jrcasey Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 Had the car for less than 12 hours and then some ****** in a taxi hits the back of it!!!!! Bent the wheel carrier and crazed the body work. Westfield say the whole body needs replacing for £2500!!! Is this strictly necessary, or would you expect just repair to the back of the bodywork. The taxi driver is claiming 'he knows my type', 'I'm a greedy b******d and just want the money for a holiday', 'the incident never took place as I have no witness' etc... VERY BIG OIL TANKER. Anyone else had this problem? Jon Quote
Nick M Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 Set the lawyers on him. I'm assuming you have legal cover through your insurance so go ahead and use it. He's just bluffing because he knows it's going to cost him an arm and a leg and he's crapping himself. Nick Quote
Bananaman Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 JR Find a witness, you got mates havent you. Andy If he wants to play dirty you gota fight fire with fire. Quote
Blatman Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 I'm with Nick. The cabbie is crapping himself. Did he have a punter on board? Has he got Public Liability/Hire and Reward insurance? Relevant questions you could pose to him via your lawyers.........A cabbie not having H+R insurance is a reasonably serious issue. He could lose his job.......... Quote
Warren E Smith Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 Id expect the whole bodywork to need replacing, just call the insurers. You really don't want your car devalued by having a bodge doine now that in 5 years when you might want to sell to upgrade it could start looking ****e. Insurance is there for a reason, if you dont claim when you get a chance then they'll shaft you at some other time e.g "you had an accident that damaged the rear bodywork, therefore when you lost control of the car it must be because of unapproved / unnotified repairs so we won't pay" they are gits, If he hit you up the A*** its his fault , period. Claim it. Oh & bad luck Quote
westy Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 go down the right route, ie not fake witnesses If he didnt give you his insurance details contact the police his already broken the law. If he did give them contact your insurer and let them know what happened, the sooner you get the ball rolling the better. Westfield will quote you that sort of money as they charge 35/40ph for work plus the cost of the bodywork itself of about £1200 (probably). Was that after seeing the car? Quote
Warren E Smith Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 Oh & you have checked that the spare wheel wasn't buckled haven't you ! Cabbie. You did check he'd an up to date licensing sticker etc. didn't you? Quote
Bananaman Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 go down the right route, ie not fake witnesses Your proberbly right Westy. It's just i had a similar experience in the tintop with a bus & had a nightmare getting a payout. The bus driver made up some Bull****e story & aTart on the bus backed him up & she even tried to claim whiplash. The bus was only doing about 2mph when it hit me & even then it was its midrift that swashed my rear (he was trying to go for a sapce too small for him ) These people who try & faulsy claim Whiplash get on my tits, it's about time faluse claimers were prosecuted. Oh well i'm off to work out all this pent up agression at the Gym. Andy Quote
jrcasey Posted March 18, 2003 Author Posted March 18, 2003 Thanks guys - great help. As you can see he is being a ******. I was all a bit of a shock, but I did get his home details, but not insurance. However, the police tell me that if he has insurance then it can be traced without him. If he has no insurance then they will pay him a visit (criminal offence)!!!! I am just a bit concerned about any unwitnessed revenge that may be taken on my car, my house or myself - he seems A BIT MENTAL (and does nothing for race relations! However, the right route will be taken. I'll keep you posted. Really enjoying the new car though and still have my licence . Quote
minghis Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 If it was a 'proper' taxi he should be licensed by the local authority, it may be worth having a word with them? Here in Taunton taxi drivers are a real pain - they all drive like idiots and simply expect you to give way to them every time, irrespective of whatever illegal and dangerous manouevre they're trying to do. Recently I nearly T-boned one in his drivers door - he was trying to turn around in the road just around a corner, when I stopped about a foot from his door (I wasn't speeding) he gave me a load of abuse - I couldn't believe it! The good thing about taxis is that they have a big sign on them saying what company they are - after the above incident I drove to his 'office' and spoke to his boss, the cabbie phoned me that evening and apologised profusely..... Minghis Quote
brianm Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 If he didnt give you his insurance details contact the police his already broken the law. If I'm not mistaken insurance details only have to be provided if a party is injured. The advice I've always given to anyone is is you have a definate not at fault accident, then develop immediate injury, and call the police. I'm not talking about false claims here, I can't stand that either, but the police have to attend if someone is injured and insurance details will be forthcoming. Make sure you are in the right though as if they do turn out they will ticket one party Well they've got to be usefull sometime, no? Quote
Blatman Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 And being as you've already left the scene, attend your doctors/A&E with neck ache, and when they ask how you think you did it..........then talk to the police. You don't have to claim for the injury, in fact, you may get better treatment if you don't, what with the current litigious climate. Of course, if swift action isn't forthcoming, you reserve the right to add in the cost of your injury if they don'y play ball. What could be more reasonable......... Quote
Stuart Posted March 18, 2003 Posted March 18, 2003 When my A6 was rammed off the road by a bunch of drunken Brummies in a van (£4,500 damage), the cops couldn't attend as they were busy elsewhere. The b******ds did a runner and, guess what, the reg. no. wasn't traceable. If it's not traceable, then, even with witnesses, it's your fault. So, I hope he has given you a real address. Anyone know the whereabouts of a red Mercedes box van G419 LUE? Quote
XTR2Turbo Posted March 19, 2003 Posted March 19, 2003 Bad luck and I hope it all gets sorted. Either way it's a time consuming and frustrating experience. At least if a cab shouldn't be too difficult to trace him in the area if he has given incorrect details. I read a few months ago that in London, 1 in 10 cars aren't properly insured. Seems to me the whole process needs tightening. It relies to much on honesty and decency. I know some friends who now always carry a cheap disposable camera to photo incident and driver. David Quote
Phssthpok Posted March 19, 2003 Posted March 19, 2003 ......if I'm in an altercation with another vehicle I always give the driver a couple of slaps just to establish the basic rules of engagement, then we can get down to the business of how they're going to pay for my repairs without all this nonsense of whose fault the accident was. On one occasion a feisty little fecker in a green Fiesta wouldn't listen to reason so I was forced to rip a wiper blade off and stick it up his nose. Now all this might sound like macho bull****e but what's the alternative? Giving large amount of your hard earned dosh to some ****** in a bad suit calling himself a solicitor? Endless letters back and forth to insurance companies? Loss of your no claims bonus? We live in a dog eat dog society so hit them fast and hit them hard; they'll respect you for it in the end. Quote
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