cctv footage of a minor bump...

[joko]

i literally tapped the back of a car in front of me today...the man got out, looked at the back of his car and just waved at me an shrugged an got back in his car an drove off...he seemed not in the slightest concerned...and actually i think it took him so long to get out the car to look that he may not have even noticed it and his passenger pointed it out...

but anyway, a mate now warns that i could still get a bill for damage that clearly never occurred... it seems there is a council cctv pointing right at that spot...is it worth me approaching the council to get a copy of the tape??

it was also outside the bank...would they have cctv that would go as far as the road?

is it allowed for them to give copies?

or would i merely be drawing attention to a minor accident...

any advice?

justr dont want to get caught out

he didnt visibly take my number plate and i dont think hed have been able to see it in the rear view mirror...but who knows....

[miss skippy]

I think it's sad that you should even have to worry about it in this day and age.. Surely if the guy wasn't bothered as there wasn't any damage I would forget it. There are some honest people out there. If he had other damage he could have tried to blame it on you but he clearly didn't. Just take a little bit more care and thank yourself for being lucky.

[joko]

yes but this site has numerous posts where someone has done exactly what i say...so it is not just my paranoia...it happens

[bednobs]

i dont really understand how getting cctv footage will help you - if there is any it will show you hiting his car

[miss skippy]

If it was me I would forget it....you say you tapped his car... that is what bumpers are for. He got out, was happy nothing was damaged. So leave it at that.

[Buenchico]

I wouldn't worry about it. I've had other cars 'tap' my rear bumper loads of times and, just like the driver you refer to, I've simply shrugged my shoulders and driven on. (I once got hit three times, by three separate taxis, in under 10 minutes in central London!).

To actually answer your question, the council are obliged (under the Data Protection Act) to provide you with a copy of the CCTV footage if you write to them (addressing your letter to the Data Protection Officer), providing details of the footage required, submitting proof that you were the driver of the rear vehicle (using, for example, your insurance certificate) and enclosing payment of �10.

Chris

[joko]

thanks all...i just mean it will show there was no damage and that i was barely moving and applied the brakes so it barely touched him...

i will not think about it, hopefully as you say he will leave it at that ...but just so i know...does anyone know how long this sort of footage is kept for??

[terambulan]

cctv footage owners are not handing their tapes over to individuals for private civil cases. The man had the opportunity to exchange insurance details - he chose not too. For him to have noted your registration and getting your info from DVLA will cost him - don't think he'll bother.

[kira000]

We asked a council for cctv of my accident. They more or less refused and said i would have to get my insurer to ask to see it. They said i COULD ask myself but it would take much longer and it may be deleted before they approved my request!
They also said they generally delete between 21 and 31 days.

[gentleman]

I would not worry about it. I had on many occasions hit others since I first learned my lesson thinking about it too much. So now I just take a photo with my mobile phone camera