stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,926
Club RR Member Number: 174
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should i call the police?stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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The standard of driving seems to have got worse recently. In the last month the number of tossers who've come flying up behind me on the motorway then sat 4 foot of my bumper flashing their lights has being appaling. Its not as if i'm even going slow i'll be sat doing a steady 80 or something. I managed to get one of em good and proper the other week. Wagon doing 55mph or so in the inside lane, Hummer doing 60mph in the middle and me doing 80-ish in the outside. A guy in a Vectra did the above^^^ so I just lifted off and dropped to 60. The hummer realised what was happening and he slowed to 55, so I slowed a bit more and we just sat there for about 5 miles. The guy was goin mental, swerving between lanes and honking his horn, all while being about 5 feet from the back of us.
Most people when I slow down get the idea and back off a bit then I let them past.
Matt
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Don't bother, I was at the front of a three car minor crash caused by a dopey lass on the phone, a micra mashed the front of itself into my bumper, no damage whatsoever to my car (citroen Xsara - completely invincible that car..)
Anyway, I stopped, swapped details, did all the right thing, I wasn't making any claims and lo, the insurance companies started dragging me into it. The mark is still on my record, as soon as you're in or near an accident it goes on and never comes off.
MY advice, tit in a BMW wraps himself around a barrier, meh, hopefully he's learn't a lesson, take photos of your car with dates on to prove you're not involved 'just in case' someone gets their story in a twist, it happens.
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May 27, 2008 11:26:09 GMT
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I think this is all pretty gutless and a sad reflection of today's society.
You were obviously involved (even if it wasn't your fault - you were there) - so contact the police, tell them what happened, and stop worrying about about getting dragged into something you didn't do.
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May 27, 2008 12:48:34 GMT
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MY advice, tit in a BMW wraps himself around a barrier, meh, hopefully he's learn't a lesson, take photos of your car with dates on to prove you're not involved 'just in case' someone gets their story in a twist, it happens. That's also good advice - the GF had an incident where some old farts were in a multi-storey car park and going up one of the ramps but spotted a free space on the level they were leaving...so decided to stamp on the brakes and go into reverse without as much as a look behind them - next thing bump into her stationary car! Details were swapped and apologies made by the old farts - I call them up to ask what they wanted to do about the incident and they said just get a quote from the local shops for the paint repairs as they'd prefer to do it off the record balh blah blah... I get a 3 quotes and email them to them - next thing my high quality scans are supposedly unreadble and can I fax them, the fax copies are also unreadable (stalling tactics). Next thing there is a call from their insurance company asking about the accident where my GF "rear-ended" an innocent old couple in a multi-storey car park! Fortunately, it all got sorted out in the end (god knows how) and they paid for the repairs...keep a camera in the car and make sure you get a witness if you are involved in an accident
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Tell it like it is.... NOT how it should be
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filmidget
East Midlands
Mostly Lurking
Posts: 1,652
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May 27, 2008 12:56:50 GMT
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I think this is all pretty gutless and a sad reflection of today's society. You were obviously involved (even if it wasn't your fault - you were there) - so contact the police, tell them what happened, and stop worrying about about getting dragged into something you didn't do. But was he involved? Was the Metro in front also involved? The car entering the motorway that the Metro presumably moved over for? (Taking the view he was past the BMW, in a different lane, and didn't move into the BMW driver's path) Plus you might not be doing the BMW driver any favours either - he might have got it moved/recovered without the authorities/police ever knowing about it, so avoiding any awkward questions... Or the OP may give a different version of events to the BMW driver that isn't to the BMW drivers advantage
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'79 MG Midget 1500 - Still patiently awaiting attention '02 Vauxhall Astra 1.8 Elegance(!) - Better than you might think '03 Mazda MX5 - All new and shiny looking (thanks to Antony at Rust Republic) '09 Renault Clio - Needs to go.
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MrSpeedy
East Midlands
www.vintagediesels.co.uk
Posts: 4,789
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May 27, 2008 13:06:17 GMT
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If I were you I'd stay well out of it
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May 27, 2008 15:24:58 GMT
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To lose control like that on the motorway your driving standard would have to be up there with the badly trained monkey level. Let nature take its course.
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May 27, 2008 15:27:13 GMT
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I would echo the others here and leave it well alone.
It sounds like it was 99.9999% likely it was his own fault anyway.
On a lighter note, if Jon Snow from Channel 4 news drives a silver Peugeot 407 Coupe, or was doing so on a Friday last December, then he made rude signs at me and indicated he would like to stop and have a fight on the A40 nr Uxbridge..him being such a caring sharing liberal Guardian reader and all!
I declined his kind offer and proceeded on my way ;D
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Last Edit: May 27, 2008 15:38:54 GMT by anthonyg
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May 27, 2008 16:19:25 GMT
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Front page of local paper 3 DIE IN CRASH HORROR stopped in the garage to buy a paper, read the cover first, different accident, kids in country lane hit tree
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May 27, 2008 17:00:55 GMT
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we have 'crash cameras' in the van ,just in case !
