Question about Hit-and-Run. (Alexandria: insurance, store, license plate)

[kutra11]

Hi:

My wife "might have" nicked another car while pulling out of the parking lot. She didn't realize it at that time, but after driving a couple of miles, she decided to check her car. Since her's is a 9-yr old car, it's got many scratches (but no dents) so she couldn't tell for sure if she had nicked the car or not. But just to be courteous and considerate to the other driver, we decided to leave a note for that driver.

When we drove to the store parking lot, that car had gone. So I went in and spoke to the manager of the store, and let him know what had happened. While he was of the opinion that I should dismiss the situation since nobody had come in and complained, I insisted that he take down my request. Since there was no formal way to do this, I told him that I would check with him in two days to see if the other driver had come in, so I could follow up with the other driver.

Now, I want to make sure I inform the police as well. Because if the other car did have a scratch and if anybody who saw it passed along my wife's car's license plate, it should not appear as a hit-and-run....that certainly was not my wife's intention. While the best situation would have been for my wife to leave the note right away (and she would have if she would have known for sure that her car scratched the other car), we want to make sure we pay for the damages to the other car. And not make this incident a hit-and-run.

Please advise on what should I do, and how do I go about contacting the police so there's a record of us trying to trace the other driver if his/her car was indeed scratched by my wife's car.

Thanks.

[CaliTerp07]

When I witnessed a hit and run in Alexandria, I contacted the police non-emergency line. They said that they would keep my information, and if the driver who was hit called in to complain, they would call me and let me know I was going to be a witness. (Never called, so I assume nothing happened)

Can you just google the non-emergency line for the police in your area?

[ajzjmsmom]

I agree with the CaliTerp07

[kutra11]

CaliTerp07:

Thanks for your suggestion. I just came back from visiting the police station and the officer said nobody had called to report any hit-and-run. He took down my information but he wrote it down on a piece of paper (not a form) so I don't know how long he's going to hold on to it.

He did give me his name and contact info for future reference that I did report the accident.

Thanks.

[kevinm]

Ignore it. This is NOT "hit and run". Let their insurance company handle it.

[boyd888]

Kudos to you for coming back to deal with the situation. The officer will probably hold your info until the end of his shift. Either way as Kevin said the other person's insurance will deal with it - it's not a hit and run, just a scratch in a parking lot.

[jbird82]

Originally Posted by kutra11

Hi:

My wife "might have" nicked another car while pulling out of the parking lot. She didn't realize it at that time, but after driving a couple of miles, she decided to check her car. Since her's is a 9-yr old car, it's got many scratches (but no dents) so she couldn't tell for sure if she had nicked the car or not. But just to be courteous and considerate to the other driver, we decided to leave a note for that driver.

When we drove to the store parking lot, that car had gone. So I went in and spoke to the manager of the store, and let him know what had happened. While he was of the opinion that I should dismiss the situation since nobody had come in and complained, I insisted that he take down my request. Since there was no formal way to do this, I told him that I would check with him in two days to see if the other driver had come in, so I could follow up with the other driver.

Now, I want to make sure I inform the police as well. Because if the other car did have a scratch and if anybody who saw it passed along my wife's car's license plate, it should not appear as a hit-and-run....that certainly was not my wife's intention. While the best situation would have been for my wife to leave the note right away (and she would have if she would have known for sure that her car scratched the other car), we want to make sure we pay for the damages to the other car. And not make this incident a hit-and-run.

Please advise on what should I do, and how do I go about contacting the police so there's a record of us trying to trace the other driver if his/her car was indeed scratched by my wife's car.

Thanks.

As a victim of a hit and run last year, I give you massive amounts of respect (I know doesn't mean much) for going through all that to right the situation.

At this point I don't know if there's much else to do and if the other person has decent insurance, their uninsured motorist liability should take care of the damage with a minimum deduction.

[bmwguydc]

Assuming there was any detectable damage to another car that might have gotten nicked or scratched, some people may not notice. I know that I have gotten scratches, and a couple of dents, with various cars, but I'd be clueless to retrace my steps to where the damage possibly occurred.

I do think it's great, however, that you and your wife are so honest to attempt to contact someone who might have sustained a scratch from your car. That is commendable behavior, since so many people dismiss out of hand their responsibility for any potential damage, when they knowingly scratch or ding someone's car. In this case, you don't know what may have happened, yet you are wanting to do the right thing. I think you have done what you can, and if someone contacts you, so be it. If not, your wife's car either didn't do any damage, or it was not noticed, and not able to be traced back to any one location.

If it was truly that minor, however, where your wife did not know if anything happened, I would not worry. A scratch like that can be buffed out rather easily and for a nominal fee, or even by the person themselves if they regularly wash, wax, and buff their car.

[kutra11]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

[amachay]

IF you think you nicked a car backing out of a parking lot but are not sure and just leave and a witness reports it, will it be considered a hit and run and will the police view back tapes form security cameras?