I did a silly yesterday in the M3 waiting at at-junction to pull out and turn left. I was watching the traffic coming from the right to identify a gap to pull out into. A string of about 5 cars came along with a good sized gap after. So I waited till the last one went past me, and still looking right, judged by instinct when the last car was clear clear of me and then very slowly pulled out....still looking right.
BANG.
I had broadsided a crappy old 02 plate Honda CRV, which had evidently stopped to let out some stupid woman who was reversing out from a lay-by on the otherside of the road.
The driver of the CRV was a woman and the pair of them immediately joined the "sisterhood" with the woman who had reversed out and was clearly (morally anyway) the one who had caused the accident giving her details to the CRV driver, telling her she would be happy to help as a witness if there was any trouble. I think they managed to stop just short of kissing each other but there was a lot of smug little smiles.
Looking at the CRV I could see that I had dented both the N/S doors at their lower edge and that was all. The rest of the doors were scratched / scored which I pointed out to the driver. I took photo's which of course don't show that greatly but I have them nonetheless.
From about 3' away my car looks fairly undamaged and it drives - but up close its a different matter. The N/S/F wing has popped and is creased ; both of the two sections of the inner arch liners are broken ; the fixings inside the Depo are broken ; the panel under the headlight is bent ; the front bumper is cracked and spider webbed. I have taped the Depo back in and need to cut part of the arch liner as it is catching on the tyre on left lock.
Without admitting liability I asked the woman to get a quote for the repairs before we thought about involving insurers. Her doors opened and shut fine, so I would have been prepared to stump up £400 for her...... and sort out my own repairs.
Today she called me and told me it wasn't good news. she had been quoted £1500 because, apparently, both door skins needed replacing. Clearly she was having a giraffe. The whole car probably isn't worth that and she must have been getting all the other dings and dents sorted at the same time within that price. She wasn't interested in going to a bodyshop I knew, so I told her that it was insurance time.
I am fully comp with protected NCD and a £300 excess. Obviously I will be paying that excess and will get increased premiums for a few years but, looking on the bright side, at least the M will be back in tip-top shape rather than have me penny-pinching and trying to sort it out.
Happy bunny? No.
Edit : When I say Depo I am meaning the non-standard indicator lens on the car.
BANG.
I had broadsided a crappy old 02 plate Honda CRV, which had evidently stopped to let out some stupid woman who was reversing out from a lay-by on the otherside of the road.
The driver of the CRV was a woman and the pair of them immediately joined the "sisterhood" with the woman who had reversed out and was clearly (morally anyway) the one who had caused the accident giving her details to the CRV driver, telling her she would be happy to help as a witness if there was any trouble. I think they managed to stop just short of kissing each other but there was a lot of smug little smiles.
Looking at the CRV I could see that I had dented both the N/S doors at their lower edge and that was all. The rest of the doors were scratched / scored which I pointed out to the driver. I took photo's which of course don't show that greatly but I have them nonetheless.
From about 3' away my car looks fairly undamaged and it drives - but up close its a different matter. The N/S/F wing has popped and is creased ; both of the two sections of the inner arch liners are broken ; the fixings inside the Depo are broken ; the panel under the headlight is bent ; the front bumper is cracked and spider webbed. I have taped the Depo back in and need to cut part of the arch liner as it is catching on the tyre on left lock.
Without admitting liability I asked the woman to get a quote for the repairs before we thought about involving insurers. Her doors opened and shut fine, so I would have been prepared to stump up £400 for her...... and sort out my own repairs.
Today she called me and told me it wasn't good news. she had been quoted £1500 because, apparently, both door skins needed replacing. Clearly she was having a giraffe. The whole car probably isn't worth that and she must have been getting all the other dings and dents sorted at the same time within that price. She wasn't interested in going to a bodyshop I knew, so I told her that it was insurance time.
I am fully comp with protected NCD and a £300 excess. Obviously I will be paying that excess and will get increased premiums for a few years but, looking on the bright side, at least the M will be back in tip-top shape rather than have me penny-pinching and trying to sort it out.
Happy bunny? No.
Edit : When I say Depo I am meaning the non-standard indicator lens on the car.
. Am I being cynical or are people less trustworthy these days and just out for what's best for themselves?
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