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#Post#: 77630--------------------------------------------------
Careless Driving Charge
DIR By: forestfox
Date: June 22, 2025, 11:31 pm
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First of all, thanks to anyone who replies! I am in scotland.
I've been charged with careless driving (verbally by PCs,
yesterday morning, I have not received any paperwork yet.) After
a minor incident outside my home. I rent a downstairs flat, and
upstairs is an Airbnb usually block booked every week for the
same work men, who usually have two large work vans on our very
narrow street, with junctions relatively nearby.
I own a car and motorbike, both insured to be kept on the road
(no driveway or garage etc) and usually, due to the size of the
street and how awkward parking is, I would park both quite close
together just out of consideration to maximise space for others.
Unfortunately at one point last month when I was leaving for
work (1:30am) I went out to find that their vans were parked too
close for me to be able to pull out in the car. I did try
knocking for quite a while as loud as I could but no one came to
the door. The motorbike was behind me, but my friend and I had
swapped bikes for a little while at the weekend (both insured
and licenced to do so) and he had accidentally taken my keys in
his pocket.I pulled it as far as I could as steering lock was
on, but regardless the second van was very close to the bike so
that wasn't very far. Backing up until the car was touching the
bike still didn't give me enough space. Panicking about being
late to work (bad anxiety) I pulled out anyway resulting in
minor scratches to my car and one of their vans (I have pictures
of both). I told them when they got back from work the following
evening about it all, I'm not disputing responsibility here at
all. Insurance etc informed and such.
Now over a month later the police arrived at my door yesterday
morning to confirm details and let me know I'm being charged
with careless driving due to this. I have been honest, and have
not hidden anything from anyone about it. I realise legally I
was in the wrong, as backwards as it might seem to me. I should
have just not went to work until I could get it moved. My
question is more whether the circumstances involved might help
me get the lower end of the penalty, as I'm also awaiting
surgery I should hopefully get soon with maybe 2 months off of
work, so i'm just trying to plan financially.
#Post#: 77684--------------------------------------------------
Re: Careless Driving Charge
DIR By: roythebus
Date: June 23, 2025, 5:57 am
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Are there any parking restrictions where you live; was the
driver or keeper of the damaged van informed by you of your
insurance details? Any exchange of details? How do the police
know it was you who caused any damage?
#Post#: 77693--------------------------------------------------
Re: Careless Driving Charge
DIR By: forestfox
Date: June 23, 2025, 6:35 am
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Hi, so I spoke to them myself and exchanged details. There are
no parking restrictions. Naively, I am realising, I was honest
about it all. I did not hear anything else at all about it, I do
not even know the men upstairs' names, only the company they
work for (liveried van). My insurance knows but I dont know if
there is a claim against me taken out at the moment, I will be
phoning them again today. The police turning up was honestly, a
surprise.
As I have already admitted and exchanged with the man upstairs I
was honest with the police about it, although when speaking to
me they made it sound like they had been told it was much more
serious than it is. A couple of paint pens and you can barely
tell on my car that it was ever scratched. It seems mad to me
that I might get charged over this but I am accepting I did
wrong in the eyes of the law and I'm just trying to get an idea
of how boned I am.
#Post#: 77712--------------------------------------------------
Re: Careless Driving Charge
DIR By: ManxTom
Date: June 23, 2025, 7:32 am
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Have the police actually charged you or have they simply
notified you that you might be prosecuted?
If this is really just about a couple of scratches - only you
know the extent of the damage - it seems a bit of an
over-reaction to what ought to be an insurance matter.
#Post#: 77723--------------------------------------------------
Re: Careless Driving Charge
DIR By: forestfox
Date: June 23, 2025, 8:00 am
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--- Quote from: ManxTom link ---
>
> Have the police actually charged you or have they simply
notified you that you might be prosecuted.
--- End Quote ---
I was told it was a verbal NIP, so I am assuming yes. I am just
now waiting on the paperwork and what decision might be, but my
understanding is that I will definitely have some consequences
legally.
I dont know why it took so long for them to come and see me, so
I really had started to put it out of my mind
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