“Car Park "dings"”

so we where all chatting about this;

so a hypothetical question came up

scenario:

A driver returning to his car with a trolley, begins to unload it, said trolley rolls off and hits a car, there is say a "ding" or some scuffed paint, but nothing that can be buffed out and say a couple of hundred bucks to put right.

We'll also assume said driver; tried to stop trolley but coulndt, so said driver was well aware but it was an accident.

so of course there is a moral point;

but ignoring that and assuming that this was also witnessed (either CCTV and/or independent eye witness). said driver gets into his car and drives off.

1> Is the driver guilty of hit/run not reporting an accident or similar

2> If witness was an LEO can the driver be ticketed for either

i) (if seen at scene) damage etc

ii) (if seen leaving the scene) for hit/run etc

thanks

(we all had our different POV's) so an official answer would solve and maybe get me outta paying for a pint !

This isn't a motor vehicle collision.

which is what I kinda argued,

so whilst morally you should maybe 'fess up.

said driver could just walk away with no consequences,,,,, woo hoo won my bet

however.... does a repercussion depend on whether it was done on purpose?

so a person in car park, gets pee'd off with someone, and slams there trolley into other parties car,

so though not a MV collision, it's surly damaging property?

so a witness could report it and or and LEO could arrest if witnessed?

Decatur wrote:This isn't a motor vehicle collision.

If intentional it's criminal mischief. If unintentional you could be sued civilly for the damage because it morally it isn't that you should 'maybe' fess up.....you bloody well should just like you'd hope someone to admit to it if they did the same to your property.

Police involvement would simply boil down to if there was any "intent". If not, then police involvement would end and the damaged person would only have civil court to compensate them. It's not a swift process either.

txs for the replies, again good explanations

cheers

Any difference if you swing open your car door and the edge hits and scratches the car parked next to you? It seems now very few cars have molding designed to prevent this.

No. It's still the same. If you cause intentional damage its Mischief, if you cause unintentional damage you can be sued civilly.

A guy accidentally dinged another car door in similar way, guy was spotted, but driver said, I'm just leaving him a note,

witness smiled and said ok, and drove off

note left on windscreen said "I am writing this note because somone saw me ding your car...sorry.. have a nice day"

true story apparently