Stupid Jag Driver
RingOfFire
Posts: 3
Brand new to this forum and thought I would start my first post with a good old rant.
I commute to work from Camberley and normally I take a route from home to Sunningdale station and then get off at Twickenham and cycle into Central London. One wintry morning back in January I was merrily cycling along the London Road between Bagshot and Sunningdale when I was knocked off by a stupid Jag driver who pulled out in front of me. :x
I was flung across his bonnet and ended up in a heap 10yds the other side of his car in the middle of the road. Fortunately nothing was coming in the opposite direction. I landed heavily on my left shoulder and also whacked my right knee on the wing of the car and shredded my jacket and left arm. Miraculously my bike was relatively unscathed but had damage to the bars and hoods and pedals.
Said stupid Jag driver initially stopped and stood by the drivers door of his car in complete silence.
I peeled myself off the road and asked him quite politely (considering I was in considerable pain and quite pissed off) if he was going to say something. He stared at me in complete silence. I asked again and he responded with 'what do you want me to say'. I pointed out that an apology would be a nice way to start.
At this point Mr white van man had pulled in behind the Jag got out and remonstrated with stupid Jag driver asking him to move as he was blocking the road.
I thought this was a good point to ask him to pull over so we could exchange details. I picked up my bike and hobbled over to the pavement only to see stupid Jag driver get in his car and bugger off at speed towards the M3. :evil:
I managed to note his registration number and thought I would ask Mr white van man if he was prepared to give me his name as witness. Guess what, he ignored me got in his van and buggered off as well. So much for goodwill to all men.
I called 999 and the old bill arrived, took my statement, were very helpful (to a point) and took me home. My wife took me off to hospital as my knee had swollen up and I couldn't move my left shoulder. Fortunately nothing was broken, but I was off work for a few days and unable to ride my bike for about a month. I was a little disappointed that the old bill weren't prepared to knock on the drivers door (as it turned out he lived less than half a mile from the accident location) because the address was in Berkshire and they were from Surrey. To add insult to injury also they refused to prosecute stupid Jag driver because there were no witnesses and it was my word against his. I was a tad disappointed by this decision to say the least.
It was nearly 2 months before I had the drivers name and insurance details as he didn't bother to respond to the first two letters from the Police. When stupid Jag driver did reply he got his company secretary to supply the details.
At the beginning of April I phoned Aviva his insurance company and was gobsmacked to discover that he hadn't reported the matter to them. They advised me that they couldn't deal with my claim until he contacted them. To be fair to Aviva they were very helpful but the stupid Jag driver didn't respond to their letters until June.
It was nearly 5 months after the accident when I eventually recieved a letter from Aviva stating that he had now contacted them but they couldn't admit liability because the stupid Jag driver had told them that the accident was my fault because he remained stationary at the junction when I scraped past the front of his car and that although he saw me fall off it he didn't stop because he didn't think I was injured, and of course it wasn't his fault! Once I had stopped laughing at stupid Jag drivers complete pack of lies I called Aviva and they initially said they couldn't settle the claim. So I employed the services of a lawyer. Less than 3 weeks later I received a call from Aviva stating they were willing to settle. They were rather surprised to find that I had employed a lawyer and now realised it was going to cost them a little more than they were anticipating. I'm still waiting for the final settlement but after 7 months there is now an end in sight.
As an epilogue to this story I googled the name of stupid Jag driver and discovered that he was standing for election as an MEP in the european parliament back in June. Need I say more.
As for his reasons for not stopping I think he had one too many the night before and didn't want to be breathalyzed.
I commute to work from Camberley and normally I take a route from home to Sunningdale station and then get off at Twickenham and cycle into Central London. One wintry morning back in January I was merrily cycling along the London Road between Bagshot and Sunningdale when I was knocked off by a stupid Jag driver who pulled out in front of me. :x
I was flung across his bonnet and ended up in a heap 10yds the other side of his car in the middle of the road. Fortunately nothing was coming in the opposite direction. I landed heavily on my left shoulder and also whacked my right knee on the wing of the car and shredded my jacket and left arm. Miraculously my bike was relatively unscathed but had damage to the bars and hoods and pedals.
