IF I was careless enough to drive into the back of someone's stationary car waiting at a junction I would be mortified and apologetic. So why is it that when someone drives into me they get away with it?

Yes, I got their name and address and took the registration number of their car.

The trouble was, the only other person who saw what happened was a passenger in the car that hit me. The driver has absolved herself of all responsibility by denying that she did my car any damage and I have no way of proving that she did.

What do I do? Well, I could claim on my insurance. But I had to claim a couple of months ago when the car was broken into and the door damaged.

The police were called but one-one was ever found to be responsible. It cost me £100 excess and the loss of my no-claims bonus. If I claim again I will have to pay another £100 and lose even more of my bonus.

So who wins? The thieves, the criminals, the insurance companies. Never me.

ELIZABETH ASHWORTH, Openshaw Drive, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.