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Friday dilemma: Hey dude, you bumped that car

The Punch Team

by The Punch Team

18 Nov 12:14pm

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Filed under: Friday Dilemma

55 comments

On a scale of one to ten, how much of a bad person am I? After spending at least ten minutes looking for a parking spot on Monday, and finally squeezing myself into one of those almost too-small pockets, I watched someone else drive by and knock and hit another parked car. Not just tapped. They bashed the rear bumper so hard it jangled the number plate and left a big dent. They didn’t stop and just drove on through.

Aren't you forgetting something? Photo:Car Advice.

Not that I was much better. I mean I should have done something. But because I was in such a rush get to where I was going I didn’t even stop to take down their number plates or anything. According to the NRMA nine out of ten people don’t leave notes. And that got me thinking, is there anything else I can do? Is it worth reporting it now anyway? Or do I deserve to feel bad for being a lazy arse?

Can you help this reader with their dilemma? Post your advice below.

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55 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Matt says:

      11:27am | 18/11/11

      Sometimes circumstances don’t allow you to do the right thing eg. missed the number plate.. However, I’d still report it, you at least know the colour and make of the car and the location it happened. 

      What if the crashed into car is owned by a single mother that now has to budget for months to repair it?  What happens if the car is owned by a pensioner that simply can’t afford to have it repaired at all?  What happens if the bumper fell off on their way home and caused a major accident? What happens if the person has just been diagnosed with cancer and paying for fixing the car becomes yet another burden? What if the car owner suffers depression and having to pay to fix the bumper is the last straw?

      What happens if next time the car was yours? What would you expect? I think you should feel bad, especially for blaming it on being a ‘lazy arse’.

      Reply

    • Dave says:

      02:03pm | 18/11/11

      Leaving the scene of your own one vehicle accident (even to report it) is also a crime in NSW. Dont laugh - people have actually been charged for that. Given the state of the law a bit of common sense should prevail in most cases.

    • Jt says:

      03:20pm | 18/11/11

      I agree Matt - I think most people judge the seriousness of a car crash in terms of what it would mean to THEM, and so don’t leave a note.
      They don’t think what it might mean to the other person….

      I bumped a car a few years ago and left a note and my number. Half an hour later, I got a call from a lady - poor english, sounded like a recent immigrant, profusely and with genuine relief, thanking me and telling me that if I hadn’t left her the note, her husband would have beat her!

      I think about it now - had I not left that note, I might have been responsible in bringing a lot of grief and misery to a whole family.

    • Ben C says:

      11:31am | 18/11/11

      OK, own up Puncher, put a name to this piece.

      Did you get the number plate of the victim? If not, then you won’t be of much use reporting it, because you won’t be able to identify who did what.

      A similar incident happened to my fiance, however the guy who hit her car left a note, and CCTV was able to track the incident. If the car park has CCTV, security should be able to get the details of the vehicles involved.

      Reply

    • Tim says:

      11:35am | 18/11/11

      You are a 10 on the bad person scale.

      Not because you should have done something but simply because you’re worrying about something that isn’t your fault, that you couldn’t have changed and that really isn’t that important.

      Stop stressing, get over it, get a plate number next time.

      Reply

    • NicoleG says:

      11:36am | 18/11/11

      You deserve to feel like shit. What a horrible thing to do. Or rather, not to do.

      Reply

    • Fiona says:

      07:35am | 19/11/11

      That’s a bit harsh. As Jesus said (and I ain’t religious, but occasionally the bible comes out with the odd gem),  ‘he who is without sin, let him cast the first stone’. Maybe the fact that she’s gone to the trouble of publishing this on the Internet means that she does feel some guilt for her inaction.
      Are you that one without sin? Have you always done the right thing? I know I certainly haven’t.

