The Dogmother Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 Now, you know how big and bright green the van is.... well, for the 2nd time in a month, it has been hit by someone who claimed not to have seen it!!!!! We were taking Phil's folks home on Christmas evening, and I pulled out of a junction near my house with plenty of time to spare with the car coming from my right, as I levelled out, he passed under a street light and I noticed that the driver wasn't looking where he was going and was turned to talk to his passenger. Then I saw that he was heading straight towards us on my side of the road and was in fact accelerating!!!! I had that sort of slow motion deja vu that you get when something is out of your control as he clipped the rear wing of my van - the bit that had just been repaired after the eejit drove into it when it was parked in my street!!!) I pulled over a leaped out - this bloke was heading towards me with his phone in his hand and shouting the odds about it being 'my fault'. I read him the complete riot act (while his passenger phoned all his taxi driver mates to come and have a look ) and pointed out that he had in fact been on my side of the white line and accelerating towards me when he hit us. I had to ask him to calm down and stop shouting, he was after my insurance details which there was no way that I was giving to him, i got his car reg (which i will ask my police friends to check) and his mobile number and gave him mine. To be honest, the damage is minimal and can be T-cut out, but his driving was appalling. I just hope that he has learned a lesson... fat chance of that. He is related to the bloke living over the road from me, so i have some come-back if he plays up and a means of contacting him if he tries anything funny! Anyone would think that my van was invisible or something! Good job that Phil's folks were in the van, or the air would've been blue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 Oh, Clare, thank goodness you are all safe and that the damage is minor.................but anyone who can't see that green van of yours really shouldn't be on the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 Unbelievable! Glad you are all OK though xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 Bloomin 'eck. Was he full of Christmas Cheer do you think? Am glad that you are OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 Sorry to hear about that. When I had a knackered old nova saloon I was completely invisible, even though it was red. The moment I got a newer car, people could see me. Most strange! I am also completely invisible on my mobility scooter, or people look at me, say sorry and then carry on and walk straight infront of me. (a bit like my daughter who when about 2, said sorry to our cat and then hit him!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 Clare- glad you are all ok. I like the way you said you read him the riot act. I just burst into tears if anything happens car-wise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlass Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 That is unfair to get scrunched again in such a short space of tiime .Thank goodnes your all OK. It's really odd how some vehicles just seem to be magnets for bumps....I really do believe that certain colour cars are more prone to near misses ect that others. We had a red car once and people were forever pulling out in front of us etc. I was very glad when OH got rid of it !! Can't imagine how a bright green van could not be visible to other road users. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 What a moron! (him, not you ) Glad you're all OK and damage is minimal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 How annoying. I hate the way they tried to blame you I'm glad you're assertive enought to deal with it. It scares me the number of people they might intimidate into accepting responsibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfrock Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 Nooooooooooooo! Not again! Poor you (hope these things don't happen in threes ). At least you are all safe and sound. He sounds like a right jerk though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 27, 2007 Author Share Posted December 27, 2007 Bloomin 'eck. Was he full of Christmas Cheer do you think? Am glad that you are OK. I did sniff to see if he'd been drinking, but I think he just wasn't looking where he was going His mate in the car immediately got on the phone, so we had half of Banbury's taxi drivers blocking up the road too - just rubber-necking and seeing if he needed back-up. I was blooming irate, especially as that corner of the van had just been replaced and was brand new and shiny! I thought how dare he try to pin it on me - he was insinuating that I had pulled out in front of him, until I pointed out that I had finished my manoevre and was 'on the straight' when he whopped us. I think he must've had a long hard think and not bothered pressing for a claim as I haven't heard from him since. He was shouting and ranting at me, so I used my calm 'Rosie telling off voice' and asked him to breath deeply and to moderate his voice before he spoke to me as I wouldn't talk to him when he was shouting at me and acting like a young child The fact that I am probably old enough to be his Mum might have helped. Phil, bless him, was being his usual calm self, took down the blokes reg and phone number, and chipped in telling him that he had been driving straight at us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 Clare im so glad you are ok! