Boy racer hit me....oh, but it's my fault?!

[Rockape]

Just before christmas, on my way back from my G'Parents I pulled up at traffic lights. I am quite aware of when someone gets to close to my behind ( I am protective of my pride and joy) and notice this scrote in a 95 cavalier. he was rolling a fag! I pulled forward a little to give him some room. Pulled off, thought nothing of it. Came to a roundababout where the single carraige way splits into two for about three car lengths. Stopped put handbrake on and bang! it was him! Anyway after pleading with me not to call the police or go through insurance as he was only young he gave me his details and I said 'd get a qoute and let him know, but it'd have to be done my a Porsche approved reparer. he flipped! He claimed that he'd been to a brakers yard to get a water tank and his muddy foot slipped of the clutch.

two nights later, I noticed a load of guys in a calibra checking my house out from all angles. One guy got out, got somethign fro the boot and walked up tot my house (it's hard to just come across my house as it's tucked away) He set the security lights off and legged it. i got dressed and got the baseball bat as thought I was about to be burgled! The thing was the calibre had a massive boy-roy tail pipe so I heard it coming back after midnight ,after the street lights had gone off - without it's lights on!!

These guys got out and crawled up my drive trying not to set of the lights in the garage soffits....it was him!!!!!!!! the guy who hit me. Why? When I caught him, he had no excuse. I called the Police. They went round to his and had a word....funny this, they knew of him!

Having originally admitted he was at fault, he now claims that I swerved in front of him changed lanes repeatedly and then braked suddenly and it's all my fault. My insurance company doesn't seem to be sticking up for me.

So now I have to wait for it all to be sorted out and none of it was my fault. Worst bit is my excess is 450!

Warning to all. get the police involved whatever so they can't g back on admitting it was his fault.

 

[channella]

Sorry to read about your misfortune, its crap when this sort of thing happens. You'd think reputation would have some bearing here, since he is apparently known to the Police. Do you know the status of his insurance?

Taking a more pedantic view however, if you're in front of another driver it is up to them to "be able to stop in the distance they can see to be clear", so either way he was clearly going much too fast to not be able to stop, no?

And why on earth did he come to your home in such a manner if this was your fault and he was "innocent"? What purpose would be served when in such a clear position of right? Very odd.

 

[okellyt]

Nasty peice of works methinks

Do you think he was trying to nick the Prosche when he hit you - Quite often now to stel a car they bump you from behind and wait for you to get out and mug you for the keys.

There is a possibility he was considering this and somehting about how you behavied made him think better of it. Only for him to change his mind and come after your car later?

previous point stands - he needs to prove that he was not at fault if he hit you from behind.

I got hit from the back drivers side last march while stationary by someone reversing onto the road - we took pictrues of the damage, environment - My insurnace company couldn't have been less interested. they only seem interested with a witness or police statement.

So fully agree with you - get witnesses and police always.

 

[Hannu]

Knowing a bit about this sort of thing police will only deploy to injury bumps, however if in doubt ring !!!. in this case I would have doubts if the other party had insurance, you could aways say you thought you could smell alcohol on his breath or you think he doesn't have Doc's police will come running then !!!.

 

[John Ware]

Knowing a bit about this sort of thing police will only deploy to injury bumps, however if in doubt ring !!!

Not forgetting of course that you undoubtedly got a bit of a sore neck from the bump...... []

 

[Jamie Summers]

If your insurer isn't being much help give these guys a go. http://www.europaconsultants.co.uk/index.php . No affiliation, just a very satisfied customer. Steve helped me out last year when I was hit by a taxi and my insurers (Elephant) were being next to useless. Steve will deal with everything, I mean everything, including sorting out a like for like hire car while the car is being repaired. An excellent service.

Jamie

 

[Dapster]

ORIGINAL: Jamie Summers

If your insurer isn't being much help give these guys a go. http://www.europaconsultants.co.uk/index.php .
including sorting out a like for like hire car while the car is being repaired.

I wish I had heard of these guys last year when I was trying to sort out a cliam through Norwich Union - the MOST useless, clueless and f**kwitted clowns I have ever come accross. I even put this view to them reasonably constructively in writing and never hear a squeak in response.

As for a like for like hire car, they said "no problem" and duly delivered a Vectra. I called them up and explained that this most certainly wasn't like for like and the women on the phone said "but it is an SRI. I think they're quite nice"....

 

[cococola]

I would certainly seek legal help as I always thought that if you were hit from behind then it was their fault?As for this swerving from lane to lane tripe is there any witness or even cctv footage?
Kids like this make me sooooo mad[][] especially as he is known to the police.I would still beware of him reappearing at your house and ask neighbours to keep an eye out for the t***a!

 

[marlin]

You are taking the wrong approach with this guy, he obviously has issues, may be he was abused as a child. Invite him for dinner, then stab him in the eye with a large screw driver. Your defence was you were wiring up a plug on your TV and he swerved in front of you at a critical moment. If this does not get his attention set fire to the b***ard. []

 

[okellyt]

Thats the problem, people today; we're being far to soft with them, whats wrong with hanging drawing and quartering them.........[]

 

[38F3E1]

ORIGINAL: Rockape

... My insurance company doesn't seem to be sticking up for me ...