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May 27, 2008 17:06:55 GMT
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cameras in your van?
Do you make 'them movies' i once saw on eurotrash ;D
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May 27, 2008 18:14:44 GMT
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Many trucks have these cameras nowadays too, they record for 30 seconds or so if the truck makes a sudden violent movement, such as taking avoiding action when being cut up by another road user and even in accidents, It acts like a black box in an aircraft. Insurance companies give a huge reduction in premiums for companies that use such cameras as 9 out of 10 times they prove the lorry wasnt at fault. Lorry drivers involved in accidents are told not to mention their "secret camera" to the other party and let them babble onto the police about how it wasnt their fault then POW, a video of footage is produced and the guilty party is forced to admit defeat! Clever camera.
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1987 Maestro 1.6 HL perkins diesel conversion 1986 Audi 100 Avant 1800cc on LPG 1979 Allegro Series 2 special 4 door 1500cc with vynil roof. IN BITS. HERITAGE ISSUES.
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May 27, 2008 18:43:15 GMT
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I looked into making a home-brew vrsion of that system for my car a while back. I was involved in an accident 100% not my fault, bt when it came to insurance time, the mild-mannered housewife who had been so apologetic at the scene changed her story, made false statements, invented a witness who happened to agree with her Bullplop claims and I lost a fair chunk of money. Having a basic front-facing camera mounted somewhere recording onto a harddrive a constant 2 minute loop of video could proove invaluable in claims like that. If anyone knows how to do this on a budget, let me know please. - it has to be automated though, I'm not faffing about switching stuff on or wating for an old laptop to boot up every time I get in the car.
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1986 Panda 4x4. 1990 Metro Sport. 1999 Ford Escort estate.
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mercmad
Posted a lot
Flush Hard,it's a long way to McDonalds.
Posts: 1,740
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Many years ago I changed my driving style to cope with rising fuel prices; I have now reached the stage where I am contemplating keeping my eyes shut in order to lower wind resistance.
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May 28, 2008 10:07:49 GMT
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Yeah, but what happened? He was a witness, he also admitted speeding, but did something bad come of it then?
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May 28, 2008 10:08:31 GMT
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Oh, and i just remembered, it wasnt me that saw the accident, it was my wifes uncles cousin
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May 28, 2008 10:14:16 GMT
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Eh? Am I missing something? Read those and there was nothing scary. Or did I miss the bit where he was locked up and became a drug dealers b1tch?!
I'm not going to get into a debate about this one (as the bloke did sound like a twonk) but generally, I'm appalled that rather than do the good thing and help others out, people just drive past and think "ooh, that'll be fun to tell my mates later." When I had a shunt, no-one came over to offer to be a witness. I've offered twice now having witnessed two horrible acccidents, both of which I feel needed my input.
EDIT - I'm also pretty sure that as a witness, you can't be prosecuted for anything you admit in court. Having been in court (I worked for a solicitor briefly) when a witness admitted trying to kill a man with a machete (he did clarify his position on prosecution before admitting this!) it would suggest that my theory is correct.
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1986 Citroen 2CV Dolly Other things. Check out my Blog for the latest! www.hubnut.org
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May 28, 2008 10:21:19 GMT
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If i'd have driven past i would have stopped, but the accident happened next to me so as soon as he hit the barrier i was watching in my rear view. Once i'd fully realised what had happened i was too far ahead, people had already stopped (the road was bocked!) and i didnt fancy the long walk back to (probably) get ranted at for some unknown reason. (i still think he thought it was my fault, purely because of all the headlight flashing) Silly realy, its like using your horn, if you have time to think about it and actually go through the process of sounding horns/flashing lights then you obviuosly had time to avoid the incident quite safely! Never seen an accident actually happen before but would stop if i could. I always try and stop if someones broken down, well, if its a car i could fix, as i always have my tools etc in the boot. Knight of the road me ;D
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May 28, 2008 11:19:43 GMT
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I'm all for "doing the right thing" regarding being a witness, but the way people are today....there is no such thing as an accident. People don't have accidents any more, there is always someone else to blame, someone else who can be claimed against or sued. Its sad, but thats he way it is. Ive experienced it first hand a few times myself...people WILL NOT admit they made any kind of mistake and if there is even the slightest glimmer of hope for shifting blame to someone else, they will do it. Even if that means lying and giving false statements.
Giving a false statement is a serious offence, but most people seem to think its ok to do so if it puts them in the clear themselves. Also, generally speaking, insurers don't give a damn about rights and wrongs. All they want is the easiest way out....if that means going 50:50 over the claim rather than spending a few hours investigating properly, thats what they will do.
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1986 Panda 4x4. 1990 Metro Sport. 1999 Ford Escort estate.
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May 28, 2008 11:24:11 GMT
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Can't agree with the above. My insurance company fought my corner very well in my recent dispute - although the legal teams on both sides were an absolute joke that left me fuming about how much these incompetent and uncaring idiots get paid for doing a really curse word job.
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1986 Citroen 2CV Dolly Other things. Check out my Blog for the latest! www.hubnut.org
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