    • S.L says:

      11:44am | 18/11/11

      I watched a female in an old sh*tbox attempt to park at the local shopping centre. She lined up her car to reverse in .......................then NAILED IT!
      Me and 6 others screamed STOP!!!!!!!!! and she did…............ around 2 to 3 milimetres from the car behind, a brand new Corolla still with the interim sticker on the windscreen. She didn’t touch the other car and I have the photo on my phone. She then got out, saw how close she came to a collision and without even bothering to move a little further away she simply locked up her car and went shopping!

      Reply

    • Cath says:

      02:58pm | 18/11/11

      And ...?

    • SimonFromLakemba says:

      11:44am | 18/11/11

      Should of got the number plate, would of taken all of 30 seconds to write down

      Reply

    • neo says:

      11:47am | 18/11/11

      I’ve had my car bumped so many times while it was parked on the street. On the upside, I no longer bother even washing it.

      Reply

    • JS says:

      11:48am | 18/11/11

      All’s fair in love and sydney traffic.

      don’t worry about, seriously, who would you report it to? What exactly do you think they would do about it?
      They will do exactly what you did. nothing. why? because in the grand scheme of things this means nothing. move on dude.

      all of us expect this kind of thing to happen to our cars, its part of city living

      Reply

    • Joe says:

      01:35pm | 18/11/11

      Leaving the scene of an accident is actually a crime under NSW law and presumably is similar in other states.  This means you are legally obliged to render assistance and provde your name and address to the other party.  In addition, if more than $2500 worth of damage is done, you are also legally obliged to report the matter to the police.  It is punishable by a fine of $750 and up to 6 months imprisonment, as long as no is injured or killed.

    • Al says:

      02:11pm | 18/11/11

      Joe,
      That is one of the reasons I have stoped going out to check the accidents in front of my place (which occur AT LEAST twice a week).
      I know it has occured (I can hear the screech and bang which precedes them) I just don’t care anymore.
      Although I am still amazed that the services ALWAYS show up in the following order:
      - Tow Truck.
      - Fire
      - Ambulance
      - and lastly Police.
      EVERY SINGLE TIME!

    • Joe says:

      02:55pm | 18/11/11

      @Al The law only applies to the driver of a car involved in an accident and does not apply to anyone else, such as witnesses or bystanders.

    • Flutz says:

      05:27pm | 18/11/11

      Ummm - you would report it to the owner of the car that was hit (write a note and put it on their windscreen), then they can choose to report it to the police.  At the very least they can give the details of the offender’s vehicle to their insurance company to follow up and have that person’s insurance (or them) cover the cost of the repairs.

    • Elphaba says:

      11:56am | 18/11/11

      You can’t save the world.  How are you to know that the offending driver isn’t a complete psycho looking for a fight?  A few weeks ago I was pushed and then verbally abused by a man twice my age in a crowded supermarket because I accidently bumped into him.  Is it worth the aggravation?

      Defintely not.  Shit happens.  Be a good samaritan when you do it, or if you catch their numberplate, leave a note after they’ve left.  But don’t try and save everyone.  The victim will get over it.

      Reply

    • Kika says:

      12:06pm | 18/11/11

      All they needed to do is leave a note to say they witnessed the incident and can provide an independent witness statement to their insurance company if they need it. That way you save them having to pay an XS and having the No Claim Bonus affected.

    • Kika says:

      12:01pm | 18/11/11

      We live in a society. Part of that is doing what we hope others would do for us.

      Think about it this way. If it was you, and you came back to your car and saw that some ignoramus had smashed into it and did not leave a note. There were also no witnesses and no one had left a note saying to ring if you need a witness. You call your insurance company. You are charged the excess because they can’t recover their costs from the party responsible so not only do you affect your no claim bonus but you are up for your excess too. You then wish someone had left their details so even if they can’t recover you can have your excess waived.

      So yes, you should have left your details.

      Reply

    • Trevor says:

      03:27pm | 18/11/11

      Maybe they were reptilian shapeshifters Kika and didn’t want to be exposed?

