Stick around or pretend nothing happened? Carpark etiquette?

[Kikki]

Earlier today at the local shop I was sitting in the car talking on my mobile after doing my shopping and seen this lady walking with her half full trolley (she would have been about 65-70) reading her shopping docket as she's walking, walking between my car and the one next to me (VE SS) she lost control of the trolley and went SMACK into the passenger side door of the VE and left some decent damage, the scratch was about 40-50 cms and dented with a fair amount of paint gone. So I sat and watched this lady, looked at the car door, walked away put her shopping in the boot, reversed her car and gone, no note, nothing!

I got her rego number, I waited around for a little while but no one came out so I wrote a short note with her rego and my contact details and placed it under the wipers. I was so annoyed with this little old lady, whatever happened to respect!

Anyways about 10 minutes ago I got a call from the person who owned the car and they are going to take the info to their insurance company (doubtful anything can be done about it) and thanked me about 400 times as they had only picked up their new car Friday.

What would you do? If you were in either position, little old lady or witness. Stick around or ignore that it happened?

[TVR-190]

if i saw someone do it id get their details and pass it on to the car owner. especially if they reverse their car into another etc, cause that is hit and run

[Troy]

I'd do exactly what you have done

[Bobski]

I'd be doing the same. I watched a hilux side swipe a nice looking calais not too long ago, sped off like a jew with a free coupon.. About 10 minutes later the owner came out and some mum spoke to them about it.. It's pretty shitty to just act as if nothing happened and leave it. But if you got no insurance, people just panic.

[Troy711]

Punch her in the back of the head. I don't give a shit how old they are they thoroughly deserve it. I've had too many people do it to my car on the last month (6 to be exact) and I wish every single one of them get cancer and can't afford treatment. I'm so sick of disrespectful c***s damaging something I own and I have paid good money for.

You absolutely did the right thing, I would do the same if I saw someone do that as I would also leave a note if I hit someones car. If it's my fault I am totally responsible for the repairs.

[Julie]

Yep I'd have done the same thing, u did the right thing, just be prepared to testify if it comes down to it

[Kikki]

Yeah she asked me on the phone if I'd be willing to front up as a witness if needed, happy too, that's why I left the note.

Cancer is a bit rough Troy, but a little karma never goes astray.

[TVR-190]

if i saw someone hit or scratch my car and walk off id follow em back to there car and jam the tyre iron into a panel. tit for tat

[MySV6]

I would, and have, done the same as the OP. I have seen way too many people disrespect other peoples cars and since having decent cars for much of the last 15 years, and 3 new ones in the last 5 years, I hate seeing anone scratch another persons car and not leave a note at all.

[Holdens Rule]

I would have asked the old lady when she started walking away from the car if she wanted to contact the owner or would she prefer me to do it for her? Make her think twice about walking away a little bit more.

[S.T.K.E]

Last Sunday i was picking my sister up from the airport. as i waited for a spot to open, i was watching this soccer mum pull out and hit the car behind her. She knew she did it, cause she stopped and looked around. She then looked directly at me, the bolted. I must say i took great satisfaction taking down her rego for the car that was hit. S**t like that makes me so frikin angry it piss's me off so much. i have had both my Calais and Alfa hit in a shopping center with no note............

But as troy said, should have got out of the car and punched her in the head

[Troy711]

Cancer is a bit rough Troy, but a little karma never goes astray.

As far as I am concerned if some piece of shit is gutless enough to run off from their mistakes they deserve it. You should see the side of my Stato, I've got 3 door marks in the drivers side, another one in the rear passenger side guard and a trolley mark on each side... and the car was immaculate when I bought it in March. I've never EVER hit someones car, I know how much it pisses me off.. so if I am ever brain dead enough to do it I will sure as hell leave a note. My guess is that most of the marks are caused by feral kids and their derelict mothers don't give a shit.

[Kikki]

My guess is that most of the marks are caused by feral kids and their derelict mothers don't give a shit.

LOL that is the exact reason why my kids (5 & 7) still have child lock on so they cant go swinging doors in a car park! Oh how they hate it, but its simple!

[STEALTHY™]

I would have done the same as OP, aswell. I have once before when someone ran into someone elses car.

Likewise if it was me that hits someones car, i'd wait/leave a note. Take responsibility for your actons!

