car hire/possible scam

[carrowcrin]

Hi all,

I hired a car in Malaga a couple of weeks ago and this is what happened and would welcome comments.
Anyway as i was in driving by Campillos i realized that i needed to collect an item, i kinda know the town but as i went in from a direction in was not too sure and i was looking for the shop driving through streets.
Then my phone rang and naturally i answered it and while driving through the narrow had a chat for a few mins and finished my call.
After a few mins i found the shop and pulled up opposite, as i did a pretty youngish guy pulled up outside me and pointed to the mirror of my car (driver side) and said i hit his mirror and damaged it.
There were the usual marks on the back of the mirror bur not damaged, at this stage i had not seen his mirror as as far as i was concerned nothing happened even though i did consider it a possibility as i was on the phone and had the phone to my left ear and therefore my vision of left side a bit obscured. It was never mentioned that i was on the phone so he must not have seen this but there was a serious language problem.
I decided that i would mention the police that he might back off, anyway he phoned the police and knew the number without checking which i found interesting, the police duly arrived and we went to the Police station.
At this stage i had seen his mirror and it had the usual marks and it had a small very chip, the policeman took the details and i said to the policeman that this did not happen but he said that he was just taking down the details as relayed to him and he was not forming an opinion of the facts.
Whe i looked at the map that the policeman produced on the bacis of what the guy told hin it was that the passenger mirror my car had hit his on the front side of his mirror, both the back of the mirror on the car i was driving and the front of the mirror on the other car were unmarked.
I contacted the car hire people and they said i have full insurance and when i went back with the car and explained what happened all they were interested in the fact that there was full insurance.
It appears to me that this guy will get paid from the insurance people.

Many thanks

[Campo Steve]

Sounds dodgy to me. Regardless of whether or not you were on the phone I think you would know if the mirrors had hit by the noise.

[boblocksmith]

You say that his mirror was undamaged but then you say he had a small chip on it? It could be a scam but as your insurance will pay it's not worth losing sleep over. Of course using your mobile whilst driving down narrow streets doesn't exactly put you in a good position does it?

[Campo Steve]

At least it was a hire car and the hire company's insurance is paying. That means your NCD is safe, although technically I think you are supposed to report any claims to your insurance company.

More worrying is the use of the phone while driving. I know being on the phone whilst driving seems to be a national pastime in Spain, but there really is no excuse for doing it, especially when you state that your vision to the left was impaired because of it. Lucky a child didn't run into the road from your left. It might have been more than a wing mirror that was damaged.

Next time, if your phone rings, park before answering it.

[carrowcrin]

i think it would be rude not to answer the phone but i will switch it off when i'm driving through Campillos, i am not worried about the experience as i found it rather interesting.

Thanks again

[Mowser]

i think it would be rude not to answer the phone

But it's against the law to answer it. I don't think your insurance would pay for the fine!

[El Cid]

Then my phone rang and naturally i answered it and while driving through the narrow had a chat for a few mins and finished my call.

Totally irresponsible and very much against the law.

The least of your worries should be your wing mirrors - scam or not.

Next time you are driving in Spain and use your phone while driving, hopefully the Guardia will see you and act accordingly.

Read this http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/pu ... 9917.shtml

[Beachcomber]

Get one of these:

http://www.roadhawk.co.uk/roadhawk-RH-1.htm

Absolute proof of your innocence (or otherwise).

[carrowcrin]

I think i am innocent as i was not aware that this practice was illegal, anyway i am the victim here and some of the comments are mean??

[El Cid]

I think i am innocent as i was not aware that this practice was illegal, anyway i am the victim here and some of the comments are mean??

You can't be serious!

Unaware that using a phone while driving is illegal?

What planet have you been on for the last 10 years!

[Enrique]

Hi,
Welcome to planet Earth....................


"It has been illegal to use a hand held mobile phone while driving since December 2003. Breaking this law, even if otherwise driving safely, can lead to a £60 fine and three penalty points."

I trust your stay will be enjoyable..............

[Campo Steve]

Can't think of a country in the world where it is legal to use your phone while driving. Maybe that is why the guy picked on you in the first place.

[Mowser]

Can't think of a country in the world where it is legal to use your phone while driving.

You'll be telling me next I can't watch a DVD when I'm driving!

[Beachcomber]

It is still legal to use your phone (at least, at the moment) with a hands free kit and in Spain that means that no piece of the hands free kit can be attached to the person (earpiece, microphone etc.)

[Campo Steve]

Hands free yes. I meant using it where you have to hold the phone.

In a similar vein, i read somewhere that it is illegal for a driver to use satnav because it is distracting. Any truth in that? Strange if it is true, seeing as you can buy cars with it fitted.

[El Cid]

In a similar vein, i read somewhere that it is illegal for a driver to use satnav because it is distracting. Any truth in that? Strange if it is true, seeing as you can buy cars with it fitted.

In Spain it is legal to use a satnav but you cannot program it or interface with it on the move.

Sid

[Campo Steve]

Thanks Sid. Makes sense.

[Mowser]

So I CAN watch a DVD then?

[carrowcrin]

It is possible to programme my sat-nav while driving though i must admit it is difficult to do it while on the phone, technoligical gagets can be so inconvient.

[El Cid]

So I CAN watch a DVD then?

I think it is illegal to watch one while the car is in motion. They are normally wired up so they will only work with the handbrake on.

I'm not sure if that applies to ones in the rear of the car.

Sid