At lunchtime, I was accused of reversing into a car in a shop car park. The accusation was made by an employee of the shop who was in the car park at the time, who said the car belonged to a customer who was not present.
Though there was no sign of damage to either car, I gave the shop employee my details.
I returned shortly afterwards with a camera to record the fact there was no visible damage. The same shop employee came out and before i could explain what I was doing, told me it was against the law to take pictures without the landowners consent, and that he was 'excluding' me from his car park
Was he right ?
What would you do ?
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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tell him to get a life and report all details to the police as it seems like the beginning of an insurance scam,there werent people walking around rubbing their necks as well were there,finally inform your insurance co now of ALL THE DETAILS AND BACK IT UP IN WRITING.
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Also complain in writing to the store manager. They won't want staff who harass customers and invent false accident claims.
I think the golden rule with any problem with an employee is to immediately demand to see a manager. Make sure others shoppers hear what is going on.
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The photograph thing is claptrap. Ignore it. If it is part of their operating proceadure, it needs to be in writing and visible to punters.
As suggested I would make an appointment to see the Duty Manager there, they have every right to ban you from their store if they feel like it - but for this ??
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I've now had a call from the car's owner, saying that he's happy that there was no damage, so I'm happy to beleive that for the time being.
At the time I was quite disconcerted - firstly I'm not convinced there actually was any contact, but to be stood in the middle of the car park, car stopped with engine off and this bloke stood a foot in front of me shouting 'you damaged that car, you were driving off' at the top of his voice and behaving in a very agressive manner was quite worrying. I should have asked for the manager there and then, but I didn't
The same man was even more aggresive when I went back to take the pictures, and refused me his name when I asked. Now given the fact that of the other shop staff, two were teenagers and one looked well past retirement age, I suspect Mr Angry may himslef have been the manager
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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PU - a supplementary question if I may ?
what would have been the case with taking Mr Angry's picture - I made as if to do that, didn't because I seriously thought he was squaring up to hit me
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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PU - a supplementary question if I may ? what would have been the case with taking Mr Angry's picture - I made as if to do that, didn't because I seriously thought he was squaring up to hit me
He would have put a curse on you for stealing his soul.
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i was going to say the picture wouldnt come out it would have been blank.
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Nothing illegal per se by a private individual but would probably get him wound up even more. Is this a national chain we're talking about ?
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They are a national chain, but NOT Halfords
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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I would be tempted to speak to a regional manager, especially if you want to go back to the store. Did you have anybody with you as a witness ?
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Wasn't there a post about a very similar incident a few months back?
Is this a new scam? Is it the same store?
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"complain in writing to the store manager"
Given the aggressive nature of the "squaring up to hit me" bloke, I think a Mr Angry letter to the MD, CEO of the company (sounds like a national/regional/chain store???) might be my reaction. Perhaps you could compose such a letter and take it into the store manager and say that this letter is going off to head office unless you get an apology?
Phil
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A letter describing the incident and sent to the MD of the company is a good idea but don't take it into the store manager. You will just have another confrontation and achieve nothing. Send the letter off direct and then never go near that store again. It would also be worthwhile warning all your friends and neighbours in case it gets tried on them.
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Since the only thing that appears to have been damaged is your pride, why not just chill out and forget the whole incident? Perhaps the employee had got out of bed the wrong side that day, perhaps he had just had a row with his wife, perhaps he was just a miserable git by nature. If, as you say, there was no damage to either vehicle then just forget it. Sticks and stones etc is my motto.
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L\'escargot.
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Surely that's not the point - what happens if he tries this on with someone else? That sort of behaviour is unwarranted no matter what the situation.
Andy
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As we don't live too far apart, I'd be interested to know the location so I can avoid, if the mods will allow
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Was this near work or home Mike>?
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Work - we were working over the 'holidays'
p.s. - you (will) have mail
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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Surely that's not the point - what happens if he tries this on with someone else?
It hasn't really been explained what, if anything, he "tried on". And if he tries "it" on with someone else then surely it will be someone else's problem?
>>That sort of behaviour is unwarrantedno matter what the situation.
Unless I've missed something it was only verbal abuse, so sticks and stones etc would have been my reply.
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L\'escargot.
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L'escargot are you playing on words here and not having a backbone?
There is no way that kind of behaviour would be allowed to pass by me,we may as well all live in a cave if we can be treat like that,(sorry caveman)
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L'escargot are you playing on words here and not having a backbone?
There are more important things in my life than being concerned about someone mouthing off. If he put his money where his mouth was I might pay some attention. As it was, it appeared that he was all mouth and trousers. It wasn't even was his car.
I tried not to read more into borasport20's first two posts than was actually written. Perhaps my understanding of the events differed from those of other Backroomers.
Borasport20 posed the question "What would you do?", and I replied.
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L\'escargot.
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Just playing devils advocate here - and although it sounds like the employee in question was either wrong, or certainly very over the top I can say that on several occasions I have come back to find that someone has hit my car in a car park and driven off. I would have been very greatful if someone had seen it and made them leave details for me.
A similar thing happened to a colleague in that he was at a garage agreeing to part ex his car for a new one. When he went out to show the dealer his car someone had hit it while on the forecourt and caused several hundred pounds of damage. My colelague was lucky in that another couple saw it happen and had written down the guys number plate before he drove off. The police were called, and the dealer also found that he had caught the incident on his CCTV. A swift word from the local plod in the offenders ear and he "decided" to get the whole thing off his chest and admited full liability, but I doubt that hw ould have done it had he not been spotted.
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Had exactly the opposite reaction from a hotel manager when I found someone had caved in the rear door of my car overnight.
Based on a colleague's sighting of a laundry van near my car in the early hours, he sat me down in his office with coffee, called the laundry company and insisted they pay out.
They did.
That's what I classify as a brave call and great customer service.
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If the assistant had mearly insisted that you gave deatils then it could be argued that his actions wer reasnable, however the fact that he atempted to prevent a photo showed his true coulor.
Personaly since the actual owner has decided no damadge was caused I would mearly record the details eg date time and location aleged incident in carpark and file these away just in case.
Paul
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Ignore the incident, half the world's on a scam or looking for compensation, just say exactly where it happened then we can ALL avoid them like the plague!
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It was no business of the shop employee for a start, it wasn't his car you alledgedly hit. I would have asked the guy to point out the damage to the vehicle you were in contact with. He would have been unable to do so and therefore had not a leg to stand on. I would then have reported the guy to his manager for threatening behaviour.
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