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[Big_Al]

Oops! SWMBO has had a prang.   I'm On her side though as possibly not her fault completly..

She was driving over a railway bridge only a few hundred yards from home & on reaching the brow realised there were 4 cars waiting to pass a recovery truck that was on loading a broken down car.
This was happening 40 yds down the other side off the hill. This was not at all visible until you reach the brow of the hill as it is a quite steep hill.
Although only doing 25 mph  &  braking hard & swerving onto the footpath, SWMBO could not avoid running into back corner of a nice shiney black Ford KA.
Thankfully no one hurt at all. Not too much damage to either car.

My question is although the accident will be recognised as her fault, should the recovery driver have put out some sort of pre warning on the approach side of the hill that he was loading a car?

Any answers from you guys appriciated.  

[Jimbob]

hmmm, they will say you should always approach a hill with caution and she was going to fast for the road  

[Big_Al]

hmmm, they will say you should always approach a hill with caution and she was going to fast for the road  

Agreed-  I just thought it was a bit irresponsible of the recovery driver.    SWMBO has protected no claims so no real harm done. Vectra is "S" reg so not worth much, so possible write off even though not too much damage ( Headlight , indicator , lower bumper skirt & fog light & dent to wing) done.

[Kevin Wood]

Mrs. KW had her car written off in such an incident a few years back. Recovery driver blocked three quarters of the road removing chav from ditch. Emma stopped but the woman behind her carried on oblivious.

As it happens I was only a few minutes behind her and had a good talking to the recovery driver about how he should have taken steps to alert oncoming drivers to his being parked on a blind bend. His attitude was "not my problem, mate".

The Police attended and I pointed out that they always take care to place signs / cars with lights / officers up the road to warn oncoming drivers and that the recovery driver should have done the same, or waited for Police attendance, given that the car was embedded in the ditch and in no-one's way until he got the Hiab out. Just got a shrug of the shoulders in response.  

Kevin

[Lazydocker]

Unfortunately the recovery driver is not obliged to do any such thing... As long as he has working flashers and beacons he's OK.

However, when I was doing a recovery in such a position I used to put a couple of cones at the brow of the hill for my safety!!

[Kevin Wood]

Unfortunately the recovery driver is not obliged to do any such thing... As long as he has working flashers and beacons he's OK.

However, when I was doing a recovery in such a position I used to put a couple of cones at the brow of the hill for my safety!!

Exactly. Obligation is one thing, but it's common sense, not to mention good roadcraft, that if you're obstructing a carriageway and not visible to oncoming traffic that you make yourself visible.

.. and don't get me started on orange beacons! It appears that most drivers of vehicles fitted with them appear to think it's an offence to use the vehicle in any way without them being switched on.  

Kevin

[Martin_1962]

That recovery driver needs a spell in hospital - then he might show more sense in the future

[stuart30]

hmmm, they will say you should always approach a hill with caution and she was going to fast for the road  

Agreed-  I just thought it was a bit irresponsible of the recovery driver.    SWMBO has protected no claims so no real harm done. Vectra is "S" reg so not worth much, so possible write off even though not too much damage ( Headlight , indicator , lower bumper skirt & fog light & dent to wing) done.

Recovery agents normaly just cone off a safety area allowing them a working area.

Sorry but protected no claims means NOTHING....when a wall jumped out and hit the side of my estate i had the same opinion and wouldn't believe when i was told it would make a difference come renewal time....well guess what its does make a difference and will effect how your perceived from insurance companies.

Believe it was The Boy who set me straight...seemed quite knowledgeable on the subject.

[Jimbob]

you may have protected no claims....

your premium will still go up.

ie you have 70% no claims discount

your premium is £1000, less 70% = £300

an accident occurs, you are a bigger risk, premium now £1500, less 70% = £450

just means the raise is reduced

[Entwood]

All the protected no claims does is keep the Number of years or discount % the same ... Once you report an incident the basic premium changes so the paid amount will also change ... but less than it would have without the protection ...