Said stupid Jag driver initially stopped and stood by the drivers door of his car in complete silence.
I peeled myself off the road and asked him quite politely (considering I was in considerable pain and quite pissed off) if he was going to say something. He stared at me in complete silence. I asked again and he responded with 'what do you want me to say'. I pointed out that an apology would be a nice way to start.
At this point Mr white van man had pulled in behind the Jag got out and remonstrated with stupid Jag driver asking him to move as he was blocking the road.
I thought this was a good point to ask him to pull over so we could exchange details. I picked up my bike and hobbled over to the pavement only to see stupid Jag driver get in his car and bugger off at speed towards the M3. :evil:
I managed to note his registration number and thought I would ask Mr white van man if he was prepared to give me his name as witness. Guess what, he ignored me got in his van and buggered off as well. So much for goodwill to all men.
I called 999 and the old bill arrived, took my statement, were very helpful (to a point) and took me home. My wife took me off to hospital as my knee had swollen up and I couldn't move my left shoulder. Fortunately nothing was broken, but I was off work for a few days and unable to ride my bike for about a month. I was a little disappointed that the old bill weren't prepared to knock on the drivers door (as it turned out he lived less than half a mile from the accident location) because the address was in Berkshire and they were from Surrey. To add insult to injury also they refused to prosecute stupid Jag driver because there were no witnesses and it was my word against his. I was a tad disappointed by this decision to say the least.
It was nearly 2 months before I had the drivers name and insurance details as he didn't bother to respond to the first two letters from the Police. When stupid Jag driver did reply he got his company secretary to supply the details.
At the beginning of April I phoned Aviva his insurance company and was gobsmacked to discover that he hadn't reported the matter to them. They advised me that they couldn't deal with my claim until he contacted them. To be fair to Aviva they were very helpful but the stupid Jag driver didn't respond to their letters until June.
It was nearly 5 months after the accident when I eventually recieved a letter from Aviva stating that he had now contacted them but they couldn't admit liability because the stupid Jag driver had told them that the accident was my fault because he remained stationary at the junction when I scraped past the front of his car and that although he saw me fall off it he didn't stop because he didn't think I was injured, and of course it wasn't his fault! Once I had stopped laughing at stupid Jag drivers complete pack of lies I called Aviva and they initially said they couldn't settle the claim. So I employed the services of a lawyer. Less than 3 weeks later I received a call from Aviva stating they were willing to settle. They were rather surprised to find that I had employed a lawyer and now realised it was going to cost them a little more than they were anticipating. I'm still waiting for the final settlement but after 7 months there is now an end in sight.
As an epilogue to this story I googled the name of stupid Jag driver and discovered that he was standing for election as an MEP in the european parliament back in June. Need I say more.
As for his reasons for not stopping I think he had one too many the night before and didn't want to be breathalyzed.
Felt Z35
FCN 4
FCN 4
0
Comments
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Sorry to hear your trouble and hope you get better soon.
What a disgrace, i would take the matter further however at least your entitled to you insurance claim.
Its a shame that we now have to rely on witnesses even though its blatantly obvious whats happened as it was essentially a hit and run.
What a t*sser.0 -
once it is done flog the story to the tabloids.... :twisted:0
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The bloke who knocked me off 3 yrs ago did a runner, saying he was just going to park up out of the way. It's a natural reaction I expect when the mind is racing through the consequences.
I found his car a couple of days after in a local car park, and was v tempted to leave my mark. With hindsight, not doing so was the correct action so I sleep easy. Would liked to have waited around to have a word and show him the bent finger and missing skin though.0 -
If I knew who he was and where I'd pay a trip to decorate his car.0
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Gazzaputt wrote:If I knew who he was and where I'd pay a trip to decorate his car.
