Those lunatics who hit your car then drive off quick

[Wuppertal]

Advice/thoughts desired from drivers please...

The other night I was waiting harmlessly at a red light in a town when someone drove straight into the back of my car, damaging it not irreparably but certainly significantly - it cost me several hundred pounds to repair the damage, which as a student going abroad I simply can't afford. The person behind then reversed (as there was no-one else waiting at the traffic light) and turned around and drove off in the opposite direction. I couldn't even catch his number plate as it was a night and I couldn't see it.

Is there a way in which I can get my repairs paid for, without having to cough up myself or to claim on my insurance, which I don't want to do because it will drive my already stratospheric premium through the roof. I know what one might usually do is inform the other person's insurance company and get them to pay, but that is impossible as he didn't stop and so I don't have any details, not even his number plate.

I have asked the authorities if they could look at any CCTV cameras and try and spot the car, but it's a bit of a long shot I think, especially as it was dark. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[J.R.]

OTHER !: I don't own a vehicle.

(Very Green !!)

I'm sure Fiona would do the right thing though !

[Ajarn Philip]

I hate to be a Blot on your Horizon, Wuppertal, but how can anyone possibly give you any advice beyond the most unhelpful 'You're knackered, old son...?' The only comfort I can give you is that if you were in Thailand, whoever it was wouldn't have naffed off, but would have stuck around and claimed it was all your fault for not getting out of the way...

[cj]

That's a bit of a p!sser, Wuppertal. It wasn't in Hartland, was it?

[Mid A 15]

Advice/thoughts desired from drivers please...

The other night I was waiting harmlessly at a red light in a town when someone drove straight into the back of my car, damaging it not irreparably but certainly significantly - it cost me several hundred pounds to repair the damage, which as a student going abroad I simply can't afford. The person behind then reversed (as there was no-one else waiting at the traffic light) and turned around and drove off in the opposite direction. I couldn't even catch his number plate as it was a night and I couldn't see it.

Is there a way in which I can get my repairs paid for, without having to cough up myself or to claim on my insurance, which I don't want to do because it will drive my already stratospheric premium through the roof. I know what one might usually do is inform the other person's insurance company and get them to pay, but that is impossible as he didn't stop and so I don't have any details, not even his number plate.

I have asked the authorities if they could look at any CCTV cameras and try and spot the car, but it's a bit of a long shot I think, especially as it was dark. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Try this as a longshot


http://www.mib.org.uk/Default.htm

[Wuppertal]

That's a bit of a p!sser, Wuppertal. It wasn't in Hartland, was it?

no it wasn't in Hartland, people are more friendly here and there's a good chance I might have known the assailant ! It was in a rather empty Barnstaple town centre at about 11:15pm last Monday night.

Thank you for that link, Mid A 15, it looks a very good idea. I guess this thing happens to everyone (though hopefully only once) and I'll just pay up in the end.

And JR I don't own a vehicle either! (to my dismay though, I can't wait till I can afford one), it's my mum's!

[midget]

You may strike lucky with the CCTV as Barnstaple is crawling with cameras. Where in town was it?

Maggie

[cj]

Barnstaple's a dodgy place to be ... I worked at Park Secondary School for a (short) while. Enough said.

[Great Plum]

That really does suck...

I was at traffic lights in Exeter when this happened to me... on this occasion, the driver immediately apologised and gave me his insurance details... - if only everyone was like him...

[Wuppertal]

Was on the A39 from Lynton, near the hospital.

I was at traffic lights in Exeter when this happened to me

Must be something about traffic lights in Devon then that cause a distraction!

[cj]

As if having to be in Plymouth wasn't bad enough already, my husband had someone run into him at traffic lights on the Marsh Mills roundabout. A woman driving what appeared to be her father's car, with her father sat in the passenger seat. He wasn't terribly impressed. Their insurance coughed up for that damage. Then a couple of weeks ago, a woman backed into the car at the park and ride at George Junction, just missing hubby's legs as he was loading things into the boot. Haven't had the damage fixed on that yet. I had a meeting with a hedge that was travelling on the wrong side of the road near High Bickington many years ago. The damage to the chassis unfortunately spelt the end for my little Renault 4 who had to be taken away to be a donor car.