    • Rick of the Dustbowl says:

      12:01pm | 18/11/11

      It’s a bit like Mary Joe Fisher…......you put your groceries in , you wheel the trolley out, punch the security guy and you shake him all about, you plead insanity and you get off scott free and thats what it’s all about.

      Reply

    • Matt says:

      01:31pm | 18/11/11

      haha well done Rick, very funny

    • PsychoHyena says:

      02:52pm | 18/11/11

      @Rick I seriously don’t get this spate of females getting off on all these crimes of late. For instance a woman slept with 4 under-age boys and gets 120 hrs community service, a guy kisses one under-age girl and loses his job for 3 years.

      The difference apparently the woman was an alcoholic and depressed. Seriously how often is that going to be used as an excuse now?

    • Not impressed says:

      12:30pm | 18/11/11

      Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, it’s not a bad philosophy really.

      Now you profess to care but still accept no responsibility?

      Reply

    • neo says:

      12:50pm | 18/11/11

      Since we’re talking collisions, I’ll give you a riddle to solve:

      A car is turning right at a green light (with blank arrow), she waits for the cars going straight to pass, and they are coming up a hill, so you can’t really see too much past the first car. The light turns orange, no more cars going straight, she turns, only to be smacked hard by a car going straight, which accelerated and probably just made the orange light.

      They are both at fault, as the turning person should have waited for all cars to pass, and the one going straight should have stopped at the orange light.

      Thoughts?

      Reply

    • Super D says:

      01:20pm | 18/11/11

      This happens to me just about every day when dropping my boy off at daycare.  Its almost as if there is a 4th signal.  Green, Orange, “Just Red” and Red.  If they wanted to put a red light camera at every set of traffic lights I wouldn’t complain. 

      It is of course all down to selfishness of drivers.  Don’t get me started on people who don’t know how to merge or think not letting someone in will enhance their journey time by any measurable margin.

      My theory, having driven in the UK is that our roads are simply too good.  The worse the roads, the more courtesy is required.  In Australia we seem to expect formula one standards.

    • Kika says:

      01:21pm | 18/11/11

      Nope. The car turning across the face of the traffic is at fault. Basically the road rules are designed so that if you are travelling straight in your lane you are king of the lane. If you have to cross lanes, or across the line of traffic you must give way to all other cars in that lane first before proceeding to change lanes, turn across the face of the traffic. The colour of the lights is irrelevant to this situation because they both had orange lights.

      At the end of the day the person crossing the traffic will be held AF (at fault) by their insurer.

    • Phil says:

      01:21pm | 18/11/11

      By law you are not to enter an intersection unless you are able to complete the maneuver from your right turn lane in to the road on the right without interruption. The same goes for if there is built up traffic and you cue in to the intersection.
      If you are waiting in the middle of the intersection you are in the wrong.

    • Rick says:

      01:24pm | 18/11/11

      The turning car is clearly a fault, crossing the path of the oncoming trafic even if the light was red. In a defencive driving corse green light does not mean go it means proceed with caution.

    • b says:

      01:31pm | 18/11/11

      Scissors paper rock and the winner is innocent.

    • Sad Panda says:

      02:14pm | 18/11/11

      Don’t understand why people don’t get this (ie those out there on the road), but it is illegal to ENTER an intersection on an amber light, regardless of direction of travel, unless it is patently unsafe (ie highly likely to cause an accident) for you to stop. Patently unsafe does NOT mean that by stopping you will need to wait for the next green, thus in turn slowing you down from being at your next all important destination.

      This means a car already IN the intersection turning right may have right of way over a car yet to enter it. Of course where both have a green light for direction of travel the right turning car would always be at fault - throw in an amber light though… They would need to show that it was not unsafe for the straight car to stop, which is where is gets a bit tricky proof wise.

