Car Accident

[Tally]

Just had a car accident on my way home from the hospital. I edged forward and then hesitated at a roundabout, and a white van went into the back of me. The driver got a bit lairy when I refused to sign a document accepting liability and I called the police, who handled it all and sent him on his way.

 

I was a bit worried because I went with the cheapest insurance quote I could find, but they seem to be dealing with it really well. The car is still driveable, so at least I can get about until it goes in for repairs, and they are going to give me a hire car and not charge me, so it's all OK except that I have to drive an unfamiliar car right after having my confidence shaken by this. But there's not much more they could do for me than give me another car!

 

I'm kind of pleased that I have managed to handle this all myself. My parents are on holiday for 3 weeks and I was nervous about coping without them for so long. But I am pleased that I can manage after all. It's not exactly an everyday kind of thing either.

 

I feel OK physically, just a bit shakey and as if I might burst into tears. I'm sure I will be fine after some red wine. I had to drive away from the scene in heavy traffic, and I will have to drive to work tomorrow along country roads and some difficult turnings, so it's probably a good thing to force me to drive straight away.

[Suze]

Glad your ok Tally, it actually sounds like he was the liable one in this situation. That glass of wine sounds like a good idea , suzex

[Tally]

Both the police and my insurance company said he would be held liable.

 

I did edge forward and then slam on the brakes hard when I realised it was not safe to go after all, so it was not my finest moment of driving! Nevertheless, the van driver would have been able to see over the top of the roundabout that it was not safe for me to go, let alone him as well. Even though I admitted to the police that I had gone over the white line and stopped hard, they still said the van driver was the one at fault because he should have allowed me more space.

 

The insurance company want me to try opening the boot to see if it will close securely. This sounds silly. What if it doesn't? I am going to leave it shut until it is in the garage and I have my hire car.

 

It turns out I am all out of wine, so I need to go to the shop. I don't feel so much like crying now. My back is kind of achy, but I think I might be imagining that.

[baddad]

Yep 99 times out of a hundred in a rear ender the car at the back is held responsible. In the most simple terms, whatever YOU did he didn't leave a big enough gap to brake properly in an emergency stop situation and/or was not paying due attention to the road in front of him. He didn't have to be able to see past your car - only to be able to see the back of you to leave a sensible braking space between him and you! Cheeky beggar, trying to get you to accept liability!

 

Opening the boot - From the insurers POV it's helpful to know as an 'iffy' garage (which is pretty much all of them) will make the most of an insurance job. The downside to checking first is that while it may open/shut there could be other damage that's got nowt to do with the lock/hinges, and the insurers will then say 'well the customer told us the boot was okay'. In this instance I'd let the garage do the checking and the garage/insurer can thrash it out between them. These days the insurers quite often specify garages anyway, or at least ask for three quotes or something...

 

glad you're okay, and if you're going to the offy wait until you get home to open it!

 

L&P

 

BD

[justine1]

Well done Tally (not for the accident but for handling the situation so very well)

 

I am sooooooooo glad you are okay and that everything is going to be sorted

[Tally]

The bus stop was full, so I had to bring my wine home before drinking. Anyway, I forgot my corkscrew

 

He tried to tell the police that I rolled back into him. I think it's pretty obvious from the size of the dent that I was hit a bit harder than rolling! High up in his van he would have been able to see over the top of my car and had much better visibility of the roundabout too. I don't think he stands much chance of pinning this one on me.

 

The insurance company are choosing a garage, so I don't think they could argue that they don't trust the garage! Having told the insurers the boot looks OK but I have not tried it, it does look like it's been pushed in a bit. I will mention it looks a funny shape when I take it in for repairs.

 

I will have to tell my grandparents tomorrow as they will see my car, but swear them to secrecy. I really don't want to worry my parents while they are on holiday, particularly as there really is nothing to worry about because I am OK. It's my dad's birthday today too! I am picking them up for the airport next week, so I will have to tell them at the airport as I will probably have the hire car by then and they will notice that my car looks a bit different.

[call me jaded]

Hope you are enjoying the Well done on getting everything sorted.

[JsMum]

Glad your ok, from the near car accidents I have had its Vans! It will be the shock mostly that has upset you.

 

You have done amazingly well to deal with it all, I had a bump not long ago, and I got a courtesy car, a little fiesta, right nippy thing, loved it, but far too small for J, but it was actually hard handing it back, Ive had a courtesy car in a driving lesson once, all I did though the lesson was Stall!

 

I can not drive Vauxals at all.

 

anyway glad your ok,

 

JsMumx

[Kathryn]

Glad you're OK Tally,

 

<'> ><

 

K x

[Mumble]

I am picking them up for the airport next week, so I will have to tell them at the airport as I will probably have the hire car by then and they will notice that my car looks a bit different.

I vote for not telling them and then insisting when they say you have a different car that, no, you've always had this car, what are they talking about, must have had too much sun on holiday - could have some fun with this one.