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 Oh not again Glad to hear you are OK though Clare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Poor you Clare. There are some people who certainly should never be driving. Hope you can get it sorted out soon. (((((((((HUGS)))))))) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 28, 2007 Author Share Posted December 28, 2007 Thanks Guys - just when I thought it had blown over, I had 2 calls this morning from 'accident management' companies (not his insurance company) of the 'now win, no fee' ilk. Seems that The Pillock is going for the throat and blaming it on me, despite the fact that there was minimal damamge not even worth a can of T Cut! I have informed my insurance comapny and they have passed it onto their dispute company, and I have told the 'sharks' that i will deal only with his insurance company, not them. I have also reported it to the police as he was driving carelessly. So we'll wait to see what happens. I have taken photos of the scuff on my car and the scene. Turns out that he lives just around the corner, so I keep going past his house, and intend to take photos of his car too as soon as it is back outside. I am keen to do this, because the police have had problems with the local mini-cab drivers causing accidents, then totalling their cars and claiming fraudulently for the greater damage. I am mostly annoyed that it has taken up 3 hours of my precious time off to get this far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 He is probably trying to scare you off. What a rat. You are OK, that is the main thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Sorry to hear about this (again)! Not what you need at the moment! Hugs C x x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 28, 2007 Author Share Posted December 28, 2007 I think you're right Egluntine - he is obviously trying to scare me into admitting liability and coughing up for whatever damage he has fabricated since. Well, he certainly picked on the wrong person; generally I'm all for an easy life, but I hate injustice and will take this as far as it goes. I had a conversation with one of my mates at the Nick earlier and they have had similar trouble with others of the taxi driving fraternity locally and warned me that he probably wouldn't have admitted liability to his mates, but that they have pushed him into pursuing it like this. Apparently, they have been known to drive into a car (usually with female driver) and then leap out and accuse the other person of being in the wrong. I'll walk round there later to see if his car is about and get some photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Judging by the last thing you've said I doubt he'll have much of a case then, especially as he was sad enough to phone up his mates to see. He's very pathetic and I bet it was to gain witnesses. However you probably have better witnesses as people were in the car with you and saw the whole thing happen and not just the aftermath. What rotten luck you're having. Find some time to sit down, relax and eat something sticky and drink something warming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 When I was 17 I drove a Mini Cooper which (was older than me) and one day left the hand brake off in a car park - it rolled gently into a huge BMW in front and the chrome bumper cracked his number plate. I waited for him to return and he shrugged it off saying 'it was only a number plate' but I gave him my details anyway. A couple of days later he turned up with the front end of his car all smashed up and said I did it - my dad sent him on his way, then an insurance assessor came and agreed that my wee mini would have had to jump a couple of feet in the air to cause that type of damage - case dismissed! Chancer Sounds like your guy's trying to pull a fly one too Clare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 28, 2007 Author Share Posted December 28, 2007 You're right Fee - one look at the piddling 'damage' on my van would soon make it obvious if he was trying to make a fraudulent claim and wreck his car. I'm having trouble finding his car to photograph it at the moment - the address that I have for him is round the corner from me... drive full of taxis, but no sign of his car. The phone book doesn't show anyone of his name at that address so perhaps he doesn't live there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 The phone book doesn't show anyone of his name at that address so perhaps he doesn't live there. Clare if you want to know who is on the electoral roll for that property, go to www.192.com If you know the surname of someone at that address put it in the first box, don't bother with the first name, and when it searches it will show other adults registered there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Oh I hate chancers like this. It doesnt look like hes going to get away with it this time though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 28, 2007 Author Share Posted December 28, 2007 The phone book doesn't show anyone of his name at that address so perhaps he doesn't live there. Clare if you want to know who is on the electoral roll for that property, go to www.192.com If you know the surname of someone at that address put it in the first box, don't bother with the first name, and when it searches it will show other adults registered there. I've done that Claire, ut he doesn't show up at that address, which is worrying I'm going for a run tomorrow am, so will go past and see if the car is there then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Sounds dodgy. Is anyone registered at the address? If not they may have ticked the box on the electoral forms to leave them off the published list, but if others are registered as living there he may be a little on the dodgy side. I assume the police have an address for the vehicle registration? Good luck with this, but I am starting to smell something ratty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