      Nevetheless plenty of people get booked for running amber lights, and there are a few cases on Austlii where the turning car has been cleared of liability in similar situations.

      People who drive like they know all the road ‘rules’ and drive as if going straight is a black and white absolute rule, despite running an amber are much more of a problem than (also dispicable) people hitting and running unattended cars. These same sorts of people also tend to think that ‘brake checking’ people and trying to incide a rear end collission will always result in the following car being charged are similarly delusional - and legally wrong.

      Got I love driving!

      At least the reaction on this thread seems to be much more leaning towards an obligation to report or own up to damage - the same thread on Fairfax’s Drive earlier in the week had a chorus of ‘they are just cars - get over it’.

    • Kika says:

      02:39pm | 18/11/11

      Sad Pand - no. The turning car is still at fault.  The higher duty of care is on them to give way to all oncoming cars in the line of traffic they are crossing. Both vehicles were moving on amber lights. The one turning across the face of the traffic has the duty of care to give way in this situation. I’ve spent enough time of my life in motor vehicle recoveries to know which party would be held AF.

    • Sad Panda says:

      02:54pm | 18/11/11

      Interesting Kika, the case I remember was not overturned on appeal. They involved the (current) 2008 version of the Australian Road Rules that have largely been adopted by all states in their respective road transport legislation. In NSW they are found on http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au under ‘Road Rules 2008’. Each state has some variations on the theme though - hence why hook turns are legal for motor vehicles in Vic, but only for bicycles in NSW.

      In most cases of the above it is likely to be an apportionment of liability to some degree, as on balance of probabilities both will be in the wrong for different reasons.

    • Sad Panda says:

      03:02pm | 18/11/11

      PS, both entering an intersection on a yellow in any direction (my bad - they dont use amber anymore) when safe to stop, and turning right at a signalised intersection in front of an oncoming car going straight or turning left are both offences in the same category - both being in the max penalty unit 20 category (NSW). So b’s rock, paper scissors may be not far from the truth!

    • neo says:

      03:48pm | 18/11/11

      Well, the turning car was already across the line, and they are allowed to complete their maneuver even on red. I can’t be too sure if the car going straight was speeding at the point of crossing the line, but it definitely accelerated a lot to catch the light, which is illegal to do.

    • Tombowler says:

      06:36pm | 18/11/11

      All ye who give two shites about the answer to this banal question, abandon all hope..

    • RogerM8 says:

      07:15pm | 20/11/11

      The single unbroken line approaching a signal controlled intersection is measured to give a safe braking distance from the stop line in the event of the signal turning amber/yellow. If the vehicle travelling straight through the intersection had not reached the start of the unbroken line at the regulated speed limit, then entering the intersection would be illegal and the turning vehicle would have right of way.
      Try that one on your insurance company!

    • Tubesteak says:

      01:01pm | 18/11/11

      Taking down a number plate doesn’t take very long nor does reporting it to centre management or the police.

      Imagine if it was your car that got hit and no-one reported it. How would you feel?

      You should feel bad.

      Reply

    • Phil says:

      02:33pm | 18/11/11

      A friend of mine had his car backed in to by a lady in a 4x4 in a private work car park, she shouldn’t have been parking there anyway and didnt leave a note.
      The first he knew of this was finding the car damaged (quite badly as it was also pushed forward in to a concrete wall), a witness from another office had seen it and got the rego and came forward to the owner when they came out to their car.
      Before he was able to get home and call the insurance company he was called by them, apparently the lady in the 4x4 had claimed he had driven in to her and then left the scene of the accident.

      If it wasn’t for the third party who saw it im sure it would have gone in the favor of the woman who claimed first and he would have been made to pay.

      Thats worse than not leaving any details at all!

    • dipstick says:

      01:12pm | 18/11/11

      Hit a parked car and you should get out and get a pen and paper and jot down the following note before sticking under the windshield wipers.

