Somebody hit me whilst in my girlfriends car!

[G]

Dilema time for me...

Whilst driving my girlfriend car today (59plate Mini Cooper D her pride and joy) some prat in a old 4x4 decided to tried to undertake me on the left hand side which resulted in them driving into the back passenger side arch.

He refused to stop or give his insurance detail and tried to drive off so I leant in grabbed his car keys and called the police. They turned up and breathelised him etc and made sure he gave his insurance detail. The bloke was an ******** as was his passenger (irrelevant I know).

Now my major dilema now is how to progress this. I have called mini and a new platic arch extension is £53.07, the spraying will be a further £50, so £103.07. They have warned as the arch extension is plastic and the main arch is metal so there is a slight risk the colour match may not be perfect.

I have several option here...

a) Go through the insurance, my girlfriend (I) may have to pay £350 excess until they claim it back off his insurance, but if they play up (he has a witness that can bull**** for him even though he went into the rear of me) it may risk going 50/50, so £350 for a £103.07 repair worse case. BUT we would be able to keep getting it done until the colour match was 100%. Goes down as a non fault claim though and may make insurance more expensive.

b) Try and ring or visit this guy (his address is for a business so I may be able to get his number or it may be his business) to see if he will be reasonable and pay up as his insurance excess will probably be more than the cost of the repair too. He was an **** though so may just say bugger off. There is also the risk the finish may not be perfect first time then we would be stuffed.

c) I pay for the damage. No insurance involved, no excess worries. However, a risk the colour is not perfect and he gets off free.

Really dont know what to do.

Hmmm, I personally would just pay for the damage myself and take it on the chin. Just my own personal opinion.

[G]

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

Hmmm, I personally would just pay for the damage myself and take it on the chin. Just my own personal opinion.

If you had hit me, you would just pay... or if you had been hit, you would just pay to fix it yourself?

Did the Police give you any advice ??

I know its annoying, but don't think about the other driver .... what suits you ??

Even if you go through the insurance, I wouldn't bank on 100% colour match .... maybe call him, tell him its £200 or insurance route !!!

Under-taking ?? Where were your biking skills ?? No lifesaver ??

[Dave20046]

IMO If you're going to cop for money you may aswell fight for it (bearing in mind the difference isn't phenominal), he hit the rear of your car you've just got to second guess what him and his witness will say I can't think of much which'll make it even 50/50 let alone your fault.

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by LK-SV

Under-taking ?? Where were your biking skills ?? No lifesaver ??

The way I read it they went to undertake, lost control and hit G. Unless you changed lanes into their path G?

Originally Posted by Dave20046

The way I read it they went to undertake, lost control and hit G. Unless you changed lanes into their path G?

It needs clarifying !!

Originally Posted by G

If you had hit me, you would just pay... or if you had been hit, you would just pay to fix it yourself?

If I had been hit in those circumstances and the other driver was an idiot and behaving in that manner then I probably (and have done in the past £600 worth of damage because an old t.wat pulled out of a junction infront of me) just pay for it myself.

[G]

Originally Posted by LK-SV

It needs clarifying !!

The link below shows the junction it happened on.

I was in the right lane heading north east along the A38. He was in the left lane.

I was infront of the 4x4 making progress in the right hand lane. As the lane closes from two lanes down to one I obviously have to merge in turn. There was a large gap to move over into however he sped up deliberately to close the gap which resulted in him going into the back of me.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&so...02248&t=k&z=19

Just out of principle G, fight it, i know its easy to say for me sitting behind a monitor, but i couldnt live with myself knowing that c**t had got one over on me.
I cant see how your insurance company can not award in your favour, when they have the guys details and its rear end collision.
Also, why the fu*k cant an accident repair place match the colour properly, the chips away people take a pic of the nearest area and mix the paint to match on your drive so i cant see that being a big problem.

Phil