Forced off the road...

Just been driving back from my parents with my wife and kids, at the Asda roundbout coming from templars way and turning left onto bournmouth road, a car in the middle lane was oblivious to me and veered into my lane, forcing me to choose kerb or car, i swerved on to kerb with a *thunk* and she carried on driving off. I was pretty certain of tyre and alloy damage, so i drove off and followed her for about 200 meters to see if she would pull over but didnt, then the wife was a bit scared so we stopped. I checked the car over and sure enough there was a chunk of rubber out of the tyre that means ill need a knew one. When we got home, my wife says shes pretty certain the car belongs to a house opposite where she works. (car was heading in that direction)

Question is, what do i do? Take the £80-£100 hit in my pocket for her mistake and let it go. Drive to wifes work now and see if I can see where the car is parked and ask in the houses (bit psycho). We only remember first part of number plate so bit pointless reporting it to the police, tho I live next to 2 traffic cops so I guess I could knock on their door and ask what my options are..

****ing ****ed off

Just been driving back from my parents with my wife and kids, at the Asda roundbout coming from templars way and turning left onto bournmouth road, a car in the middle lane was oblivious to me and veered into my lane, forcing me to choose kerb or car, i swerved on to kerb with a *thunk* and she carried on driving off. I was pretty certain of tyre and alloy damage, so i drove off and followed her for about 200 meters to see if she would pull over but didnt, then the wife was a bit scared so we stopped. I checked the car over and sure enough there was a chunk of rubber out of the tyre that means ill need a knew one. When we got home, my wife says shes pretty certain the car belongs to a house opposite where she works. (car was heading in that direction)

Question is, what do i do? Take the £80-£100 hit in my pocket for her mistake and let it go. Drive to wifes work now and see if I can see where the car is parked and ask in the houses (bit psycho). We only remember first part of number plate so bit pointless reporting it to the police, tho I live next to 2 traffic cops so I guess I could knock on their door and ask what my options are..

****ing ****ed off

If you think you know where the car resides, then go over and check it out. If the first letters correspond with the make and model, and the latter part of the number doesn't seem ultra strange, then I'd report them to the police. You can explain why you didn't do it before because of the damage to the car. Photograph those hits too.

I'm not normally a person who seeks justice, just tending to right things off to experience; but I bloody loathe the I'm All Right Jack, style ignorance from people who should take their heads out of their arses before they do anything where it might involve other people. I bet this person has had few accidents, but if he/she bothered to check their mirrors, he/she would have witnessed thousands.

If you think you know where the car resides, then go over and check it out. If the first letters correspond with the make and model, and the latter part of the number doesn't seem ultra strange, then I'd report them to the police. You can explain why you didn't do it before because of the damage to the car. Photograph those hits too.

I'm not normally a person who seeks justice, just tending to right things off to experience; but I bloody loathe the I'm All Right Jack, style ignorance from people who should take their heads out of their arses before they do anything where it might involve other people. I bet this person has had few accidents, but if he/she bothered to check their mirrors, he/she would have witnessed thousands.

Thanks, will swing past on the way to my parents again tomorrow, tho obviously they might not be there, i'll swing past (Almost on the direct route) and see if i spot it.

Thanks, will swing past on the way to my parents again tomorrow, tho obviously they might not be there, i'll swing past (Almost on the direct route) and see if i spot it.

You can report it to the police but without an independant witness, nothing will be solved.

You can report it to the police but without an independant witness, nothing will be solved.

You can report it to the police but without an independant witness, nothing will be solved.

This is my thinking... so I end up forking out for a new tyre BECAUSE I avoided damaging her car through her **** driving...

This is my thinking... so I end up forking out for a new tyre BECAUSE I avoided damaging her car through her **** driving...

Unfortuantly, unless you take out a cival claim. It's **** i know.

You could track her down and kill her, but that's a teeny bit over the top if you ask me. How about using a tyre valve tool to deflate her tyres?

Baj, she may have carried on due to not being insured! It is a common reason for driving off.

I ain't no grass but you could be doing all of us honest drivers a favour by popping round, and check her registration on this site: http://www.askmid.com/askmid.aspx

Edit:

Don't worry too much about ticking the 'declaration' on that site, i am sure it's just a small legal detail.

The same happened to me Baj. Someone pulled out of a junction in front of me and to avoid them I swerved, went across the road, up a kerb and smashed an alloy, mashed the tyre and bent the suspension. She was very appologetic and gave me her details. I then get contacted by my insurance company saying she claimed I was at fault as I was driving too fast (which wasn't the case). Result - as there were no witnesses it went 50-50 so I lost my no claims and had to pay the excess. The irony is, if I'd just have smashed right into her drivers door, injuring her in the process, I'd have been alright. It sucks, I tell you.