      “Sorry I hit your car. People are watching me so I thought I would just post this note and make it appear as though I am leaving my details on your windscreen”

      anon

      Reply

    • Phil says:

      01:29pm | 18/11/11

      Having been on the receiving end of this sort of thing three times now (once the night the car was to be picked up and sold) let me say you’ve done the wrong thing by your fellow drivers.
      I had to wear the loss of what repairs would cost off the car sale price to sell the car as some asshole who couldnt drive hit my car and drove off.
      The only way you could have been worse was if you were the driver who hit the car and left without leaving details.

      Even in traffic im now extra alert noting down rego’s of cars that look like they might hit and run. Same goes in car parks at the shopping centers taking a quick photo with my phone to have the rego, make model and colour of car that ive parked next to.

      In most cases i avoid parking in Chatswood, ever.
      You know its a genetic thing that they cant park.

      Reply

    • Fiona says:

      07:43am | 19/11/11

      Who’s they Phil???

    • Ian1 says:

      02:03pm | 18/11/11

      Put it into perspective, there are plenty of incidences you witness daily the gravity of which, when followed through, you could feel far worse for.

      One example, I witnessed a mother verbally abusing her kid last night. 
      Did I get involved?  Ahh, no. 
      Did any of the other sheep patrons?  Baaa, No.
      The damage done by collective abstinence?  Will manifest in time.
      Should I have said something to put her right?  Damn straight.
      Taken her number plate and reported her to child services?  Just thought of it and will next time I am confronted by the same.

      My gut said yes to all the aforementioned questions.  The memory of suffering the verbally violent women’s collective from my uni days and the countless ear bashings and eye-sores of their anti-man anything politics unfortunately rendered my natural instinct to protect the child mute.

      Oh I lament how the politics of the left have abandoned the children of tomorrow…

      Another example, today I happily continue to exist on this world knowing full well there are 3 000 000 000+ people who breathe the air we breathe but have less than a dollar to survive on today.

      The gravity of my continuing subservience to the status quo means that an opportunity to help at least some of those suffering has been lost.

      Now I should feel far worse about that than being a lazy arse and perverting the course of justice by not declaring myself a witness to a carpark hit and run.

      Reply

    • Jack says:

      02:08pm | 18/11/11

      Oh noes, a bumper was bumped, thus performing its intended function.

      Reply

    • Kid Handsome says:

      02:45pm | 18/11/11

      My car has been a magnet for people hitting it in car parks over the years. People just assume that since it’s an old car that it doesn’t matter if they ding it or scratch off the paint. Oh, don’t worry, I’m a poor uni student. I can afford it. Thanks guys.

      Reply

    • Trevor says:

      02:55pm | 18/11/11

      Owning a kombi van made of 1/4 inch steel a few cars have been very badly damaged by running up my rear (and yes, the brake lights do work!). One small Astra was even written off! With nary but small scratch to the rear of my beloved van.  I’m sure a few shopping trolleys, skateboarding miscreants and out of control motorised wheelchairs have run into it too, however I wouldn’t even know.

      No real point here, just that the oppotunity to promote the benefits of owning a Kombi van doesn’t present itself every day!

      And yes, I acknowledge the stereotype of being a ‘crazy lefty’ and owning a Kombi.

      Carry on.

      Reply

    • thatmosis says:

      03:43pm | 18/11/11

      Thats one of my pet hates, doing damage to someone elses vehicle and not stopping, and I go out of my way to report any such incident, with pictures if possible. The main problem is that people just dont care enough to do anything and this lets a lot of offenders get away. Its a small thing to leave your name and phone number and take responsibility for your actions but that seems foreign to a lot of people. Another pet hate, people who arent entitled who park in disabled car parks areas, I pick them up and if they dont move they come back to find their tyres let down.