Not uncommon when there is a disputed claim as they can't be arsed with the time and effort (ie cost to them). They sometimes try to pull tricks like sending you repeated letters saying 'after reviewing the case we suggest you settle 50/50 and if we don't hear anything from you in 14 days that's what we will do'. Been down this route myself and it's mega frustrating and it takes ages.

So, stick to your story, refuse to accept the insurance companies suggestions on how to settle and ultimately be prepared to make the insurance company go to court for you to get full settlement in your favour.

Ian.

 

[RichardLW]

Oh if only you could find someone who witnessed the incident and would be happy to confirm what they saw...............

 

[Mark Elder]

I few years back (pre Porsche days) I was bumped by a dubious character in Edinburgh. He did not seem like the kind of guy I wanted to give my home address to so I just handing him a business card and hold him to give that address to his insurance company.

Police saw me do this and did not bat an eyelid. I've no idea what the law says but I suspect it just needs to be an address where you can be contacted, which it is/was.

 

[marlin]

ORIGINAL: marke2

I few years back (pre Porsche days) I was bumped by a dubious character in Edinburgh.  He did not seem like the kind of guy I wanted to give my home address to so I just handing him a business card and hold him to give that address to his insurance company. 

Police saw me do this and did not bat an eyelid.  I've no idea what the law says but I suspect it just needs to be an address where you can be contacted, which it is/was.

I didn't think there was any dubious characters in Edinburgh, now if it was Glasgow you wouldn't give your home address to the police[]

 

[Rockape]

Thanks for all the advice. I really like the idea of a screw driver in the eye! Just filled in more forms tonight. I have taken photos of the location with other cars in the picture. This should show that as I reported, if I was the thrid car in the queue I was only at the start of the two lane split so couldn't have changed lanes in front of him as there was only one lane.

I have since bought CCTV for the home and new sensors for the house alarm. Lisa is scared to be in thouse after dark on her own.

Every time I think of that nasty greasey, lomg haired rollie smokin' chav thinking he can get away with lying to save his no claims - which will cost me £450 excess my blood boils...hey i drive a Porsche I can afford it! NO, I work my ass off 12-14 hours a day for all I own.....agghhhhhh! Little scum bag.....that feels better!

 

[drummerboytom]

ORIGINAL: Dapster
I wish I had heard of these guys last year when I was trying to sort out a cliam through Norwich Union - the MOST useless, clueless and f**kwitted clowns I have ever come accross. I even put this view to them reasonably constructively in writing and never hear a squeak in response.

Norwich Union [] [] [] [][]
My thoughts ........
http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=253405&mpage=1&key=&#253556

 

[millisland]

Europa Consultants looks very interesting and worth keeping their name in mind, but what and how do they charge for their services. This does not appear to be mentioned on their website.

Harriet

 

[924nutter]

ORIGINAL: drummerboytom

ORIGINAL: Dapster
I wish I had heard of these guys last year when I was trying to sort out a cliam through Norwich Union - the MOST useless, clueless and f**kwitted clowns I have ever come accross. I even put this view to them reasonably constructively in writing and never hear a squeak in response.

Norwich Union [] [] [] [][]
My thoughts ........
http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=253405&mpage=1&key=&#253556

Is that NU direct or NU? I am with NU and they have never let me down.
A guy in a red peugeot whacked the front of my 928 s4 and NU said it was catC. The only peice of evidence was my nextdoor neighbour who thought a load of yobbos gathered around a car 50 yds ( oh sorry metres) from the scene of the accident looked sus, so he mobcammed them, and I gave the reg number to the police. The driver then sheepishly turned up a week later and we exchanged details. I chose to ignore letters from his insurers and let NU deal with it all Even with the delay of having to get a birth certificate to be able to obtain a copy of my driving licnece to produce, the whole procedure took 7 months, I got paid out and I've got my nice nearly new ( 28,000 miles) 944 turbo cab. They are obviously not all F***wits.

 

[Dapster]

They are obviously not all F***wits

True - otherwise they would not stay in business. However, I was truly exasperated by the process of dealing with them (this was NU Direct). The issues were basically:

1) Never returning phone calls
2) Consistently failing to fulfil promises (eg checking status of claim, passing details on to other parts of NU, obtaining details from other parts of NU etc)
3) No continuity in the claims process - every call resulted in speaking to another call centre operative who had no background to the issue, thus necessitating a time consuming review of the situation
4) Polite enough call centre staff, but poor command of English leading to significant misunderstandings in the description of the accident (ie they misunderstood my written account and misunderstood the other party's account)
5) Failure to provide me with a like for like hire car despite their promise to do so, and failing to correct the situation despite promising to (I did it myself in the end)

The whole process was massively frustrating and took a lot of time on my part to manage (I spend hours on my mobile phone to their call centre feeling like I was getting no-where) - all this despite an immediate acceptance of liability from the other party.

To top it all, my insurance came up for renewal and I asked NU Direct to requote: it was about 1,000 pounds more expensive as apparently through some actuarial mystery I was more likely to have an accident in the 12 months following someone running into me....

I, like Drummerboytom willl give up driving before using NU again.

 

[924nutter]

By accident I rang NU direct instead of NU, as I was buyinig a repiarable scapper and the vendor said he was with NU. He kindly rand them as I wanted to arrange cover to drive the vehicle home, as it was MOT'd, and as you say, their command of english was poor, then the penny dropped. He was with NU direct. Almost like two different companies.