As a theoretical example

This years premium £500. No claim protection =£50
This years No claim discount 50%
Amount payable £250 + £50 = 300

After the "incident"

Premium rises to £600 No claim protection = £50
No claim discount remains at 50%
Amount payable £300 + £50 = £350

Without the protection

This year would be a straight £250

Next year No claim bonus reduced to 30% for 1 incident
Premium = £600 Discount 30%
Amount payable £420

If the numbers / percentages are bigger then the effect is greater ...


Dang .. interupted by the 'phone .. so he beat me to it ..

[shanjon]

hmmm, they will say you should always approach a hill with caution and she was going to fast for the road  

Agreed-  I just thought it was a bit irresponsible of the recovery driver.    SWMBO has protected no claims so no real harm done. Vectra is "S" reg so not worth much, so possible write off even though not too much damage ( Headlight , indicator , lower bumper skirt & fog light & dent to wing) done.

not necessarily, my brother in law had similar damage in february on an n reg 1.6 envoy and they were going to repair at a cost of £550, and i was certain they would write it off

[CaptainZok]

Unfortunately the recovery driver is not obliged to do any such thing... As long as he has working flashers and beacons he's OK.

However, when I was doing a recovery in such a position I used to put a couple of cones at the brow of the hill for my safety!!

Exactly. Obligation is one thing, but it's common sense, not to mention good roadcraft, that if you're obstructing a carriageway and not visible to oncoming traffic that you make yourself visible.

.. and don't get me started on orange beacons! It appears that most drivers of vehicles fitted with them appear to think it's an offence to use the vehicle in any way without them being switched on.  

Kevin

Agreed, IMO an amber beacon warns of obstruction be it a slow, wide, long or stationary vehicle. In what way a car winched onto the back of a transporter causes a hazard or deviation from C&U regs is beyond me.
Sounds like a good topic for one of our late night chats Kev.

[Kevin Wood]

Agreed, IMO an amber beacon warns of obstruction be it a slow, wide, long or stationary vehicle. In what way a car winched onto the back of a transporter causes a hazard or deviation from C&U regs is beyond me.
Sounds like a good topic for one of our late night chats Kev.

I can just feel myself getting started. Must go to bed... Work tomorrow...

Kevin

[Big_Al]

hmmm, they will say you should always approach a hill with caution and she was going to fast for the road  

Agreed-  I just thought it was a bit irresponsible of the recovery driver.    SWMBO has protected no claims so no real harm done. Vectra is "S" reg so not worth much, so possible write off even though not too much damage ( Headlight , indicator , lower bumper skirt & fog light & dent to wing) done.

not necessarily, my brother in law had similar damage in february on an n reg 1.6 envoy and they were going to repair at a cost of £550, and i was certain they would write it off

Thought it was quite minor damage on the "S" reg vectra -- but they have written it off.

Seems a good valuation though - bit puzzled on that - over 50% more than I paid for it

Sure it will all go Ti#s up though  

Who knows about buying these write off's back?  Any tips appriciated Guys, & Gals.

[stuart30]

hmmm, they will say you should always approach a hill with caution and she was going to fast for the road  

Agreed-  I just thought it was a bit irresponsible of the recovery driver.    SWMBO has protected no claims so no real harm done. Vectra is "S" reg so not worth much, so possible write off even though not too much damage ( Headlight , indicator , lower bumper skirt & fog light & dent to wing) done.

not necessarily, my brother in law had similar damage in february on an n reg 1.6 envoy and they were going to repair at a cost of £550, and i was certain they would write it off

Thought it was quite minor damage on the "S" reg vectra -- but they have written it off.

Seems a good valuation though - bit puzzled on that - over 50% more than I paid for it

Sure it will all go Ti#s up though  

Who knows about buying these write off's back?  Any tips appriciated Guys, & Gals.

Buying back is simple they say you can have it back  minus 15% of the amount they offer you...think its 15% anyway not much.

And yes as long as you've agreed a price verbally with them thats what you will get...when my estate was written off the accesor phoned me up and work out his price whilst looking at auto trader....made a handsome profit and swapped over the alloys before it was collected.

Not sure they would have been best pleased with it being filled with all sorts of crap and rubbish just before they collected it.