Rear end shunt

[buster]

Yep, someone has hit my A6 up the ermm............. rear.

I slowed down prior to a give way line, glanced right and thought the car approaching was moving rather quickly. So I stopped. It was shifting so I was glad I stopped.

Unfortunately the driver behind me glanced right, thought he could make it and accelerated; into my car :crying:

I have always stated that if anyone ever rear ended me, then it would be his/her fault and that I would ensure they were prosecuted.

The point is that he had been following me for about 1/2 a mile and was driving very courteously, staying well back and not being stupid in any way whatsoever.

I am convinced that this was purely a moment of sillyness and not characteristic in any way, but what do I do?

He has offerd to pay for the damage as he is a young driver and doesn't want to lose his NCB.

Bad news is that my wife has had to go to hospital for whip lash injuries.

What a palaver!

[hagis]

Bad luck. The first bump I had was very similar but happened at a roundabout. The bloke who hit me asked if we could avoid the insurance company and he'd fit and order the parts as he was a mechanic. It was on a Clio and the number plate and boot trim were knackered. I got a garage to check the car over and it turned out the boot floor was bent so it had to go to insurance as of the cost.

I doubt the police would prosecute as it was a slow speed bump and no one was hurt. I didn't make a fuss about the bloke who hit me as the week before I'd almost hit a car on that roundabout under the same circumstances! I'm glad I didn't kick off about it - the other bloke was a nice chap with a pregnant wife who was about 8 months gone and I'm sure he didn't need the extra hassle! He thanked me at the end of it for being cool about it all.

If the other bloke has been fine with you I wouldn't go out of your way to make things more difficult for him. As much as I pride myself on my driving it's not impossible that I might hit some one and I'd like to think they wouldn't be a git about it.

[Hex69]

Commiserations, it so easily done. I know having done it myself, waiting at roundabout for someone to go, thinking they have gone, whilst wiating for the next gap, letting the clutch out, then......Crash:zx11:
It was an Astra I hit, no dameage to my car, Astra crumpled like it was papier mache....

Hope the OH gets better soon.

What to do?

Depends how much damage was done, not forgetting that the damage can't always be seen if the bumper righted itself.

The easy way is to go down the insurance route. At least then you are assured of the car being properly repaired, and God forbid, if your OH needs to claim she can, e.g. loss of earnings, etc.

Whatever, don't get too worked up about it, your OH is more important than the car (some would disagree;))

[buster]

If the other bloke has been fine with you I wouldn't go out of your way to make things more difficult for him.

That's the whole point there haggis.

The other bloke is a young man, just starting out in life trying to get along and seemed to be a reasonable and well mannered.

I will help out in any way that I can, BUT if he had been tailgating me, or had a bad attitude, I might have taken it a different route.

And someone was injured; my wife is in agony.

[hagis]

That seems fair enough. Hope your wife feels better soon.

[dansansome]

hmm, difficult. maybe talk to the guy and tell him exactly how you feel.

really sorry, i appreciate you wanting to keep out of insurance etc, but my wife is actually pretty injured etc, so i think i may have to go through insurance for the sake of her health etc. if he is as mild mannered/understanding as he seems, then im sure he will understand that you are only doing this out of concern for your wife, rather than the obvious financial gain of whiplash claims.

i hope your OH gets better soon, i hear whiplash is very painful, i have been lucky enough to not experience it.

[mluton]

I had this happen to me, the guy wanted to do a cash deal, but I said "NO".

I got all the details I could from the driver at the time, but he didnt know his insurance details. I spoke to my Insurance forwarding all I knew of his and they claimed through themselves and advised me to see one of their solicitors to claim for injury. It all went through my insurance but costs were all recovered through his in then end, so no effects to my own insurance.

[ventionandy]

I know how you feel, this happened to me whilst waiting at a give way junction, a guy smashed his brand new Fiesta ST into the back of my Polo. (Gutted!)