I'd be more inclined to decorate his face and ribs :twisted:
Hope you get a decent settlement mate - good luck
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I do know where this idiot lives and I have considered making a house call, atleast it might make me feel better to give him the burst of abuse I was planning on giving him before he buggered off. However I don't want to jeopardise the settlement from his insurance company as on top of my injuries the cost to replace the damaged parts of my bike and my clothes etc comes to about £700!
However once I have received my money I might be havinga polite word with him!
As for Surrey old bill can't fathom why they won't prosecute him because failing to stop after an accident is an absolute offence as the onus is on him to report the accident at the earliest opportunity and any case within 24hrs. He did none of these things and to prosecute him for this offence doesn't require any independent witnesses.
The fact he has got off scott free does irritate me somewhat!Felt Z35
FCN 40 -
RingOfFire wrote:I do know where this idiot lives and I have considered making a house call, atleast it might make me feel better to give him the burst of abuse I was planning on giving him before he buggered off. However I don't want to jeopardise the settlement from his insurance company as on top of my injuries the cost to replace the damaged parts of my bike and my clothes etc comes to about £700!
However once I have received my money I might be havinga polite word with him!
As for Surrey old bill can't fathom why they won't prosecute him because failing to stop after an accident is an absolute offence as the onus is on him to report the accident at the earliest opportunity and any case within 24hrs. He did none of these things and to prosecute him for this offence doesn't require any independent witnesses.
The fact he has got off scott free does irritate me somewhat!
Did you say he was an MEP ? Not what you know its who you know
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Jay dubbleU wrote:RingOfFire wrote:I do know where this idiot lives and I have considered making a house call, atleast it might make me feel better to give him the burst of abuse I was planning on giving him before he buggered off. However I don't want to jeopardise the settlement from his insurance company as on top of my injuries the cost to replace the damaged parts of my bike and my clothes etc comes to about £700!
However once I have received my money I might be havinga polite word with him!
As for Surrey old bill can't fathom why they won't prosecute him because failing to stop after an accident is an absolute offence as the onus is on him to report the accident at the earliest opportunity and any case within 24hrs. He did none of these things and to prosecute him for this offence doesn't require any independent witnesses.
The fact he has got off scott free does irritate me somewhat!
Did you say he was an MEP ? Not what you know its who you know
Exactly, I bet him and the Chief Constable are having a right old chuckle over a scotch down at the lodge.
If it were me I would have waived my £700 in favour of a call to the press.<a>road</a>0 -
ChrisInBicester wrote:The bloke who knocked me off 3 yrs ago did a runner, saying he was just going to park up out of the way. It's a natural reaction I expect when the mind is racing through the consequences.
It's a natural reaction if you're a complete c**t!! :evil:
The Merc driver who injured me by deliberately pulling in front and slamming his brakes on - about 5 years ago - tried to drive off after he saw me standing up - but he couldn't pull away quickly enough in the heavy traffic. So I went and leant on the front of his car and let the blood coming out of my forehead drip onto his car. He stopped trying to get away at that point - especially as a crowd of people were watching him at the time.
I sued him for £3000 and he countersued the same amount for damage to his car. My solicitor agreed to call it quits before it got to court - without my consent.
Those with money end up stitching the rest of us up completely - so much for equal access to the legal system!!0 -
Can't you sue your solicitor for that? Or am I being naivePorgy wrote:ChrisInBicester wrote:The bloke who knocked me off 3 yrs ago did a runner, saying he was just going to park up out of the way. It's a natural reaction I expect when the mind is racing through the consequences.
It's a natural reaction if you're a complete c**t!! :evil:
The Merc driver who injured me by deliberately pulling in front and slamming his brakes on - about 5 years ago - tried to drive off after he saw me standing up - but he couldn't pull away quickly enough in the heavy traffic. So I went and leant on the front of his car and let the blood coming out of my forehead drip onto his car. He stopped trying to get away at that point - especially as a crowd of people were watching him at the time.
