Not the best way to start the day

[d000hg]

I guess if you started backing out and paused, just as she arrived, she could have thought you were letting her past - one of those silly things that just happen sometimes where it's a misunderstanding rather than either party really to blame.

If you're not bothered about your premium insist on going through insurance and accepting full blame since as you say, it doesn't really matter and why spoil her day.

[Mich the Tester]

If you're an AA or RAC member they have legal advice helplines. I find it rather disconcerting though that both of these organisations seem to have become glorified insurance brokers instead of independent clubs offering services to members. That perhaps doesn't bode well for the Dutch ANWB or German ADAC, who've also started flogging insurance.


Accident Care | RAC

The RAC will also:
Rescue and recover your vehicle if you're involved in a road traffic accident in the UK4. Wherever possible, we'll recover the cost from the insurer, so you're not out of pocket
Send urgent messages to family and friends
Offer 24/7 legal advice to help you through the situation
Provide cover for up to £50,000 of legal costs following an accident in the UK where you were the driver or passenger provided you were not at fault^

Make us your first call on 0333 2000 9991. Save this number in your phone

What to do at the scene of an accident | AA

If you've been an AA member for more than a year then you can get advice on any personal legal matter, motoring or otherwise by calling the legal assistance helpline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

[doodab]

I know I shouldn't but that me LOL. Conversation top trumps.

It's a good one for stopping people in their tracks, especially chuggers. Checking the dressings and choobs after anyone knocks you with their handbag tends to put a suitably horrified look on their clumsy faces as well.

[Magpie252]

She doesn't want to go through the insurance. I do as it will cost me nothing.

In circumstances like this I would normally advise that you don’t involve the insurance companies (I’m guessing the bill won’t run to £1,000’s), from my experience it’s not your opinion that counts, it what you can prove.

Unless you have cctv footage to prove you were already ½ way across the road or a reliable independent witness to back you up then I’d bet my life savings the insurance would find you at fault.

In your case, I’d guess maintaining your no-claims discount is not high on your list of priorities, so try your luck

If you really what to piss her off, if you decide to settle in cash, report the incident to her insurance company, it will be on her record & will affect her premiums even if there is no formal ‘claim’

As a side: Mrs Mag had a minor knock in my car a couple of years ago (roads were icy, reversing off a friends inclined drive, locked the wheels & slid into the car parked on the opposite side of the street) While the damage wouldn’t quite ‘buff out’ I didn’t think it would cost more than a couple of hundred to fix so agreed to pay up without involving the insurance
Next day got a call from my insurance company about an incident I’d been involved in, that’s now on my record even though there wasn’t a claim
The silly bitch that owned the other car got in touch about a week later with a quote from AUDI for £2,500 to replace and re-spray a rear wing, she got told to feck off
A week later, another text to say shed had the repairs don at a local garage - £500, O.K. send us a copy of the invoice & I’ll sort it out – silly bint hasn’t been heard of since

[doodab]

I'd guess the damage will run to 2-300. Not really money I want to pay for the sake of it, OTOH it might be less hassle than going via the insurers so it's worth it for a quiet life.

I have a scratch on my bumper as well but I'm not too arsed about that as it's an oldish car and already has a few scars on the bumper.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Reversing off a drive...a pet hate, particularly after I got hit on my bike by somebody who reversed off their drive in front of me last month. Its currently in the hands of my solicitors.

If you're going to reverse onto a main road, its your responsibility to make sure nobody else is coming. If you didn't see her, you can't have looked properly.

[doodab]

If you're going to reverse onto a main road, its your responsibility to make sure nobody else is coming. If you didn't see her, you can't have looked properly.

I live 20-30m from the end of the road she came from. She had not even turned into it when I started reversing, I checked both ways and there was no traffic either way for some distance. By the time of impact I was halfway across the road. Even if I had been stationary (and I was moving v slowly) she would have struggled to get past. The damage to her car isn't a dent as if I'd rammed her, it's a scrape like you would get if you caught a wall or post.

I think highway code rule 152 has something to say on the matter. She really should have waited for me to finish or pull back onto my drive and let her through.

[d000hg]

Reversing off a drive...a pet hate, particularly after I got hit on my bike by somebody who reversed off their drive in front of me last month. Its currently in the hands of my solicitors.

If you're going to reverse onto a main road, its your responsibility to make sure nobody else is coming. If you didn't see her, you can't have looked properly.

How do you know she was in sight as he started reversing? Things are not always so clear cut - especially in the country you sometimes are blind.

[Mich the Tester]

How do you know she was in sight as he started reversing? Things are not always so clear cut - especially in the country you sometimes are blind.

Indeed, there are many situations where the sight of someone leaving a driveway or parking space is effectively blocked by parked cars; it's important for anyone driving/riding a bike to take very good care when there are cars parked along the road; it might not be a car that reverses out of a driveway but a child that runs out from behind a parked car. It amazes me how many people are apparently willing to have that on their conscience.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

I think highway code rule 152 has something to say on the matter. She really should have waited for me to finish or pull back onto my drive and let her through.

I was always taught that traffic on the roads has priority over somebody performing a manoeuvre; if a car approaches you are supposed to stop and give way.

Obviously if she couldn't get past you at all then that's different, but you still should have stopped. She probably expected you to stop. That said, if it was me I wouldn't have proceeded and she may have been a bit daft to do so, but I'm not sure that shifts much liability on to her.

The argument that "sometimes you just can't see" is all the more reason not to reverse off of your drive. It might not apply in this case, if you were already well into the road, but the highway code also says that you should reverse on to a drive and if your vision is obscured, get somebody to guide you.