I had my mum and my grandpa in the car with me at the time, but neither of them were injured or affected in any way. The guy was nice enough about it, exchanged insurance details etc.. and that was that. I took it through the insurance because I think you need to be sure everything has been fixed/corrected professionally. After reporting I had no end of phonecalls from accident claim bodies who were almost pressuring me into suing the guy for injuries etc... I know many that would have jumped on the band wagon but nobody was injured so it wouldn't have been fair to the guy!

Im sorry to hear your OH has been injured but I do think you should get compensation for whatever inconvenience to her life that the accident has caused.

Good luck!

Andy

P.S:I had trouble getting the ball rolling with my insurer as regards getting the repairs done which annoyed me greatly. After taking it to a repair centre they recommended a manchester based claim agency called Brittania, who were excellent. After calling them my car was suddenly booked into the repair shop within a week and a courtesy car sorted out for me too. Would thoroughly recommend, i know how long claims can take ;)

[Ben]

I am convinced that this was purely a moment of sillyness and not characteristic in any way, but what do I do?

He has offerd to pay for the damage as he is a young driver and doesn't want to lose his NCB.


This is how i managed to afford my front end conversion :D

Had any of my main structure of my car been damaged, then i'd of had to go through the insurance.

Hope the wife gets better.

[RickT]

Hi,

just really quickly.... (i will post in more detail later on)

Around 12 months ago i had someone drive into the back of my A4 at 15mph..

The total costs of the reapirs were £1,430 for parts, paint and labour..

The skin on the car wont look that damanged at slow speed, but the rear floor pan will of been pushed in anything other 5-10mph impact..

Also.. i inisted that i did not want any aftermakert parts fited..

Go to a decent garage and Audi to get some quotes and then look at settling a deal.

Cheers

Rick

[STEWY L]

i would go through insurance,that's what you pay your premiums for.
as much as i appreciate that ,for all the right reasons,you would like to help the lad, you can't be sure that he can afford to pull the price of repair out of his back pocket.
that of course is secondary to your better halfs health.the car is a bit of tin that can be replaced.could you honestly put your hand on your heart and say that you could replace her?
loss of earnings,etc,etc.
an uninsured loss adjuster may even be worth a thought.
you don't want her thinking that you care more for him than you do her!!!!

[RickT]

i would go through insurance,that's what you pay your premiums for.
as much as i appreciate that ,for all the right reasons,you would like to help the lad, you can't be sure that he can afford to pull the price of repair out of his back pocket.
that of course is secondary to your better halfs health.the car is a bit of tin that can be replaced.could you honestly put your hand on your heart and say that you could replace her?
loss of earnings,etc,etc.
an uninsured loss adjuster may even be worth a thought.
you don't want her thinking that you care more for him than you do her!!!!

also.. In regards to your wifes health..

If you need to make a claim, you will need to prove that he drove into you, without an insurance claim this may be hard to prove..

The claim would be made against his insurance for the settlement of any injures from the incident.

Rick

Rick

[faticus]

I received a rear end bump last August, Ford Focus commited suicide on my a4 avant. Like you my other half received whiplash injuries, She is now ok.
I used a firm called ACCIDENT EXCHANGE , they dealt with the whole thing.
check the floor and spare wheel well for damage. Mine ended up as £844 plus vat.
GOOD LUCK.

[MalcQV]

FWIW go through your insurance. I can appreciate how you feel. Your OH aside go through the insurance.

At the time it happened the third party will of been in mild shock, once he or she collects their thoughts you will find the cost of your repair will no longer be reasonable to him/her. At this point there may be no going back.


Go through the insurance company ;)

Hope your other half feels better soon.

[audipersempre]

Insurance definitely. You really can't relly on this person being as nice and considerate as you!

Did the roundabout think in my 20's. Car in front Ford Escort. Company car with the back seats folded down and a big heavy generator in the back.

Me in Datsun 280ZX 2.8 litre straight six with manual box. Thought he had gone and I launched for the gap too. The Escort didn't move when I hit it

In 6 feet I wrote off the Escort and did £2k of damage to the Datsun :Blush2: