If you accidentally hit a parked car, is the right thing to do to run or to confess?

Because it frequently isn't done intentionally?

It doesn't need to be intentional to be your fault. If I am texting on my phone and hit a parked car, I didn't intend to hit the parked car, but it's my fault. If I am parallel parking and bump the car next to me of course I didn't intend to hit the parked car, but it is still my fault. And on and on.

The only true "accident" I can think of is if your car has some sort of mechanical failure or something that you truly have no control of, or a dangerously parked car on a busy street or something. But in 99% of all situations where you are driving and you hit a stationary object, I can't see how that is not totally your fault.
 
No offense (again) but Jesus said to not exact evil for evil and to turn the other cheek. Being a Catholic, this is just what I would do (not demand reimbursement).
No offense, but your moral compass is in need of repair. You don't just trash someone's property and flee. Take responsibility, own up to your actions, and suffer the consequences should there be any. Most people learn this at a very young age.
 
It doesn't need to be intentional to be your fault. If I am texting on my phone and hit a parked car, I didn't intend to hit the parked car, but it's my fault. If I am parallel parking and bump the car next to me of course I didn't intend to hit the parked car, but it is still my fault. And on and on.

The only true "accident" I can think of is if your car has some sort of mechanical failure or something that you truly have no control of, or a dangerously parked car on a busy street or something. But in 99% of all situations where you are driving and you hit a stationary object, I can't see how that is not totally your fault.

Yes. But you're assuming that accidents must necessarily not be anyone's fault. I don't think this is the case.

Even mechanical failure can be (in fact invariably is) someone's fault. Even if it's a dangerously parked car, round a blind bend, say, it's still your fault if you run into it. Travelling round blind bends at too great a speed is the driver's responsibility.

I can accidentally stub my toe on a door as I go through it. It's still my fault.

In everyday use the word accident refers to a lack of intention, doesn't it?

accident
/ˈaksɪd(ə)nt/
noun
noun: accident; plural noun: accidents
1.
an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury.
"he had an accident at the factory"synonyms: mishap, misfortune, misadventure, mischance, unfortunate incident, injury, disaster, tragedy, catastrophe, contretemps, calamity, blow, trouble, problem, difficulty; Moretechnicalcasualty
"he was involved in an accident at work"


a crash involving road or other vehicles.
"four people were killed in a road accident"synonyms: crash, collision, smash, bump, car crash, car accident, road accident, traffic accident, road traffic accident, RTA, multiple crash, multiple collision; Morerail accident, derailment;
air accident, air crash;
wreck;
informalsmash-up, pile-up, shunt;
informalprang
"there was an accident on the motorway"


euphemistic
an incidence of incontinence by a child or animal.
"he had a little accident, but I washed his shorts out"
2.
an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause.
"the pregnancy was an accident

So, I looked it up. And... it depends.
 
Accident means not done intentionally. Accident does not mean no fault.
 
The sense I got from the OP was he was using "accident" to mean, in his words "1. It's not anybody's fault (not deliberately)" I.e. if he hits a parked car, "oops, didn't meant to buddy!" so it's cool. Which is of course absurd.

Point is, hitting a parked car is someone's fault, 99% of the time if we want to be generous.
 
Well, there are the oddball "Act of God" things, like say if a meteorite came out of nowhere, popped through your roof and grazed you sufficiently to cause you to lose control of your vehicle, sending it careening into a parked vehicle.

However, I don't think that is what the OP was referring to.

(yes, I realize it is a very improbable and frankly stupid example. Let's not pick apart the example itself if anyone has an issue with the idea.)
 
The sense I got from the OP was he was using "accident" to mean, in his words "1. It's not anybody's fault (not deliberately)" I.e. if he hits a parked car, "oops, didn't meant to buddy!" so it's cool. Which is of course absurd.

Point is, hitting a parked car is someone's fault, 99% of the time if we want to be generous.
Yes. I think you're right on both points there.

I'd still call it an accident.

It's only not an accident if you do it deliberately.
 
The person that parked the car in a manner that could damage the vehicle of clumsy drivers means the parker is at fault and you should have your process server at his vehicle when he arrives there to serve him with a lawsuit.
 
There's also the colour of the parked car to take into consideration.

Some colours just cry out to be smashed into.

I'm looking at you, lavatory blue.
99brightblueZ28.jpg
 
No bumps on parked car, don't bother telling anyone.
 
No, you do not have it wrong.

That is not necessarily true. It just means that in the future when someone damages his car, he is going to tell them to mind their own business and forget about it.
 
Well, there are the oddball "Act of God" things, like say if a meteorite came out of nowhere, popped through your roof and grazed you sufficiently to cause you to lose control of your vehicle, sending it careening into a parked vehicle.

However, I don't think that is what the OP was referring to.

(yes, I realize it is a very improbable and frankly stupid example. Let's not pick apart the example itself if anyone has an issue with the idea.)

While I agree this wildly improbable scenario could be classified as a "True Accident", it still fails to absolve the driver from his responsibility to inform the owner of the parked car about even very minor damage caused by his car.

I can think of no situation in which it's appropriate to hit & run.
 
Oh... yeah no, I didn't mean to suggest that. I just meant it's a "no fault" accident.
 
No, you do not have it wrong.

The Golden Rule
Spoiler :
the_golden_rule.jpg

"If i was gay i'd want them to beat me with a stick until i was gay no more."

The Golden Rule is really only useful to a person who is already sufficiently morally educated so they'd not have needed the rule in the first place.
 
Maybe. I bet you're with me and thinking people'd be even more pissed, though.
Yup. I just wonder how much of my disgust in this case is merely the result of a strongly enforced social norm, and how much of it is a genuine moral response.
 
3. Go home and accidentally make a thread about it in a Civ forum.
 
Back
Top Bottom