Moral of the story being, let them hit you

The same happened to me Baj. Someone pulled out of a junction in front of me and to avoid them I swerved, went across the road, up a kerb and smashed an alloy, mashed the tyre and bent the suspension. She was very appologetic and gave me her details. I then get contacted by my insurance company saying she claimed I was at fault as I was driving too fast (which wasn't the case). Result - as there were no witnesses it went 50-50 so I lost my no claims and had to pay the excess. The irony is, if I'd just have smashed right into her drivers door, injuring her in the process, I'd have been alright. It sucks, I tell you.

I had a similar situation a few months ago. I was driving along a narrow country lane when I saw a van coming in the opposite direction at a great rate of knots. I could see that he was not going to slow down or pull into one of the "passing pull-ins" so I just pulled into the bank and stopped. The van came through (without slowing) and took the side of my car out. As there were no independant witnesses the insurance companies put it down as 50-50. I did not accept this and made quite a fuss and eventually the insurance company came back and said that the other party had admitted responsibilty. It is worth doing as most insurance companies are part of the same group and sort things out amongst themselves.

I had a similar situation a few months ago. I was driving along a narrow country lane when I saw a van coming in the opposite direction at a great rate of knots. I could see that he was not going to slow down or pull into one of the "passing pull-ins" so I just pulled into the bank and stopped. The van came through (without slowing) and took the side of my car out. As there were no independant witnesses the insurance companies put it down as 50-50. I did not accept this and made quite a fuss and eventually the insurance company came back and said that the other party had admitted responsibilty. It is worth doing as most insurance companies are part of the same group and sort things out amongst themselves.

Believe me, I tried! I was furious. Almost felt like going round her house and 'equaling things out' on her car with a lump hammer!

I would have let her hit me had it not been for having both my kids in the car.

I would have let her hit me had it not been for having both my kids in the car.

Taking to the kerb is probably just as dangerous to your kids as hitting her. If you hit the kerb at the wrong angle you can flip the car.

Just smash into them next time.

Taking to the kerb is probably just as dangerous to your kids as hitting her. If you hit the kerb at the wrong angle you can flip the car.

 

Just smash into them next time.

Thanks, but I think the chances of flipping the car at the speed i was going was nil.

Definitely go and see if that's them. There's no harm in taking a direct but non-abusive approach. Did you give her plenty of beeping and make it clear you wanted her to pull over though? If not, she may have just been oblivious. People cuttingg me up on roundabouts is my number one driving pet hate tbh.

I think that even a non abusive approach will be stonewalled. If they didn't stop then they have no conscience and will deny all involvement. Your word V their word. End of story, end of Police interest.

Very harsh but that's life. I would have been very angry at the time but by now would be calm and thinking why should I waste my time and emotion on something I could basically do nothing about.

why should I waste my time and emotion on something I could basically do nothing about.

The cost of a new tyre, perhaps?

I'd kill to only need a new tyre. My car has decided to give up the ghost at the worst time of year. More expense.

Although in your case Baj, I'd just sort the new tyre out and be done with it. Even if you locate the woman she'll only deny all knowledge.

(I said locate the "woman" because, well, I have a sexist attitude towards woman drivers.)

The cost of a new tyre, perhaps?

I see your point. If you don't ask you don't get. Do try it, but I think you'll be wasting your time mate. Unless she gets suitably embarrassed.

I'd kill to only need a new tyre. My car has decided to give up the ghost at the worst time of year. More expense.

 

Although in your case Baj, I'd just sort the new tyre out and be done with it. Even if you locate the woman she'll only deny all knowledge.

 

(I said locate the "woman" because, well, I have a sexist attitude towards woman drivers.)

Just one of those things.

Should have choose the car, then the police could have worked out who was in the wrong in the first place.

FACTOID.

Should have choose the car, then the police could have worked out who was in the wrong in the first place.

 

FACTOID.

I would never choose that car, I like my passat.

I would never choose that car, I like my passat.

You would get a new one, a better one and some compensation for whip lash you never got.

In all seriousness, if the kids weren't in the car, I would have.

In all seriousness, if the kids weren't in the car, I would have.

Good game, good game. I doubt you will get you money back mate, no witnesses etc, your word against hers.

Just slash their tyres and poo through their letterbox.

Done and done