[Morton]

I've backed into a 4wd before while driving a crusty old ute I was unfamiliar with. Steep grade hill, stalled and rolled back into it. I was in a hurry, so I just left a note with my phone number and drove off. Got a call the next day from the bloke, thanking me so much for leaving my details with him. He said he only wanted $200, and he'd foot the rest of the bill. (It was easily $500+ worth of damage).

It's not hard. I don't see why other people can't do it.

[Jezza]

that would piss me off so much if that happened to me and seeing someone do it and walk of i would confront them unless they looked like the sort that might get a bit agro then i would take details of car, make, colour, rego and possibly person if enough time

[MikesCalais]

You did the right thing!!! wouldnt have done anything else myself!

A taxi hit my car in the city while I was away, he got out, looked that the damage done to his car, and drove off, luckily someone saw and wrote me a small note.

I went to the police who tracked down the owner and driver of the cab. They got a pleasent call from the police the police then gave them my number and I got a call from him and organised for the damage to be repaired through his insurance....

majority of people out there are assholes with no respect or morals or common decency really

[acarmody]

Good on ya Kikki, tops to you.

I've had to do the same sort of thing. Driving to the train station one day, my folks in the back seat, I have this car next to me going all over the place, early 20ish girl. All over the lane, into the next one, etc. On a one lane each way road that you could literally fit 6 cars side by side across, she goes mirror to mirror with a brand new VZ, this was when they had just come out. Keeps on driving like nothing happened, even mounts the gutter twice in the next few minutes. She was scaring the crap out of me cause I was in front of her. My folks and I copied down her rego and took it too the VZs owner, they were so thankful, had bought the car 2 weeks ago. Few days later cops ring us ask for some witness statements over the phone, took like 5 minutes each and all done. Helped the VZ owners out a lot and took nearly no effort on my behalf.

[BOY1236]

good job ! u did the right thing

I dunno why ppl run, they have no respect ...

the damage done by minor accidents is not that big or expensive, it's not worth it to run

if it's only a simple scratch most ppl are willing to let it go if the driver left his # and apologized for it

[danja]

You definitely did the right thing, no question about that.

The good news is that there is a little bit of karma in this if it gets reported to the police, because she'll also get done for failing to provide insurance details. Hopefully the message gets back to her sowing circle and some of her friends might think a little harder before trying something similar.

[STEALTHY™]

You definitely did the right thing, no question about that.

The good news is that there is a little bit of karma in this if it gets reported to the police, because she'll also get done for failing to provide insurance details. Hopefully the message gets back to her sowing circle and some of her friends might think a little harder before trying something similar.

They wouldn't have long left to worry about it anyway.....

[padrickz88]

I agree with everyone else here, you done the right thing, These people do piss me off everytime I wash my car.....
Passenger side is fine, not many scratches at all (I park with the passenger side next to walls or end spaces and get as far over as far I can) BUT I look at the drivers side and its like a bloody battle field of unrespectful bastards..
I try and give them heaps of room to open there doors and enough for me so i dont hit there car but NO! this bullshit still happens.....

Dont get me started on bastards that intentionally cause damage because there arseholes, my driver door has a mark from when someone keyed it why?????

Atleast she could have done what morton said, pretty much what I would do....

[VicCop]

If you're going to leave a note, PLEASE do what has been mentioned by leaving your contact details on that note.

I've had two in the last week where notes have been left simply saying "This car ABC123 hit your car". That's it, nothing else. So who am I supposed to subpoena to court to give evidence when the other driver denies that they were even there?

[Maxxiz]

Good points here, Some people really need to grow some balls though and accept responsibility for their own actions. There are so many people out there that have the mentality of a 5 year old, where lying/running away from it will get you out of it.

[MasterOfReality]

I have had a note left on my car so I always do it to others with full name and contact number if I see something like this.

Years ago my parents had a note left on their car after they came back to their car in a westfield carpark and found one of the rear passenger doors bashed in. The note had the details of the car and contact number of the person who wrote the note.

They rang her up and thanked her, and then a few days later we spotted the actual car that did the damage. It was parked a few streets away from my parents house. Parents went and got 3 quotes from panel beaters and then presented it to them, with the option of doing it the easy way and just paying us, or going through insurance (they didn't have any).