual, It shows you how to do an uber-parallel park every time.

As I remember you judge your 'turn-in' point as you reverse by using the tail lights of the other parked car, and your wing mirror

[Welly]

I must dig out my Advanced Driving manual, It shows you how to do an uber-parallel park every time.

As I remember you judge your 'turn-in' point as you reverse by using the tail lights of the other parked car, and your wing mirror

sorry, I forgot it's Friday. What i meant to say was...." I juss han-brayke da car in da spayse wivout youzin me mirraz"


....carry on.

[niz406]

Yeah man dis is a wikid way 2 do da para parkin..... slap some oil on dem tyres, drive 2ward tha space den flick da hanbrek up an get da barge spinnin into it...

[Welly]

Lets all cruuz to mjb's workz an blokk dat stoopid birdz car in wiv are 6's lol ....den she cun try an blaym uz all for dat scratsh fing on da carz lol! eleventy one eleven lol