written off by boy racer

On saturday morning at 6am, our disco was written off by 30 year old on his way to work and late, we were on our way home back to the isle of wight for mothers birthday, we had just spent a couple of houres in wiltshire looking at the stones at sunrise as the wife has never seen them.
The morning was fresh and so quiet, by the time we were just outside winchester, driving at 42mph on a 50 road when in the distance i can see a silver car and i think hmmmmm the there is life out there and how greatfull i was for not setting the satnav to use the motorway as we dont travel off the island very much so motorways become a headache.
The car was coming toward us and i noticed he was closer to the centre so i pull closer the grass verge as there was no kerb just hedges and trees,and continue, he was now getting closer very quick and im thinking he will realise what he is doing in a moment and adjust his position.
how wrong could i be, before long he was over the lines and on my side of the road, with my lights flashing i am now very concerned and pull to the hedge limit and i am slowing down thinking much further and i will be in the hedge, the next few seconds were the end of our disco, a tree and driving since 17 now 43 without so much as a scratch, zero claims and never being breathalised.
The sight of this chap apeering from behind the dashboard and one hand on the wheel, whatever he was doing, he had now realised what was about too happen as he had now travelled so far across to our side, there was NO return, i only just managed to squeeze enought steering adjustment and with his attempt at doing the same to miss having a full head on impact, he hit full belt on the side and then ploughed his way down the side of the disco making it lift the rear wheel and spin the rear into a tree too finally come to a stop about sixty feet down the road.
The disco is a 300tdi 1995 and a minter, it was sat on a garage forcourt here growing mould and moss looking very sad, why you ask? well vehicle tax went up when this disco was bought in and people including me were confused about what cars and engine sizes would be affected.
fully stamped till last year by main dealer and not a sign of rot, she was a peach.
My point to this thread is this, our car before we bought the disco was a ford focus
, the policeman who inspected my disco was stunned by how hard he had hit us and the way the disco had protected us both and upon telling him we had a 2001 ford focus estate before, he said we would be dead if we were in the focus.
Jane my wife has been in winchester hospital on a spinal board and thank god she is fine and now is saying she wont ever get in a car unless its a land rover, we are now both back home on the island and the disco is now back here on the drive looking very sad and i am gutted.

I know i dont know any of you out there, and i have only been a member for a short time but i have been guest reader of all kinds of threads and topics for some time.......PLEASE BE SAFE AND EVEN MORE AWARE OF OTHER DRIVERS THEN YOU ALREADY ARE.

another sad story from the i can drive without paying attention club.. glad yer ok and atleast you can buy another disco which is more than can be sed for a life.

am amazed at the number of ****s that think they can drive while doing anything else, holding a meaningfull conversation, talking **** on the phone, eating,drinking, and probelly worst, map reading.

yet the cops pay little attentiuon to them.. unless something happens.. whereas if you are on an empty motorway at 6am on a clear sunny day going a bit faster than the speed limit they will have you hung by lunchtime.

as recounted in the above story speed had nowt to do with the crash , it was all down to not paying attention which only becomes a crime when something like this has happened.

Bad luck fella, Glad your all ok. Not as gald as you though.

What sort of state was the 30 year old in?

He had a cut on his ear pooring with blood, the car he was driving was a 2001 astra, the whole side of his was mashed up, to be honest, my disco looks like it wasnt a great impact, because i felt it was driveable i followed the ambulance to the hospital and we both eventually drove to a friends so he could get underneath to check the fuel tank because the filler neck area was pushed in so far the pipe to the tank had become slightley dislodged causing a leak, we tied a rope to the centre post and other end to his car tow hitch and pulled it out so to be more cumfy while driving home etc.
I know you are all wondering why i decided to continue, well simply because the isle of wight is only 13 miles by 23 so have never had need for aa etc and have spent many houres simply tinkering with all the cars i have ever had with no expense spared, allways serviced when needid and have never broken down.
I have been out to the disco today, the steering link rod and damper are bent, the whole side from wing to the rear door have had it with centre post, rear section through to rear door along floor pan moved toward chassis.
It is a sad sight after all the time spent just simply taking care of it.
jane my wife has said she will never ever get in a car again unless it is a land rover, she has never ever been involved in a crash so now feels only a land rover will be safe etc.
So i guess another landy it is, and what a shame, the engine has just climbed three very high mountains and coped with the welsh roads without even a gasp or puff or weez.

I lost my S3 109 Truck Cab in similar circumstances, so I know how you feel.
Metal can be repaired or replaced - flesh is more difficult.
So long as you're OK.

Hi
Yes so long as you are alright, people say that but with little consulation when you are looking at your pride & joy right off, wondering how much is his insurance Co going to give you, not enough to replace like for like.
It happend to me in April 07, towing a boat home from Northumberland, 2 ton with the trailer in my immaculate under rated LWB 2.5 tdi Frontera with all the extras. Passed Cardiff Gate 2am a people carrier hit me from behind boat & Frontera written off. His insurance paid out £2000 for the Frontera, i'm still waiting for settlement on the boat. I dont want to be doom and gloom but before the loss adjuster sees it make sure everything that was damaged in the accident is there for him to inspect i.e: luggage, cellphone, portable dvd, kitchen sink etc. They dont take into consideration any problems you get when you replace your vehicle, I now own a stunning 99 TD5 ES full leather trim all the toys, it cost me more than I wanted to spend but she was worth it. Since then it has cost me £1500 putting problems right i.e: air con motor, viscose fan, bottom pully wheel and clutch, dual mass, master & slave cylinders. If you are like me you look after your vehicles a lot of people abuse them.
Service history is not always what it seems.
Take heed, you should never come out worse after an accident thats not your fault.
Claim, claim, claim.