I sued him for £3000 and he countersued the same amount for damage to his car. My solicitor agreed to call it quits before it got to court - without my consent.
Those with money end up stitching the rest of us up completely - so much for equal access to the legal system!!Old hippies don't die, they just lie low until the laughter stops and their time comes round again.
Joseph Gallivan0 -
The moral of the story seems to be play dead, they always drive away once they see you moving!0
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Porgy wrote:ChrisInBicester wrote:The bloke who knocked me off 3 yrs ago did a runner, saying he was just going to park up out of the way. It's a natural reaction I expect when the mind is racing through the consequences.
It's a natural reaction if you're a complete c**t!! :evil:
Not if you're standing in the middle of the road being bawled out by a bloke dripping with blood and his middle finger bent at at weird angle. With hindsight I might have made my excuses and legged it too if it had been the other way round. Be realistic - I wasn't dead, I was able to stand there and give him the full verbals even if I couldn't lamp him one, which I wanted to. He ran the scenarios through his mind and clearly decided that leaving me and the girl who'd stopped & called the ambulance there was a better bet than potential prosecution, loss of NCB, claims for damage to equipment and person, and publicity in the local rag that might have followed.
I don't know in all honesty what I've had done in that situation. If I were to hit a child, or a lady cyclist, or a girl on a horse, there's no question of not stopping. In this case there was a very slim case for legging it, and he did.0 -
ChrisInBicester wrote:Porgy wrote:ChrisInBicester wrote:The bloke who knocked me off 3 yrs ago did a runner, saying he was just going to park up out of the way. It's a natural reaction I expect when the mind is racing through the consequences.
It's a natural reaction if you're a complete c**t!! :evil:
Not if you're standing in the middle of the road being bawled out by a bloke dripping with blood and his middle finger bent at at weird angle. With hindsight I might have made my excuses and legged it too if it had been the other way round. Be realistic - I wasn't dead, I was able to stand there and give him the full verbals even if I couldn't lamp him one, which I wanted to. He ran the scenarios through his mind and clearly decided that leaving me and the girl who'd stopped & called the ambulance there was a better bet than potential prosecution, loss of NCB, claims for damage to equipment and person, and publicity in the local rag that might have followed.
I don't know in all honesty what I've had done in that situation. If I were to hit a child, or a lady cyclist, or a girl on a horse, there's no question of not stopping. In this case there was a very slim case for legging it, and he did.
He's still a c**t - maybe a cowardly c**t.0 -
iainment wrote:
Can't you sue your solicitor for that? Or am I being naivePorgy wrote:ChrisInBicester wrote:The bloke who knocked me off 3 yrs ago did a runner, saying he was just going to park up out of the way. It's a natural reaction I expect when the mind is racing through the consequences.
It's a natural reaction if you're a complete c**t!! :evil:
The Merc driver who injured me by deliberately pulling in front and slamming his brakes on - about 5 years ago - tried to drive off after he saw me standing up - but he couldn't pull away quickly enough in the heavy traffic. So I went and leant on the front of his car and let the blood coming out of my forehead drip onto his car. He stopped trying to get away at that point - especially as a crowd of people were watching him at the time.
I sued him for £3000 and he countersued the same amount for damage to his car. My solicitor agreed to call it quits before it got to court - without my consent.
Those with money end up stitching the rest of us up completely - so much for equal access to the legal system!!
Solictor was a friend of my wife and her employer - and once you start down the road of suing solicitors where does it stop? Life's too short, and I've read Bleak House!0 -
georgee wrote:The moral of the story seems to be play dead, they always drive away once they see you moving!
My big regret the first time I was run over was that I after I'd stopped flying thorugh the air and hitting the ground at speed, I got up almost immediately. And there in the distance was the driver wot dun it - looking at me in his rear mirror. As soon as I got up he wheel spun away.
