Big time Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Recently, the following happened to me: It was a wet day, not raining but the road was wet, when we were travelling(uphill) up a road; we reached a line of parked cars on our side, on what is a bit of a bend in the road; we slowed down as we approached the park cars to make sure there were no oncoming vehicles; there were no oncoming vehicles so we passed the parked cars and proceeded to drive up the road. As we were passing the parked cars we encounted an oncoming vehicle(travelling downhill); on seeing the oncoming vehicle we slowed right down, pulled in as much as we could before coming to a complete stop. The driver of the oncoming vehicle saw us but was driving far too fast, as he applied the brakes his wheels locked and his car slid about 15/20 yards into the offside front corner of our car, knocking our car backwards a few yards. Our car was rendered undrivable after the impact,(possibly because the hydraulic steering was damaged)causing an obstruction in the road, but the other car was drivable after the impact because the driver parked the vehicle up to the curb. The driver of the car that hit us is adamant he wasn't speeding(gaffaw) and that we "tried to beat him" As there were no independant witnesses to this I am wondering weather the insurance investigation people will be able to tell that I was stationary at the moment of impact and that the other car was not, because I will be annoyed if this is put down as a so called "knock for knock". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 If there were skid marks left by the other car they could estimate the initial speed they were travelling it, but in the wet it probably didn't leave any... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilypiglet Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 He should've let you pass anyway, as traffic travelling uphill has right of way!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big time Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 If there were skid marks left by the other car they could estimate the initial speed they were travelling it, but in the wet it probably didn't leave any... This is it, "skid" isn't the word to use, he literally slid towards us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big time Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 He should've let you pass anyway, as traffic travelling uphill has right of way!! I travel up this particular road practically every single day and it always the same with that bend and the line of parked cars right on it, you approach it, see that there's no oncoming vehicles, drive past them, then encounter an oncoming vehicle out of knowhere as you are half way past the parked cars. What happens though is I see the oncoming car, he see's me, we both stop, and depending on the situation one lets the other past. No problem, until that is you have the misfortune of encountering an idiot doing about 55/60 mph towards you on a wet road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truman Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 If you couldn't see him could he have seen you when he got to the first parked car?If you see what I mean....Suspect the ins. cos. will see it as knock for knock.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truman Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 He should've let you pass anyway, as traffic travelling uphill has right of way!! Where's that from?Maybe when we drove a horse and cart but not now I don't think..Big time was on the "wrong" side of the road...just putting the other point of view.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obelix Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Recently, the following happened to me: It was a wet day, not raining but the road was wet, when we were travelling(uphill) up a road; we reached a line of parked cars on our side, on what is a bit of a bend in the road; we slowed down as we approached the park cars to make sure there were no oncoming vehicles; there were no oncoming vehicles so we passed the parked cars and proceeded to drive up the road. As we were passing the parked cars we encounted an oncoming vehicle(travelling downhill); on seeing the oncoming vehicle we slowed right down, pulled in as much as we could before coming to a complete stop. The driver of the oncoming vehicle saw us but was driving far too fast, as he applied the brakes his wheels locked and his car slid about 15/20 yards into the offside front corner of our car, knocking our car backwards a few yards. Our car was rendered undrivable after the impact,(possibly because the hydraulic steering was damaged)causing an obstruction in the road, but the other car was drivable after the impact because the driver parked the vehicle up to the curb. The driver of the car that hit us is adamant he wasn't speeding(gaffaw) and that we "tried to beat him" As there were no independant witnesses to this I am wondering weather the insurance investigation people will be able to tell that I was stationary at the moment of impact and that the other car was not, because I will be annoyed if this is put down as a so called "knock for knock". 15 meters in the dry is the stopping distance for a car with average tyres from 30mph. If this was in the wet his speed would have been less to stop that fast. For a 20m slide, that would indicate a maxiumum dry road speed of about 37 mph, in the wet though it would be much lower and be under 30mph. I think you would have problems arguing illegal speed, although excessive speed for the road conditions (hazard, possibility of oncoming wrongside cars etc.) If he hit you on your front corner and you were travelling then you would expect to be deflected into the parked cars. If there are no damaged cars then that would make your case stronger. Get pcitures of the skidmarks once it's dried and measure the equivulent length from the safety of the pavement. Take a reputable witness as well to verify the measured distance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilypiglet Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Where's that from?Maybe when we drove a horse and cart but not now I don't think..Big time was on the "wrong" side of the road...just putting the other point of view.. It's driving etiquette and taught when you are learning to drive, it's recommended in the Highway Code to give way to traffic ascending a hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truman Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 It's driving etiquette and taught when you are learning to drive, it's recommended in the Highway Code to give way to traffic ascending a hill. I'm not being funny but where in the HC? I've just had a quick look on the online version and can't see anyhting there.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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