[Sammysnake]

Well done for handling this all so well. I would have cried when the van man was having a go (whilst still standing up for myself at the same time) and cried driving home and cried when I got home and told my husband and cried when I phoned the insurance company. I'm sure you can sense a general theme going on here!! I would have gotten everything done but would have need a box of tissues more than the wine. So glad you seem to be ok but just watch that sore back, you may find you're really stiff tomorrow. If you are, go and see a doctor straight away. Maybe you can get some insurance money for physical injury out of this guy. He deserves to have to pay up after trying to put the blame on you .

[Tally]

The aches have gradully come out today. Pretty much all over, but nothing too bad. My innards seem to be settling back into the right places now. Because I was hit from behind, I was thrown back into the seat, so that would have spread it out nicely. I could go to the doctor tomorrow if I need to, but hopefully it won't be necessary.

 

I have booked to take the car in to the garage for an estimate on Tuesday morning. They say it takes 10-15 minutes. My boss says it will be OK if it makes me late for work. Once the insurance company has approved that, they will arrange to collect my car and deliver my hire car. I'm hoping that bit will happen pretty quickly because I really need a car with an opening boot for Thursday morning. I only just managed to squeeze my parents in around their luggage on the way to the airport so we have no hope without a boot! They have said they will give me something of similar size to my own, I just hope I will get it on time.

 

The van driver's insurance company left me an answerphone message today accepting that he was liable and offering to handle the repairs for me. But I have it all arranged with my own insurance, so I'm going to stick with what I have already arranged now. The van driver also left a message to ask if I was OK and whether I had contacted my insurers yet. He may well have been genuine, but after the way he was after the accident I'd prefer not to deal with him directly, so I'm going to leave it.

 

Normally I'm quite happy to get in any car and drive it. Once I drove my ex's work van. He warned me that everyone stalls it first time because the clutch is weird, but in front of all his colleagues I pulled off a nice smooth hill start But I'm not feeling too great about driving anything at the moment. Last time I had an accident I had to drive my brother in law's car for a couple of days as mine was totally undriveable, until I got a courtesy car, and it was horrible. But that accident was much scarier, so maybe it will be easier this time.

[Tally]

I vote for not telling them and then insisting when they say you have a different car that, no, you've always had this car, what are they talking about, must have had too much sun on holiday - could have some fun with this one.

That could be fun Unfortunately I seem to have some kind of truth-tourettes, and the first thing I am likely to say is, "I crashed my car, but how was your holiday?"

[call me jaded]

 

I can not drive Vauxals at all.

 

Me neither! And I can usually drive anything.

[Tally]

My brother has a Vauxhall Corsa. I really like it. I had a Vauxhall Belmont for a while too. I had been used to power steering and found it really hard work to drive.

[CEJesson]

I think you have dealt with this situation tremendously well Tally even with the initial hurdles at the start with the van driver. It is always a preoccupation on ones mind when driving around places like roundabouts and junctions.

 

Changing car makes such a difference I agree. I have an MG and it has recently been in the garage for a head gasket replacement. I was driving a Fiat 500 in the duration of the works being carried out and the steering is so light you cannot feel anything. Glad to have mine back! It can be a major contributor to the way we all drive.

Edited October 3, 2010 by CEJesson

[Tally]

Well I do not have my hire car so I have had to let my parents know I cannot collect them from the airport in the morning. They won't know until they land as they are up in the air already, but there's not much more I can do to contact them. I expect they will turn on their phones on when they cannot find me in the airport and get the messages then.

 

When I took my car in for the estimate on Tuesday, they said it is normally next day that the car gets taken in for repairs, but I have not heard anything today. Hopefully tomorrow!

 

I feel a bit silly because I am too scared to drive to the hospital again tomorrow as I cannot face the same roundabout at the same time of day again. I have done everything else. I got back in my car and drove home. I have been driving to work and it's not a very nice drive. I will drive the hire car. But tomorrow I am going on the train instead.

[Bluesbreaker]

also remember with Hire cars they tend to be a pain in the backside because you can garuntee the indicator switches and the windscreenwipe switches are on the opposite side to your own car! its been often the case my mother has used her windscreen wipers to indicate a right hand turn!!!

[lindy2017]

Both the police and my insurance company said he would be held liable.

 

I did edge forward and then slam on the brakes hard when I realised it was not safe to go after all, so it was not my finest moment of driving! Nevertheless, the van driver would have been able to see over the top of the roundabout that it was not safe for me to go, let alone him as well. Even though I admitted to the police that I had gone over the white line and stopped hard, they still said the van driver was the one at fault because he should have allowed me more space.

 

The insurance company want me to try opening the boot to see if it will close securely. This sounds silly. What if it doesn't? I am going to leave it shut until it is in the garage and I have my hire car.

 

It turns out I am all out of wine, so I need to go to the shop. I don't feel so much like crying now. My back is kind of achy, but I think I might be imagining that.

Hi, Thes same thing happened when my daughter was out driivng lesson white van man went into ehr as they were coming up to zebra crossing .....she had whitlash and so did the insturctor had headaches .....white van man was to blame should ahve been further back ...and paying attention..................lindy