Yesterday, midday I entered Cudham Lane North from leaving the A21 in the Bromley area, and this being a narrow, winding road retracted my Door mirrors for the 3 miles uphill drive to one of our favourite Pubs for lunch (Blacksmith's Arms).
There seemed to be more than usual traffic coming in the opposite direction and so I kept well over to the hedges and slowing where necessary. A stream of oncoming vehicles passed me and then there was a 'bang' and obviously my mirror housing had been hit, dislodging the mirror from its backing plate assembly. I was able to lower the driver's window and recover the unbroken mirror.
I proceeded but then became aware that I was being followed closely by a black Merc or Audi and was obviously wanting me to pull over and stop.
I slowed down and immediately the car overtook me and pulled across by bows. An angry young bloke got out accusing me of breaking his mirror and said I was in the middle of the lane.
Fortunately we were near a large driveway and were able to take our cars off the lane that we were blocking.
He was irate and said that I have got to pay for the damage in cash or by bank transfer to his bank. I obviously said no and that I had no idea that it was his vehicle whose non-retracted door mirror had it mine. I said let the Insurance company deal with this and so we exchanged details and left it at that.
Apart from mirror detachment in my folded mirror casing everything appeared to be working and the Silver casing only had a slight blackish scuff mark.
Well, we had lunch which was not as relaxed as it should have been and as soon as I got home I cleaned the rear of the mirror and plate and re-attached it using my usual strong double sided tape and polished the scuff mark of the metallic Silver finish.
Later I phone my new SAGA Insurance company to tell them what had happened and that I was not making any claim but I don't know how I stand with what the other bloke will do to get his broken mirror replaced.
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