Tell me it’s not just me who takes photos of other people’s cars if you think they’ve parked too close to the line and therefore to you in case of door dints etc when they get back

I don't because simply put - that picture won't carry any weight.

You could get back and find a dent, with no paint transfer there is nothing to say that car didn't leave and another one took it's place.

Even with paint transfer, there are plenty of grey or red cars around - sure, go all CSI and you can put the paint onto that car, but that is not going to happen with any parking accident you report in the UK.

 

If I am in a position where I can take a photo of a car that may or may not damage my own, I'm also in a position where I can go and move my car!

1 minute ago, Stoofa said:

 

If I am in a position where I can take a photo of a car that may or may not damage my own, I'm also in a position where I can go and move my car!

Unfortunately this is usually at the Drs, it’s next to a school and dentist so spaces are at a premium (if you find one)

I mean, don't get me wrong - your photo is compelling evidence and if your car were to be damaged it would probably be worth sending to your insurance company and just "hinting" that there maybe some witnesses.

Might be enough to get the other guy to choke and confess all.

But if he says "Yer mate, that was me....as I was leaving I saw another red car nicking my spot....."

Yep I do.

 

We have a Portuguese woman who works in a dry cleaners and she drives a low slung Peugeot with wide doors and she doesn't care about anyone else's car she just whacks them, we also have a Chinese woman & husband who work where I do, they did it a couple of times, they were issued with a once & final warning about doing it and they're now very careful about parking and opening doors on their SUV.

Edited 21 February, 20197 yr by john999boy
The Briskoda swear filter doesn't catch everything!

55 minutes ago, TheWanderer said:

We have a Portuguese woman who works in a dry cleaners and she drives a low slung Peugeot with wide doors and she doesn't care about anyone else's car she just whacks them, we also have a Chinese woman & husband who work where I do, they did it a couple of times, they were issued with a once & final warning about doing it and they're now very careful about parking and opening doors on their SUV.

I'm sure that there are people of a more local nationality that are equally inconsiderate?

5 minutes ago, john999boy said:

I'm sure that there are people of a more local nationality that are equally inconsiderate?

 

Oh tell me about it! I came back and found a big dent in the side of my previous car, no note. £1222.20 to repair. I had to pay an excess of £350, plus had to get a new insurance policy of £400.

 

He have suspicions that a certain hire car (Hz) company employee who did it, but again getting the proof when there's no CCTV covering that area, is impossible. 

When I was young and a general tyke a neighbour dragged me out to show me the ding on his car door together with green paint beside the drivers door on my green Morris Minor van, at that age you deny everything but also have a good memory, I was certain that I had not hit his car but he was having none of it and got quite lairy.

 

When I looked carefully I found that said paint on his door was actually wet and there were traces of it on other vehicles including mine, like many people when they realise that they have made a fool of themselves he got even more angry.

2 hours ago, Mee said:

Tell me it’s not just me who takes photos of other people’s cars if you think they’ve parked too close to the line and therefore to you in case of door dints etc when they get back

 

Get a dashcam with parking mode, not guaranteed to get their number plate, but at least you can catch them in the act.

Got a dashcam, just trying to find someone who knows what they're doing to install it.

 

Nextbase 612GW with hardwire kit & 64Gb memory card both still in their boxes.

14 minutes ago, Cakemonster said:

 

Get a dashcam with parking mode, not guaranteed to get their number plate, but at least you can catch them in the act.

I’ve got a nextbase 512g all I have to do is leave it plugged in and on as my little lighter socket is a permanent live it seems 

7 minutes ago, TheWanderer said:

Got a dashcam, just trying to find someone who knows what they're doing to install it.

 

Nextbase 612GW with hardwire kit & 64Gb memory card both still in their boxes.

 

There's a few threads on here giving plenty of info how to do it. 

 

I must admit, when I did mine I was "bricking it" about popping the trim off a brand new car  but it all worked out fine 

My dashcam records 24/7 so I tend to briefly check the car if in a car park when I get back to it just in case.  

 

It it has revealed some interesting things like how a shopping trolley got wedged in front of my car!  A woman had reversed parked at Asda and when she got to her car she wheeled it down the side of her car as the space next to her was free.  Then as she unpacked that space got taken so she couldn't remove the trolley.  She left it there and then carried on parking.

