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Car Park 'Accident' - who's at fault?

13

Comments

  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 38,004
    If you checked your mirrors and it was safe to reverse out and some prick speeds round a car park then it’s his fault. If you’ve not checked and just swung it out it’s yours. Without video footage it’s impossible to tell.
  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 52,047
    I was parked in a supermarket car park a few months ago and as I reversed out so did the car behind me. We reversed into each other, a nudge only, both checked our cars had a laugh and carried on our way. It was quite surreal.
  • mendonca
    mendonca Posts: 9,416
    I'd recommend front parking in a bay if that driver is likely to tap/crash both their and nearby cars by reverse parking. Some people simply don't have the skill, so I wouldn't deem it an activity that shall NEVER be performed.
  • I mean... how do you load your shopping in the boot if you always reverse into a bay?
  • I always park the furthest away from the shop, two things, less likely for people to park next to you & you get more steps in for the day.
  • I always park the furthest away from the shop, two things, less likely for people to park next to you & you get more steps in for the day.
    Unfortunatly where you park is a bit of of a lottery. I have always done the same as you and I still end up with a car with a scratch or a ding on every panel. 
  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,768
    edited September 2023
    If there is a passenger, you can always get them to get out and direct you as to whether there is anything coming. I do mostly park forwards but ease out very slowly assuming there is a car coming when on my own.

     
  • I always park the furthest away from the shop, two things, less likely for people to park next to you & you get more steps in for the day.
    Unfortunatly where you park is a bit of of a lottery. I have always done the same as you and I still end up with a car with a scratch or a ding on every panel. 
    Yeah, I know what you mean, herself parked in the car park at Ruxley a while back & someone scraped the back wheel arch and rear door and drove off.
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    I always reverse in as it is the correct driving thing to do, also it gets the fiddly parking stress out of the way first.
    If you reverse out of a parking space how can you see what’s coming?
    It obliges the other drivers to dance to your tune and let you out, entitled behaviour by the selfish.
  • mendonca
    mendonca Posts: 9,416
    edited September 2023
    You can see as you slowly inch outwards, because the speed limit in the car park is usually 5mph. You're not reversing back onto a speedy road.

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  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    Can you see a passing small child wandering along at even less than 5mph?
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    mendonca said:
    You can see as you slowly inch outwards, because the speed limit in the car park is usually 5mph. You're not reversing back onto a speedy road.
    As you inch backwards slowly do you expect the other drivers to stop for you?
  • There is no thread Seth can’t start an argument in. 
  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 32,633
    I always drive forward into a parking space, have done for over 40 years. Never have I hit anything when reversing out of said space. In fact I'm more likely to hit something reversing into a space.
  • IdleHans
    IdleHans Posts: 10,983
    As a rule of thumb, if an Audi is involved in an accident, its the Audi driver's fault. Though the involvement of a Range Rover does muddy the waters a bit ;)
  • mendonca
    mendonca Posts: 9,416
    seth plum said:
    mendonca said:
    You can see as you slowly inch outwards, because the speed limit in the car park is usually 5mph. You're not reversing back onto a speedy road.
    As you inch backwards slowly do you expect the other drivers to stop for you?
    No, you put you put your foot on the break and go back into the bay if needed. 

    Regarding seeing a small child. I've never had an issue spotting a small child, unless they are about 40 inches tall and fancied a crawl around a car park, rather than a pushchair.
  • mendonca
    mendonca Posts: 9,416
    There is no thread Seth can’t start an argument in. 
    Arguments, yes, but pretty poor points being.
  • cafcdave123
    cafcdave123 Posts: 11,491
    seth plum said:
    Can you see a passing small child wandering along at even less than 5mph?
    then it's the parents fault
  • IdleHans said:
    As a rule of thumb, if an Audi is involved in an accident, it’s the Audi driver's fault. Though the involvement of a Range Rover does muddy the waters a bit ;)
    Most Range Rovers haven’t seen muddy waters.
  • cafcdave123
    cafcdave123 Posts: 11,491
    IdleHans said:
    As a rule of thumb, if an Audi is involved in an accident, it’s the Audi driver's fault. Though the involvement of a Range Rover does muddy the waters a bit ;)
    Most Range Rovers haven’t seen muddy waters.
    not surprised, hes been dead 40 years

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  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,066
    I always drive forward into a parking space, have done for over 40 years. Never have I hit anything when reversing out of said space. In fact I'm more likely to hit something reversing into a space.
    The trick for me is to find two spaces opposite each other and drive forwards into one, then over to the other. Not always possible and usually means parking further away, but worth it if you can do it.
  • I find it far easier to back in, so always do. The idea that people who drive forward into a space are entitled and selfish is a new one on me though. What if it’s a lone parent with a pram to go in the boot? Are they entitled and selfish? Or is it just sensible for them on what’s probably a tough enough ‘day out’. 

    Should have joined the army Seth, they insist on reversing in. 
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    Yeah. Your point about getting stuff in the back of the car is well made.
  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 52,047
    I always park the furthest away from the shop, two things, less likely for people to park next to you & you get more steps in for the day.
    Unfortunatly where you park is a bit of of a lottery. I have always done the same as you and I still end up with a car with a scratch or a ding on every panel. 
    I park in the widest bay available. I've never had so much as a scratch (until this week no doubt).
  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 52,047
    mendonca said:
    There is no thread Seth can’t start an argument in. 
    Arguments, yes, but pretty poor points being.
    What does this mean?
  • I always revers in and drive out, in fact I'm sure i was told to do so in my lessons. The French must be told the opposite as, generally, they'll reverse out of anywhere, even on busy main roads.
    I always drive into my space so I can get the shopping in the boot ,then reverse out,I would think that reversing out makes you liable if you hit an object 
  • Stig said:
    I always drive forward into a parking space, have done for over 40 years. Never have I hit anything when reversing out of said space. In fact I'm more likely to hit something reversing into a space.
    The trick for me is to find two spaces opposite each other and drive forwards into one, then over to the other. Not always possible and usually means parking further away, but worth it if you can do it.
    The best way is to park diagonally over at least 2 bays. Makes exiting  easier and harder for thoughtless motorists to mark your car.
  • Chizz
    Chizz Posts: 28,346


  • soapboxsam
    soapboxsam Posts: 23,236
    Since the introduction of the Chelsea tractors you are lucky to even get into your car after parking at supermarkets. 
  • cafcfan
    cafcfan Posts: 11,203
    The most important factor is that it happened in a car park, not on a public road, so road rules simply don't apply. This is even the case if you were to drive the wrong way on a clearly marked one way section. As others have said it will be decided by the insurance companies and whatever the outcome, you will both end up losing.
    This thinking is dangerous and in most cases plain wrong. A car park is not a road, it is true but it is still very likely to be treated as a public place.  And as such, many traffic laws WILL still apply.

    But there's lots of weirdness.  So, for example, a pub car park is a public place and therefore RTA stuff applies.  Except if the pub is shut, the car park is also deemed to be closed and therefore it temporarily ceases to be a public place.  (So don't go around thinking you can sleep off a drunken stupor in your car in a Tesco car park if it's a 24/7 store you could still get done for being drunk in charge.)