You can bull**** a bull****ter.

I use the term boy racer lightly, to me, the speed he was obviously driving on the quiet fresh morning at 6am made him a boy racer, driving an astra with nice shiny alloys i suppose would make him an entheusiastic car owner?????.
The insurance assessor is coming in the morning to have a look, i am told because he and his insurance are accepting all liability for all costs incurred will help make my claim go smoother.
I am insured with quinn direct who in turn also use helphire who are supplying me with another vehicle for the term of the claim, i was supposed to have a discovey fresh from land rover today but on way here to the ferry it developed a fault and was the only on available at the time so now expecting a new mitsubishi.
I feel the disco could be repaired once jigged to check alignment,wing,doors,rear panels including lights, steering and all gear underneath checked also because i drove it about ten feet today and ther is now a loud clonk when taking up drive and pulling away or slowing, a complete side to be honest and respray, to me it is worth it because she has a good heart and is everything we need and want from a car and driving rural wales it felt as if she had come home.
My wife Jane is still very uncumfortable in the neck and back so is on strong pain killers, me well im not afraid to admit, i am consantly having this mini video inside my head of the crash, cant sleep and it is driving me insane.
I will keep you all informed when i know more after tommorow, im more concerned about what his insurance will offer the disco as it took us long enough to save the £3225 for this one, with any damages awarded to jane for her injurys taking some time no doubt, we will be without a car for sometime.
All said, i will be looking once again for good disco as we both want no other vehicle and hope you guys will be able to point us in the right direction in finding one.

THANKYOU to all for there words of support and be safe.

Tony

wurd of advice from someone who had a accident slitghly worst than your.. go back to where it happend, sit and take in the view, prove to yer self that there is nothing else you could have done and then be thankful you int hurt or worst.. it should help yer nightmares go away

I know how you feel discodonk, had a bad crash caused buy some muppet kid in a little done-up citroen Saxo a few years ago. Luckly no-one was hurt but his car was a wreck, he went straight under the front of my old Jeep Cherokee, he was going so fast that the jeep went straight up his bonnet and my front bumper caved in the top of his windscreen, god knows how he wasent hurt.

Turned out it was steering guard catching on his engine block that stopped it, I have never been so scared in my life.

What I'm trying to say is don't let the fear stop you getting back into driving, I hope your Wife gets better as quick as possible. Slob's advice is spot on, going back to the scene and seeing that you did everything possible will help, lots.

Take it easy,

SOLICITOR!

NOW!!

Intimate a claim NOW, for the damage, losses, expenses and Injuries sustained.

Don't wait for the arguments to start, and DO NOT go for a "no win, no fee" solicitor - his "commission" could be 60% or more. Use a family solicitor firm. Their fee will be part of your claim so the other side will pay it.

Make a full written report NOW of what happened, and then start listing ALL the costs and expenses as they occur.

You have a duty to try to minimise your claim, but that does not affect your right to recover compensation for every loss and expense arising, and of course for injuries.

It use to be my business - please take that advice.

CharlesY

can you still get salvage rights after an accident, If the disco has a good engine its a shame to waste it, why not just pull it out and stuff it into another vehicle?, also strip any other parts worth salvaging.

We have both been for a medical today, the doctor feels my wife has severe whiplash involving upper and lower back pains so obviously she is in alot of pain poor luv.
Me well he says i am suffering from post traumatic stress dissorder, to be honest, i havent cried for so long since i lost my first son, i still wake up through sleeping pills and sometimes just sit a blubber like a child.
We had to go to southhampton for the medical and i was terrified, i am starting to feel i dont want to be driving anymore, i am an ex bouncer and had to stop due to the need for a pacemaker, NOTHING worried me and only ONE man ever scared me and he was my father, so now i feel week and pathetic.
The doc is making an apointment for private physio for jane and a private shrink for me to try and sort my head out.
The disco has been assesed and he said he is 90% certain it will be a loss but have to wait for the figures to be sorted to be official......such a shame, i started her up for the first time since and she was sat there happly ticking over rock solid engine without a squeek or fart, reversed it off the drive and onto grass and she now has a whine from gearbox, no oil loss and i replaced all oils on both front and rear diffs, both gearbox and transfer, engine including filters two days before setting off to wales so the whining?????? maybe she cryin .
I dont have either the storage space or the equipment to dismantle here so some scrappy is going to get a gem.

i will let you know more as and when i do, if i do get the offer of buying the disco back if or when it is official, i will post on here for anyone who maybe interested for whatever price they offer it at, even the interior is near mint with no tares whatsoever.

Tony.

The whine might be due to the chassis being twisted I suppose... bound to make a difference if you think about it. Doesn't bode well for getting it repaired though Sorry.

Feel for you in terms of the accident mate - best wishes, for what they're worth, to both you and the Mrs. for a speedy recovery.

stop fookin about, the longer you spend feeling sorry fer yer self the longer it will be before you start to enjoy driving again.
i had a rather nasty accident involving a motor bike and a blind accountant, in hospital fer 6 months, 2 of then flat on me back. but as soon as i was able i was back on a motor bike abeit as a passenger the furst time.

you gotta get out and face yer fears not nuture them ..

I gotta agree with slob you gotta get back on the 'orse, or it will mess with your head

i agree with slob on this also..

if you dont get out and in to another motor you will just create a rod for your own back...

its a shame when stuff like this happens but thats just it it happens get over it get another and get on with life..