Just my luck - Again...

[davalav]

Seriously thinking of selling my car and getting the train to work.


So on Friday on my journey home, I was following a van on the A13 from Brentwood in the outside lane. He was going about 60mph and was leaving a good 15 car spaces in front of him. So I basically undertook him. Nice and casual and slotted straight back in. Around 30 seconds after that, he came roaring up behind me, swerving left and right, hitting both lanes and generally being an ass. So I put up with it.


My little brother rang me Saturday morning and said he has seen a car he likes, as he is hopefully about to pass his test in the next month or two so I said Sunday we will go and have a look...


Bright Sunday morning around 10am I left with my dearest lady with me, coming down the A13 again, through Hadleigh and got stuck behind a guy in some Toyota who was doing about 30mph who then sped up. Now, bare with me... The A13 goes from single lane, to 2 lanes then you approach a junction into into 3. Right turn, straight ahead then far left lane also straight ahead and left turn.


So this bloke was coming down the road, speeding up to about 40mph, sitting in the middle of both lanes about a half mile before the junction. He then suddenly slammed on his brakes, and swerved left and indicated. I slammed mine on just as he did, and I slowly, but surely skidded into his rear as he attempted to slide around a bend.


Here is the damage:



It's not that bad and he wasn't really fussed. He said if we can avoid going through insurance for such a tiny amount of damage, I'll pay in cash and he will get a quote.


I have already sourced a front bumper.


Okay, so if he decides to go through with insurance, I had my GF with me. Can I use her a witness?


What chance do I have of being able to prove that it was his fault? I broke in time, I couldn't swerve as other cars where in the other lane, but I only tapped him at about 5-10 mph. I had to just let Physics do what it does best and wait for the impact.


Why is my luck so #!#!#!#!? Excuse the language!


Every month without fail, something bad happens to me meaning I have to pay out!


I am seriously becoming fed up with life in general and how it treats me. Not to mention others who have it worse off!


It's not like I am a bad person. I could have drove off, I didn't, I pulled up. I am an honest, decent person who make an honest living. I am planning on moving out soon too! I am just so fed up with crap constantly happening!

 

[T9 man]

:sad2:

Really sorry to hear the news Dave, I am at a loss as to what to suggest. I personally would be inclined to go through the insurance, there are far too many of these crash for cash things going on. Some of these rascals don't even own the car that you just hit and they specialise in extortion. Also they may have a link to a buddy with garage paperwork, so it is only too easy to generate a quote and the two cop the cash without getting the car repaired. If you think it's genuine then go the insurance route and yes your GF can be used as witness. If you want to go down the cash route then and repair the car, I have a smart repair guy called Matt who is an absolute marvel! I can PM you his number if you would like to get a quote from him, should be way cheaper than a bodyshop repair.

Don't worry about the recent run of badluck Dave, it comes to us all in one form or another. Just keep your chin up buddy and think positive, something good will happen to you soon that will make this nonsense pale into insignificance

 

[davalav]

Problem is, I will tell my company BUT If I go through them my insurance will rocket and I have only just earnt a years no claims! Why did I have to be stuck behind him! Worse still is that it was on a hill! I was at least a car and a half away, but it had rained the night before so the road was greasy.

Cheers Os! It just seems like it is always me! I will see how it goes, he said he will contact me during the week as he uses the local Toyota Dealer located in Southend. I have his info so if I feel something is amiss, I will go through them.

 

[andyalbone]

no you cant use a passenger as a witness i had the same problem before xmas somebody carried on driving into a keep clear part of the road but cause i was not my right of way it was my fault but clearly he just carried on into me. i had my mate in the van with me they said it had to be an independent witness

 

[T9 man]

^^ I have a feeling that is a company specific thing as opposed to a generic one then. One of my chaps was involved in a multiple car accident in a thick fog on a country road and his insurance company accepted his wife's account as a witness, in fact they asked for it she did not volunteer :blink:

 

[andyalbone]

this may be true but I will never use Churchills again after this they even cancelled my Mrs insurance for not paying but they had taken the money out of her account how does that work

 

[T9 man]

^^ For goodness sake, these companies show no shame at all :sad2:

 

[davalav]

this may be true but I will never use Churchills again after this they even cancelled my Mrs insurance for not paying but they had taken the money out of her account how does that work

Exactly the same happened with my brother and Elephant!


His monthly payment came out, and he then got a letter explaining is policy had been cancelled due to non payment! He managed to prove they took the money, but to re establish his policy he had to pay an extra £100.

 

[davalav]

So... Anyway. It's all been sorted now. I hope! He will send me the invoice once the work has been carried out and I'll pay him the money. Just a small sum of £259.90 which isn't too bad. He has been a nice chap about it and was happy to make sure everything is proven i.e receipts and invoices and he will email me the images once theyre done so I am happy.

 

[T9 man]

Well if your happy then were all happy

 

[davalav]

It's not too bad. He then started to mess me about by saying his car was a company car and really should go through insurance. Luckily I didn't pay anything and have phoned them up and told them what happened. They asked if I had a passenger and then I asked can she be used as a witness, the lady who takes the information said yes, but whether the solicitor who deals with the actual claim says so, its hard to tell.

Hopefully it doesn't go down as my fault as I have some one to prove!

 

[yankfan101]

Sorry to hear the bad luck Dave,,,do like the Russians HAVE to ,,get a forward facing camara,,,their so bad at driving they have to have one fitted to get any insurance,,,you can see why it helps in any claims.....police use them so i think we can aswell....Good luck mate... Ade TTFN

 

[davalav]

Sorry to hear the bad luck Dave,,,do like the Russians HAVE to ,,get a forward facing camara,,,their so bad at driving they have to have one fitted to get any insurance,,,you can see why it helps in any claims.....police use them so i think we can aswell....Good luck mate... Ade TTFN

Cheers mate. I have thought about it, but it happens so rarely it will seem a waste of money. But it does happen and I wish I had one!