      Reply

    • Daniel says:

      03:43pm | 18/11/11

      I drove a mid 70’s volvo for around 8 months… Same thing all steel and big arse bumpers that stuck 20cm out from the car, altough I hated it for the most part (drive an old Volvo and you’ll see why) it was great for small prangs I had three people hit me in the time I had it and all I had to do each time was wipe the other cars paint off my bumper.
      However I wouldn’t have wanted to have a crash at speed in the thing, crumple zones and airbags have their place.

      Reply

    • John says:

      04:16pm | 18/11/11

      Some idiot scraped my entire car while I was at work and didn’t leave a note! He married my back mud guard with my tire! The dam car was ride off! Then i had an incident where a guy left note where he stated he hit my bumper bar! I called him and he said he had no insurance! I found no damage on my car and just thanked him for his honorable behaviour. I believe most of these hit and run’s can be blamed on the law not forcing people to take out third party insurance. Third party insurance should just be as important as the green-slip.

      Reply

    • Heids says:

      04:21pm | 18/11/11

      I would totally dob if I saw a hit and run. My car was recently smashed into by a moron who didn’t give way. His car had a huge bullbar so there was very minimal damage to his vehicle, but mine was banged up terribley.

      I am now without a car while I wait for repairs (it has been 2 weeks now and repairs have not even started). I live in a regional town with rubbish public transport and I don’t have any relatives here to ferry me around. My kids think it’s great as they can’t get to school but I am going mad!

      It’s always the innocent party who suffer while the people who do the damage can go on their merry way.

      Reply

    • PW says:

      04:52pm | 18/11/11

      I was reversing my not very old Lancer from a parking spot recently when I heard quite a loud BANG and felt a jolt as well. I’d hit an old shitbox Corolla that was reversing from the opposite side. Neither of us had seen the other. Both I and the Corolla fellow got out and inspected the damage. There wasn’t any. My tow bar had made contact with one of his wheel hubs, so it was my fault. But there was no damage, except a noticeable mark on his rear wheel hub. We shook hands and went on with our day.

      Tow bars are better than insurance any day!

      Reply

    • Kate says:

      06:19pm | 18/11/11

      Just hope that karma (car karma?) will get this idiot some day.

      I always want to leave notes for people misbehaving in parking lots, like those people who take up 2-3 spots in a packed car park due to complete parking incompetence. I finally cracked and left a note along those lines last night, except my fiance convinced me to tone it down to “Please park better next time” from my original “Learn to park or don’t drive at all, you selfish f***ing wanker”.

      Reply

    • Fiona says:

      07:48am | 19/11/11

      Hmmm, I’m sure I saw that note. The car was cool, the drivers parking wasn’t.

    • Yoshi Mura says:

      06:27pm | 18/11/11

      There are no shitbox corollas,just collectables!!!!!  Lancer ,,,Harrumpp

      Reply

    • NESLIHAN KUROSAWA says:

      09:29pm | 18/11/11

      Hi Punch Team,

      Does being honest really pay at this day & age?? We have to ask ourselves this very question again & again.  I would definitely report it my self, no matter what!! For me personally, it is very difficult to stay silent on things that matter!!  Everything has to be straight down the line & fair to everyone involved.  As most of my friends living overseas would say, we all have to be very vigilant about the issues concerning all of us as a community.  There has to be an inbuilt police inside all of us!!

      Unfortunately, most Australian drivers are not the best ones in the world.  It all has a lot to do with our manners in whenever we happen to be in public places!!  I am totally impressed with the way most Europeans drive in general,  with lots of patience as well as polite manners!!  It certainly makes good sense to be able to share all public areas and properties with common courtesy & as well as respect, right??

      However, I truly believe that most drivers become totally different human beings behind a wheel, most unfortunately!!  With all that power & freedom, they surely do not know what to do with it!!  After learning the basic walking & talking skills just like little babies do, we have to also acquire other skills which might help us at being thinking, helpful & caring human beings!!  Which is not that difficult, right?? Best regards to your editors.

      Reply
 
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