plumbersvan Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 The answer is not “call the police”While the French police services are far far better than British in such “minor” matters it depends very much on the situation & if they come at all. Yesterday, late afternoon I returned kicked off my shoes poured a glass of cool (local)fizzy wine(Limoux) and sat looking out across a vast dusty aire for campingcars local workers were repairing potholes, the strong afternoon sun lit every speck of dust floating in the camper. A ford transit “580” with French registration had arrived, turned and began to back into me,since the aire was almost empty with place for at least 20 campers I thought he was manoeuvring Just before impact I managed to find the horn and sound it,he stopped. I found my shoes and opened the side door to find him backing in again the door wouldn’t open to get out.I rushed forward shot out of the drivers side(LHD British registration)And told him to STOP I couldnt tell if he had hit me?He then started to move forward,my door had swung open and was wedged on his side Again I told him to stop pushed my door closed,then pointed out to him that there is a camping car,mine,on the space he wants to park on.I asked him why he hadn’t chosen another uninhabited space,he simply whispered “im moving” The question is,”if” he had hit me and there was impact damage to my bumper then he just ignored me or tells me its nothing,”he didnt do it” then wont say another word,what can you do?? Has anyone been in such a situation? 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Err... you would get his number, report incident to police, get a crime number and inform your insurance company..(just the same as in UK) I hope your insurer is aware that you are staying in France for a protracted time......as if not your probably uninsured anyway *-) but why worry about such trivialities.......your on Holiday! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumbersvan Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 Yes i see thats the thing to do. The insurance is ok,i called and told them id be hear untill April/May its not full comp just third party f & f Id far sooner have a miscreant pay on the spot than have endless trips to the police, insurance and then find the damage is excluded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Sounds like the perfect way to carry out a 'distraction burglary' to me. Get someone to pretend to back into your van then while you're out of the 'van remonstrating with the driver someone else sneeks in and robs you. And why didn't your side door open, could someone have been holding it shut? I'd watch out if I where you, it's a cruel world out there! Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you it's just the way my mind works. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 plumbersvan - 2012-03-05 2:04 PM ...Id far sooner have a miscreant pay on the spot than have endless trips to the police, insurance and then find the damage is excluded If the other motorcaravanner had hit your motorhome and then claimed not to have caused any damage and refused to speak to you, then you obviously would not be getting an on-the-spot payment. If damage had been caused to either vehicle, then (assuming you wanted to have the cost of repairs paid for by the other party's insurance company) there would be a need for you and the other driver to cooperate in completing a European Accident Statement. You'd then need to inform your insurance provider, send them your part of the Accident Statement, arrange to have the repair done and, hopefully, the cost of the repair would eventually be refunded by the other driver's insurance provider. Regarding involving the French poiice (or any other nationality of police for that matter), if you were unable to get them to attend the scene of the accident I suspect that they would not be very interested after the event, particularly when a UK-domiciled tourist was involved. No-injury parking incidents are not considered 'proper' accidents in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 This is going back a few years ago now but when I was younger (in the UK) I got hit from behind by a bloke in a Saab on a roundabout. We pulled over and he had the audacity to try and blame me for stopping when I didnt need to. Anyway we exchanged insurance details and I reported it to my insurance company. The other guy did nothing. He never reported it and refused to acknowledge the accident to his insurance. I presume he got his car repaired himself. My insurance company said there is nothing they can do. So as far as I see it you need to either A. Get the police involved or B. Get witnesses or your stuffed if they refuse to report it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I did not think there was much of a financial saving between "Third Party Fire and Theft" and "Fully Comprehensive" insurance these days. Give me Comrehensive any day. I have to ask, what would you do if you wrote off your MH and no other vehicle was involved? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumbersvan Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 :'( Robbery 8-) OH yes it would have been easy now i look back,and i would never have thought of that i will have to take MUCH more care :-S And to say i hit him situation,that ive thought about :-( Life is complicated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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