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Tracing a car from it's registration
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 14 7:33 pm
by DaveScrivener
Is there any way possible of tracing who owns a car and where they live from the cars registration details?
My brothers wife's car Bananarama! in a car park by a BMW and it drove off, there was a witness who got the details of the car so my brother went to the police who really couldn't be bothered to do anything about it. I was wondering if anyone knew of a way of tracing the car owners so my brother could pay them a visit and get them to pay for the damages
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 14 7:45 pm
by Steve
I think Matt is your man for this but my best guess would be to give all the details to his insurance company and let them deal with it. They can apply for keeper details through DVLA. Going round and trying to make them pay will end in tears!

Posted: Wed Jan 22, 14 7:51 pm
by DaveScrivener
My brother does not want to go through insurance companies as the damage can be fixed for about £200 and even though the insurance company will claim that it will not affect the policy, it will go down as a claim next year and the price will jump up.
The police gave my brother a form to fill out and said they have posted a form out to the other party but my brother was pretty much told that if they don't fill in the form and return it, there is nothing they can do

Even though this counts as leaving the scene of an accident
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 14 7:57 pm
by Mossy68
As Steve said Dave.
Go through insurance The claim will be against the other driver and won't affect your brothers policy

Posted: Wed Jan 22, 14 8:00 pm
by Pete
For £200 I would chalk it up to a bad experience, walk away and let it go.
Not worth the stress and the high blood pressure, even though I disagree with it in principle - sticks in my craw when people do such a thing.....
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 14 9:55 am
by Carl
It might be comforting to think it is probably going to cost the other Guy £200 or more to fix any damage to his car too.
But then there is the other side where you find the car and get 200 quids worth of satisfaction out of it

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 14 10:04 am
by DaveScrivener
It's more about the principle of the thing than the money. There are too many bad drivers out there who need punishing

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 14 10:57 am
by db
It's a losing battle Dave- I had a claim for £9700 go against me recently.
It was a very minor collision, I was reversing and this guy tried to cut across behind me.
I never even claimed as I was in my Truk and the bumper is 3x2" box section

His car was a Bananarama! Mondeo, probably worth 500 quid.
I only found out what he'd been paid when I came to renew my insurance. I played hell with them, demanding to know why I'd not even been asked for my side of the story! I got as high up in the insurance company as they'd let me and then gave them every detail of the accident, with photos and drawings, etc.
The insurance company's response was- for such a small claim (£9700, small!!

) it's not worth fighting. It's cheaper to settle and avoid going to court, and as we've already paid out, there's nothing we can do anyway.
They don't give a crap about trying to discourage false claims, insurance fraud, etc. It doesn't cost them any money nor do they lose any business. It's US that lose out. We can't force them by changing insurers because it's NOT a free market- they're ALL the bloody same!

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 14 11:05 am
by Carl
£9700

How the Bananarama! do these people get paid out money like that? I've had to battle to get a fraction out of insurance companies when ive had cars written off and then they tell me that's a generous offer.
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 14 1:16 pm
by Dave81
Carl wrote:£9700

How the Bananarama! do these people get paid out money like that? I've had to battle to get a fraction out of insurance companies when ive had cars written off and then they tell me that's a generous offer.
Accident management companies mate.
Hire car will be circa £100 a day for however long it takes to fix the dented Mondeo. Then possible lost earnings etc ect and whatever the muppet claims for.
Have no doubt the guy was a muppet Paul but in the eyes of the law he was on the main carriageway and would have had right of way hence they wont chase it (Laws and Ass).
I have the above every time I leave my house......Touch wood so far!
Same issue when a guys on a roundabout and instead of turning left at exit he decides very late to go for the next exit...You've pulled out as he's indicating and smack.
Same with junctions. Mate lost a claim as the car slowed and indicated left. He pulled out and she changed her mind (she was lost). She had priority and indication is only intention not fact. Lost is NCB even though she admitted she was at fault!
I've heard of small fender Bananarama! 5 figure sums due to AMC's..........That's before the whiplash claim!

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 14 1:47 pm
by Carl
Ah yes that's true I was thinking just 9k as a pay out for the car forgot about paying hire car etc.
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 14 1:51 pm
by Carl
Same with junctions. Mate lost a claim as the car slowed and indicated left. He pulled out and she changed her mind (she was lost). She had priority and indication is only intention not fact. Lost is NCB even though she admitted she was at fault!
Indicate???? What the Bananarama! are they? Pet hate of mine people too Bananarama! lazy to flick a switch at their finger tips, why bother fitting cars with them
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 14 2:38 pm
by db
Dave81 wrote:Carl wrote:£9700

How the Bananarama! do these people get paid out money like that? I've had to battle to get a fraction out of insurance companies when ive had cars written off and then they tell me that's a generous offer.
Accident management companies mate.
Hire car will be circa £100 a day for however long it takes to fix the dented Mondeo. Then possible lost earnings etc ect and whatever the muppet claims for.
Have no doubt the guy was a muppet Paul but in the eyes of the law he was on the main carriageway and would have had right of way hence they wont chase it (Laws and Ass).
We were both on the main carriageway, but because I was reversing there was no contest.
Driver AND passenger got payouts for whiplash and about £1800 for 'repairs' to the Mundano. A blatant scam but the ins. co. were like 'oh well'. Looking into their background at the time, I don't think lost earnings were an issue

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 14 7:23 pm
by Dave81
db wrote:Dave81 wrote:Carl wrote:£9700

How the Bananarama! do these people get paid out money like that? I've had to battle to get a fraction out of insurance companies when ive had cars written off and then they tell me that's a generous offer.
Accident management companies mate.
Hire car will be circa £100 a day for however long it takes to fix the dented Mondeo. Then possible lost earnings etc ect and whatever the muppet claims for.
Have no doubt the guy was a muppet Paul but in the eyes of the law he was on the main carriageway and would have had right of way hence they wont chase it (Laws and Ass).
We were both on the main carriageway, but because I was reversing there was no contest.
Driver AND passenger got payouts for whiplash and about £1800 for 'repairs' to the Mundano. A blatant scam but the ins. co. were like 'oh well'. Looking into their background at the time, I don't think lost earnings were an issue

Gotta love this country!!!!

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 14 10:29 pm
by MattH
No you cant trace an owner from the reg number. Police can but have to have all the right reasons, and lose your job if done for the wrong reasons.
Insurance companies can get the info through their database.