Topic: Steering You Right: Parked cars

[Autos_Editor]

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[tpl]

Make no mistake about it: hitting a parked car is always illegal.

That is a pretty stupid comment.

[The Mighty Duck]

Although in both these cases leaving a note turned out to be sufficient...

Actually, in the first story, leaving a note wasn't sufficient. The author makes a pretty big point about this before going on to say that leaving a note was fine.

[tpl]

Exactly...that is what I was thinking.      It seemed a very strange statement for someone who professes to be a lawyer to make. One would have thought the internal alarm bells would have started ringing the minute he typed it.

[aaronk]

I think you're splitting hairs, the point is "don't hit parked cars" and that came across loud and clear. As for taking a positive spin, I'm glad the author points to doing the right thing and leaving a note, I'm guessing this doesn't happen a majority of the time. I know I was hit once in the rear door enough to leave a dent about 3-4" deep that spread across the whole door and onto the rear quarter panel. Guess what? No note. I would also think parking lots are a haven for this type of thing. Unless I'm in a big hurry I typically park my car towards the back of the lot, even if it means a further walk...I could use the exercise 

[DCypher]

There is also one more important thing to note as well. If you are going to do the right thing and leave a note try to get a picture of the damage you caused (or didn't cause, as the case may be). If you don't get a picture (and why couldn't you with every cell phone having a camera these days) take notes on exactly what damage was caused where. This can help a lot if you happened to hit anyone who would like to take advantage of the situation.

Case in point - three years ago my sister lightly scuffed the rear bumper of a car when exiting a tight parking spot. She left a note and took a picture of the black scuff that was left on the bumper of the other car. A couple days later she recieved a phone call from her insurance company (not the owner of the other car) regarding the incident. She was asked if she would prefer to pay the claim outright ($7300!) or have and at-fault claim levied against her insurance. The other vehicle had been brought in for an appraisal of the damage with a caved in passenger door and rear quarter panel! The owners were trying to claim that damage was a result of my wife hitting their parked car! No amount of verbal argument was going to change the insurance companies mind since she admitted to leaving a note and therefore admitted that she hit the car. It was only the pictures she took, which clearly showed the scuff and an otherwise fine quarter-panel that convinced our insurers that the damage was not a result of her incident.

[aaronk]

...She left a note and took a picture of the black scuff that was left on the bumper of the other car...

Wow, good thing she was thinking ahead and snapped a pic, could have saved you several thousand dollars and a marred insurance record. A good bit of advice there. I know I've also been helped out of a jam relating to auto insurance by having a photo to document the situation...

[The Insurance Advisor]

There is nothing illegal about hitting a parked car.  Period.

The law is broken if you attempt to avoid the responsibility. 

But the fact remains, it is pretty embarrassing!  And potentially costly. 

I saw another reference to tort law, which is curious.  Since the inception of no fault insurance, the tort regime has very little to do with auto insurance, and certainly nothing to do with a minor bump. 

And I am not at all certain why:

1. The article was essentially an 'I have this friend...' story.
2. It was important that we know the driver to be an attractive blonde.  What, can't unattractive people make mistakes, too? 

If you really want to be 'steered right' - get advice from an Insurance Professional.  Not the call center kind, go for the genuine article.