Please Give Advice. I Bumped Very Lightly In To The Back Of The Car Infront Of Me

[sl33]

It was at a traffic light, there was a car in front of me. We both stopped at red, then when the light turns green, as a normal driver, i waited maybe a few seconds and then i just pulled off. Then, i realized the car infront of me is still not moving. So, i bumped into that car.

The car infront of me's rear bumper is scratched by the front of my bumper. The damage is very little, 2 little tiny holes due to the scoop on my liscense, and a few scracth.

So, what will the damage fee be? like around how much? From what that person is saying, he is thinking of getting a completely new rear bumper which i think cost 500-1000.

His car is a TOyota camry proablly 2007, 2008 version.

[ummmm]

Probably best to get your insurance company to deal with it.

[BlueToffee]

Be careful you don't get sued for whiplash.

[ummmm]

Again, that's for the insurance company to sort out.

[Old_Geezer]

If he's talking about a new bumper there is little point it settling it personally. You'll end up paying the full cost p[lus the fitting. As suggested by Ummmm, let the insurance worry about it, it's what you pay them for.

[ummmm]

I was hit from behind, low impact. No visible damage but when the base of the boot was lifted it was bent.

[friedgreentomato]

let the insurance companies sort it out.

but also a normal driver would not move off until the car infront started moving!

[joggerjayne]

So what happened?

You are making normal progress along the road.

This other car is creating an unlawful obstruction on the highway, and failing to make adequate progress for the prevailing traffic conditions (ie green light).

And this other car, which is unlawfully blocking the highway, causes damage to your car?

[ummmm]

Maybe they stalled.

[Sycamore3House]

Similar situation to one I had. At a roundabout car in front was hesitant when we both could have gone and nudged her bumper. No visible damage apart from scratches. She took my details. I did not report it to my insurance company. Still driving my car 5 years later bumper is still scratched.

[woofgang]

Jayne, you are talking a load of botox and you know it. What happened to "make sure your way is clear before proceeding"?

[sinderella]

ask em for a cash offer to sort it.get in writing
and next time it happens get out the car and take a photo.first thing

[Canary42]

How many independent witnesses ?

If none, deny it and claim further damage must have occurred at a later time.

[tamborine]

NEVER admit liability ! Any witnesses ? Is your liability admittance just an unrecorded conversation between you both ?

Can you say "you reversed into me and caused £x damage" ? His word against yours & insurance would call it 'knock for knock' with each paying their own exes.

Its just a chess move - 'check mate'........lol

[andy-hughes]

It depends if you have independent witnesses.

If not, it is the other driver's word against yours, and if you are hard-faced enough, you can claim he reversed into you if you wish to go down that path.

If you are looking for the moral response, then ask the drive to obtain two quotes for damage repair, and weigh that against the loss of your No-Claims bonus if you proceed through your Insurance Comapny.

If the cost is less that your Excess and NCB, then settle personally - if not, claim through your insurance.

You have two options the hard-faced way, and the way i suspect you will wish to go, which is the morally correct way - and that is the second and simpler option.

The first simply involves toughing it out and lying until the other party gives up. It's not what i would do, but plenty will. The prersent Mrs Hughes is enbroiled in a damage dispute where the driver was uninsured, and is telling his Insurance Comapny that his wife was drving! Without independent witnesses, he may get away with it.

[joko]

saying 'as a normal driver', as though this other person was somehow a lunatic who shouldn't be allowed behind a wheel, just because you were too impatient to wait a few more seconds for them to move off and made an assumption that you should not have made, adds nothing to your argument here, and makes you sound petty and deluded - it also does not alter the fact that you are 100% responsible.

what if someone had been crossing the road in front of them? what if there was a dog in front of their car? what if the car stalled? or wouldn't start? what if they have collapsed?

you should have waited until you see them move, before you did - you should never drive at an a filled space under the assumption that it will empty by the time you reach it.

[andy-hughes]

joko - bit harsh. People make mistakes, that's why they put rubbers on the end of pencils.

Doom-mingering 'what-ifs' hardly add to the ddebate - i am sure that sl33 will be a deal more careful in future.

[joko]

people do make mistakes andy - the OP made a big one - and i only said this because of the way the OP chose to word their question - trying to pass the blame and imply the other driver was somehow a terrible idiot driver and 'not normal' - even though they admit they 'just pulled off'

the 'what ifs' are merely to illustrate that there are many possible reasons why the car didn't move the instant the light went green - and none of them make him an abnormal driver

[boxtops]

I agree with joko - it's a given that if you drive into the rear of another car, you're at fault, you should make sure the way is clear before you proceed. Whatever anyone thinks, I'd report this to my insurance company without delay, let them argue it out, it's what you pay your insurance for.

I dn't understand the damage though, what's "the scoop on my license"?

[MichaelZZ]

I have been, obviously at different times, in both positions. On one occasion, I didn't stop quite quickly enough and caused a slight scratch to the bumper of the car in front. On another occasion, I was waiting to pull out of a minor road when I got a gentle tap from behind. Only very minor scratches to my rear bumper.
In the first instance, I was driving a company car and having exchanged all details with the other driver I duly informed my company insurance guy. Three or four days after the event I got a phone call from the other driver claiming whiplash and suggesting that I paid him a hundred quid compensation. (Bear in mind this was 20 years ago before whiplash became the fashionable thing to claim for.) I told him that the matter was in the hands of my company insurers and if he wanted to pursue any claim he should do it via his and my insurers. I did not hear any more about this incident.
On the second occasion, the chap who shunted me was most apologetic and genuinely concerned for the welfare of both me and my car. I quickly assessed the "damage" as negligible and told him that I reckoned a bit of careful polishing would suffice to get the bumper as good as new. A few days later, I had done the polishing and in order to draw a line under the whole incident I went round to this chap's house to show him my handiwork and shake hands. He was pleased that that was the end of the matter. No whiplash or other contrived or spurious claims.
It seems that times have changed!

[EDDIE51]

You hit the car in front by not making sure the way was clear to move off, you are at fault and there is no way out. You can either put it through your insurance or pay the new bumper and fitting out of your pocket.
If you put it through the insurance you will pay extra on your premium for the next 5 years. A new bumper for an 07 toyota would be about £20 from a scrap yard but the other driver will probably insist on having a new one for around £500 plus fitting, up to you!