UKC

Took a photo of a lorry hitting a parked car earlier. It didn’t stop (driver did get out but then left) but caused a fair amount of damage to a nice Mercerdes.

I went to get a pen/paper to leave a note and my number but car must have left in the 5 mins I was away (end of work time).

I’ve put a notice up where it was done as it’s the kind of place I imagine people park in the same place each day. But there’s lots of rain here so my sign (sharpie on cardboard) might not survive long.

Any better ways of helping?

Is the plate visible in your photo?

If so, report to the police as a hit and run.  They will contact the owner

Most (?) police forces have a 'report a road traffic incident' website. If you've got a photo that's probably the best way to action this. 

Lots of communities have local facebook pages, keep your info vague asking if anyones car was damaged, the DM to you can confirm the details. 

Found the local one, thanks. Will submit the form now.

I was just there (Bristol) visiting for a few days so no idea on local Facebook groups etc - hopefully this will help sort it though.

Thanks for the help!

Yeah I got the plates 👍🏻

Is it a 'branded' lorry? Business name on it? 

Yes. A Bristol based transportation company. Could be worth dropping them a call maybe?

Yes. An anonymous call or email showing the evidence with a statement of intent unless they do the right thing.

My recent experience of doing this was that in the case of mere damage the police were not interested enough to even make a note of it and the reporting website is merely a way to keep the annoying public from reporting crimes that might get in the way of favourable stats.

Yes do this. Any decent haulage company will pursue it with their driver.  You have no need to threaten them. 

I'd do it in a heartbeat.  Maybe I've got too much of a social conscience but when I clipped someone's wing mirror a couple of years ago I carried on to work (it was just after 5am, house was in darkness), went back later in the morning and knocked on his door and told him.  He hadn't even noticed the damage and was a bit gobsmacked that I'd even bothered.

Got the p*ss took out of me royally for doing it but it felt like the right thing to do.  I know what it's like to wake up to a damaged car.

I'd be surprised if the police ignore this. You've handed all the evidence to them on a plate, so it will be an easy case for them to pursue. I dislike hit and run drivers, it's underhand and cowardly. Whilst the incident was probably accidental (bad judgement on the lorry driver's part), the fact that they got out and inspected the damage, and then drove off has compounded what might have been a human mistake into a deliberate traffic offence.

This driver deserves to have the book thrown at them. 

Well done in reporting it.

Definitely worth reporting to both the Haulage company and the police.  To be generous, it's possible the driver took the vehicle details and left and has reported it to his company to follow up if he didn't see obvious owners about.  If so no harm done by you reporting it, if not then they will rightly be in hot water for not reporting it.

Cheers,

Stu

You'd be surprised what they ignore, even with all the evidence they need to identify a criminal.

Wouldn’t they only pursue it if the car’s owner contacts them? Or is it a crime regardless of whether the victim wants it investigated?

(If, hypothetically, I were doing something dodgy in a car that got pranged, I might not want the Police to get involved...)

That could be a great defence for murder...

A crime is a crime as long as the law is broken and the police can pursue a prosecution if it is in the public interest.

In the case of domestic abuse for example, victims often retract complaints after the alleged perpetrator promises that they are so sorry and that everything will be well etc. Police can choose to prosecute anyway if it's in the public interest and they have the evidence they need. Unfortunately, the victim's statement is often a vital bit of evidence.

I witnessed a nun crash into a Mondeo in an underground car park in Winchester. She did quite a lot of damage then drove off. I got her number and left that and a note with my details on the Mondeos windscreen. I was contacted quite quickly by the owners and later by the police who I gave a statement to. As a result the nun was prosecuted - can't remember what penalty she received.

6 months of Sunday afternoon shifts at her local Wetherspoons.

The least she deserved!

Coincidently, and rather fittingly, it’s called The Old Gaolhouse 

When I was a student in Liverpool I moved into a new place. A little scallywag scratched f**k off into my car because he didn't like where I'd parked it. Criminal damage and harassment I'd say. The Police response? Nothing. Nor did they do anything when they shot my land ladies windows out with an air gun.   

As an update, Police responded saying they won’t use the information unless one of the vehicle owners get in touch. 

I didn’t get in touch with the van company (been busy) but I did get a call from someone today who saw my note. They said they had CCTV of the incident, and that the car had been parked in the same place (right next to my big, bold sign) for the last 2 days. 

They were going to move the sign and his own number onto the windscreen to see if they wanted to get in touch. So I’ll leave it up to the driver now. 

The guy who called has had two cars written off by lorries on the same street and had to rely on his CCTV to find out who did it. Sounds like a common occurrence.