 

I hate it when people reverse into those sorts of spaces as how do you expect to put the shopping in the boot when you gat back.

 

I tend to park as far from entrNce to the shops as humanly possible nowadays.

14 hours ago, TheWanderer said:

Got a dashcam, just trying to find someone who knows what they're doing to install it.

 

Nextbase 612GW with hardwire kit & 64Gb memory card both still in their boxes.

 

Have a look at this video.

 

Edit: though do watch the wires going up the A pillar, it has been mentioned that you really need to put them where they won't interfere with the airbag.

Edited 22 February, 20197 yr by lway
adding detail.

Thanks, but no thanks. 

 

I'm not skilled enough to attempt this, especially the removal of the glove box and its associated damper, I'd rather pay a professional to do it. It'll stay in the boxes for the time being. 

17 hours ago, Mee said:

I’ve got a nextbase 512g all I have to do is leave it plugged in and on as my little lighter socket is a permanent live it seems 

 

and if it's anything like mine, leaving it on all the time will

- contribute to running down your car battery

- ruin the "6 minutes recording time" battery inside the dashcam

Many years ago...... my ex-wife left her car in the works car park overnight.  I had given her a lift into work the next day and she went to her car to get some bits out of it and noticed some damage to the passenger door, the paint left matched the car parked next to it.

 

I was friends with the head of security and the CCTV footage clearly showed the passenger opening the door on to her car as she got out.  We all met at the cars to discuss the damage.  The passenger was a larger lady and you could see the scratch had gone upwards when the car had lifted up when her weight was out of the car.

 

The owner of the car said "Well it says you park at your own risk, the CCTV footage doesn't show whether that damage was there before or not so tough luck" (she was a lovely woman!!!)

 

Unfortunately, unless you have close up footage of the damage being done and who it's done by you're relying on the other person's honesty/integrity :(

2 hours ago, Russ77 said:

Unfortunately, unless you have close up footage of the damage being done and who it's done by you're relying on the other person's honesty/integrity :(

100% the above. (Your story gives me total rage, btw. If anyone had had that attitude to damaging the second-most expensive asset of mine, I'm not sure what I'd have done but most likely it wouldn't have been legal. Especially with the CCTV footage...). 

 

On a similar note, I literally just had this issue through to resolution with a neighbour of mine. In our residential area, we all have rows of spaces on a gravel drive. Everyone else lines up with the space before driving in straight; our neighbour likes to swing round and in to the space (at not-slow speed). She has a fully dinged-up black Merc A-Class which she clearly does not give 2 poops about. I've clocked her on multiple occasions being a 'tooth-skin' away from the door on entry and exit of the bay... and knew it was inevitable she would hit it.

 

Anyway - 2 weeks ago came back to car to find large scratch on drivers' door, with black paint transfer at an upwards angle (same as driveway). Went to front of her car; found white paint transfer on front left corner. Took lots of photos in-situ, time-stamped, recorded my actions previous few days (i.e. Id had flu and not moved the car in 3 days. The 3 days before, the scratch had not been there). With all these facts and evidence, I approach my neighbour calmly (and on the face of it without prejudice); explained the situation I'd come across and asked her to come outside with me. She was obliging, and we went over the damage to both vehicles. I let her come to her own conclusions, and whilst she referred to a story that she had hit another car at work the previous day (to explain away the white paint), I said that's fine if you can produce evidence of it - which she couldn't. I then took the car to our independent bodywork shop (https://www.sussexvehiclebodyrepairs.co.uk/ - 1000% recommend Scott and the team there!), got quote, sent a letter through her door explaining everything and requesting 2/3 of payment based on likelihood it was her. Also got the garage to back me up on the likelihood etc.

 

Either way, yes - you're reliant on other person's honesty and integrity. Without sure evidence and facts, it's difficult to pin damage on them. Dashcams are great if you can catch the car responsible from front / rear (and side if you go mental and put them everywhere?!).

 

However, it's 90% about the way you approach the situation from victim/culprit perspective that usually dictates the success of the 'case' you bring. The other 10% is luck