I did get his name and address though - he lived in Stratford upon avon, quite a long way to travel to shout at someone.0 -
Porgy wrote:georgee wrote:The moral of the story seems to be play dead, they always drive away once they see you moving!
My big regret the first time I was run over was that I after I'd stopped flying thorugh the air and hitting the ground at speed, I got up almost immediately. And there in the distance was the driver wot dun it - looking at me in his rear mirror. As soon as I got up he wheel spun away.
I did get his name and address though - he lived in Stratford upon avon, quite a long way to travel to shout at someone.
+1
Guy who hit me saw me look up and legged it.
What really got me was the crowd of gawpers and not one helped. Was opposite a barbers shop and not one of them came over. Took 2 ladies in a car who arrived a few minutes after to call the ambulance and police.0 -
Porgy wrote:He's still a c**t - maybe a cowardly c**t.
He is, but it's self-interest. Look after #1 in this life. He weighed it up and p!ssed off. Can't say I blame him.
Is it only on an internet forum where you get to defend the actions of a bloke who drove into you and did a runner?
I got a new and better bike off the house ins with some cash input from m'self, skin grew back, finger ok after some physio on the NHS except for being permanently slightly enlarged around the knuckle. All ok. Other bloke suffered damaged to n/s door and a few sleepless nights I expect - he did look a bit shaken up. All done with now.0 -
That's very zen of you 8)ChrisInBicester wrote:Porgy wrote:He's still a c**t - maybe a cowardly c**t.
He is, but it's self-interest. Look after #1 in this life. He weighed it up and p!ssed off. Can't say I blame him.
Is it only on an internet forum where you get to defend the actions of a bloke who drove into you and did a runner?
I got a new and better bike off the house ins with some cash input from m'self, skin grew back, finger ok after some physio on the NHS except for being permanently slightly enlarged around the knuckle. All ok. Other bloke suffered damaged to n/s door and a few sleepless nights I expect - he did look a bit shaken up. All done with now.0 -
Porgy wrote:georgee wrote:The moral of the story seems to be play dead, they always drive away once they see you moving!
My big regret the first time I was run over was that I after I'd stopped flying thorugh the air and hitting the ground at speed, I got up almost immediately. And there in the distance was the driver wot dun it - looking at me in his rear mirror. As soon as I got up he wheel spun away.
This should be in the What To Do In Accident sticky. Seriously.0 -
Porgy wrote:
That's very zen of you 8)ChrisInBicester wrote:Porgy wrote:He's still a c**t - maybe a cowardly c**t.
He is, but it's self-interest. Look after #1 in this life. He weighed it up and p!ssed off. Can't say I blame him.
Is it only on an internet forum where you get to defend the actions of a bloke who drove into you and did a runner?
I got a new and better bike off the house ins with some cash input from m'self, skin grew back, finger ok after some physio on the NHS except for being permanently slightly enlarged around the knuckle. All ok. Other bloke suffered damaged to n/s door and a few sleepless nights I expect - he did look a bit shaken up. All done with now.
not really - he stood outside his bedroom window for a week saying quietly "you're going to die... you're GOING to die"Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
I'd be inclined to kick their car door in personally. what's the name of this asshole MEP who ran into you? If we all write to him expressing our displeasure with his driving ability, he might think twice about knocking a cyclist of their bike in future :twisted:2010 Lynskey R230
2013 Yeti SB660 -
Hmm MEP? Not sure but there are often MANY people in an area with the same name - you'd need to be 100% on that. If he does get elected go to the tabloids about this - could be a few grand in your pocket for the story, they love this crap.
Secondly playing dead doesnt always work and I can imagine the driver thinking "oh thank god - no witnesses and they havent seen me!"
Whilst the Brits tease with the idea of giving cycling a go it wont be enough until attitudes change enough to encourage the rest to give it a go and feel safe. This crap we keep hearing of makes me wonder if we wont soon hear of some vendetta carried out on cars/drivers by cyclists?0
