On a twisty single track country lane this am, pootling along at about 20mph when I met Wayne coming towards me in his Seat Leon at an very unsensible rate of Knots. I managed to come to a complete stop, Wayne didn't and blamed the large dollop of horse manure his offside front wheel had found on his lack of grip. Sure enough a post collision inspection revealed a six yard skid mark through the pile of recycled oats, though I'm sure he could have managed it at a more appropriate speed.
So my 20 month old, faultless Astra G now has the front bumper springing out from the side of the car and some scuffing along the headlamp lens, which managed to remain unbroken but has been pushed back. More worrying is that the steering wheel now sits decidedly off centre when the car is driving in a straight line so something is bent. Off to the garage this pm to get it checked on the ramp, though I have a sinking feeling that Auto Trader might be getting some attention soon.
As for Wayne's Leon, after glancing off me his momentum took him into the bank on his left, bodywork a complete mess at the front and one wheel pointing left while the other preferred the right. He was sicker than I was and admitted it was his fault, pictures of the damage and the offending horse dropping duly taken on the mobile.
And I managed to gash my hand on the indicator stalk or something, only a flesh would but a spectacular amount of blood nevertheless. All in all a bad morning, the Astra has proved the best used car I ever had, two Mots without an advisory and apart from tyres only needed a coil pack since I've owned it.
R*******.
|
|
Oh dear, probably wont be as expensive to fix as you fear. A bent steering arm, new clips for bumper, possible second hand headlamp unit.
|
Sorry to hear this, ROR.
"He... admitted it was his fault..."
One thing that occurs to me is that our lovely Wayne, being the plonker he is, will change his mind and try to skew the story so you are the bad guy. Sorry to be cynical, but it seems to happen a lot.
The photo of the six-yard skid mark might keep him in his place, though he could always claim it wasn't his.
|
>> Sorry to hear this, ROR.
>>
>> "He... admitted it was his fault..."
>>
>> One thing that occurs to me is that our lovely Wayne, being the plonker he
>> is, will change his mind and try to skew the story so you are the
>> bad guy. Sorry to be cynical, but it seems to happen a lot.
>>
>> The photo of the six-yard skid mark might keep him in his place, though he
>> could always claim it wasn't his.
He could claim he stopped (the skid mark proves it) but you didn't. Either way the insurance company will go knock for knock.
|
What a bummer RR, almost a new car too [in my books] could it have been avoided though?
I regularly drive down narrow single-track lanes with high-sided hedges, and I don't hang about either.
I said to the missus only last week actually, that I know Wayne or Mark is coming around the corner before he even got out of bed in the morning.
What I do is fly down the lanes on the wrong side of the road so that anyone coming towards me thinks Christ! there's some nutter in that Red Subaru, and he looks like that geezer out of Emmerdale.
That usually has the desired effect!!
:o}
|
|
I don't watch much telly. Is there a Wild Boar in Emmerdale?
|
>>Is there a Wild Boar in Emmerdale?
Chap used to farm them up on Bodmin Moor near to where we used to live. The piglets were nice = 200c for 90 mins :)
|
>>that I know Wayne or Mark is coming around the corner before he even got out of bed in the morning.
Oi Doug!!!
|
Bad luck, RR. But...
...two Mots without an advisory...
On a 20-month old car? My advice would have been 'bring it back in 16 months.'
|
>> Bad luck, RR. But...
>>
>> ...two Mots without an advisory...
>> On a 20-month old car? My advice would have been 'bring it back in 16
>> months.'
>>
"20 months" is how long I've had it, not that I made that clear I'll admit.
It's lovely T reg '99 jobbie.
|
Ah, with you now. Let's hope Wayne plays nicely and it's easy to sort out.
Was 'Astra G' a clue? I know there are some here who could use that to tell you the part number for each wheelnut but not me. I dimly understand I have an S211 and an E92 on my drive but this car-geek stuff is mostly wasted on me.
}:---)
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Tue 21 Jul 15 at 13:47
|
|
I sell you nice SAAB 9-5, Mr Robin. Good price.
|
>> I sell you nice SAAB 9-5, Mr Robin. Good price. sheet box
>>
|
Sorted.
Neither myself or the other guy were keen on going through the insurance so we agreed to shake on it and cover our own losses. His was quoted by his garage at £1200, being quite young his insurance would have been high anyway on a decent spec Leon and he was scared of being hammered with the loss of his no claims. I needed a new track rod end and the local indie did a great job of reattaching the flapping bumper and aligning the headlight so it's pointing straight again. He even got the scuff marks out to the extent they don't show except close up, and apart from two bolts to make sure the bumper stays in place you'd barely notice. 26 year old car so I can live with that.
£98 all in.
|
Or maybe it's 16 years old.
I'll have to replace the battery in this calculator.
|
|
A result, assuming Wayne keeps to his side of the bargain, Id say.
|
>> A result
Well, sort of - definitely could have been worse, but presumably still a bit irritating that you're having to fork out £98 through no fault of your own.
|
>>
>> Well, sort of - definitely could have been worse, but presumably still a bit irritating
>> that you're having to fork out £98 through no fault of your own.
>>
Annoying, but stuff happens. I walked away and am only down a ton, which as accidents go makes it something of a minor issue if you think of the way many people end up after it all goes wrong.
|
>> and am only down a ton, which as
>> accidents go makes it something of a minor issue
true :)
|
Oh Heck - Zero
