A post I hoped never to have to make.... :(

[SteveB_NI]

I hoped never to have to make a post like this, but unfortunately that time has come... I had a little bump in my car on the motorway yesterday. I drive a Peugeot 106 by the way.

Sorry for the long post but I'd value your opinions on what to do...

On the motorway a car in front of the car ahead of me decided to anchor his brakes - presumably to pull in / out ... this caused the car in front of me to anchor her brakes (VW Golf, obviously with ABS) - she didn't crash into him. I however had a nice (safe - or so I thought) distance between me and her but because of the wet road and my brakes not being used for sometime beforehand I skidded to a halt into the back of her.

Anyways, I seemed to have hit her tow bar so initially her car looked ok - and as it was getting dark I couldn't see much but everything looked ok to me - I don't recall her getting out of her car to look etc.

My car on the otherhand.... well, the bumper has been split and dented, and also has came off its fixture to the car a bit. The headlight was pushed back very slightly into the side wing, and there is a nice dent on the bonnet for good measure.

I now had discovered that when I try and turn right I hear a vibrating noise as if the bumper or something is catching - although everything looks ok. I also have a constant quiet squeal noise when the car is turned on. The engine also sounds a bit noisier than normal.

I'm a bit annoyed because last week I paid a lot for a 40k service including a new timing belt and aux kit. And the week before that a new exhaust lol.

Anyone know what could be causing the vibrating noise when turning right, or even the constant squeal. Everything seemed ok when I drove away from the hard shoulder.

I have 4yrs NCB protected - £200 excess compulsory and £200 voluntary excess... we decided not to pursue through insurance and do it privately if necessary, but as my NCB is protected my friend says to claim on my insurance - even though it is my fault. We exchanged numbers etc and agreed that she would contact me if there is any need to settle a repair bill for her car etc. I've been advised by a friend I should phone the woman today as a courtesy call and see if everything is ok. What do you all reckon about this?

I need my car for tonight too - and monday to go to work!

Sorry for the long post but opinions would be welcome

Thanks

Steven

 

[MrSix]

Sounds like bad luck and a genuine accident.

If you've got protected NCB and shelling out for the repair is going to leave you in financial trouble (remember it's xmas coming up soon!) then i'd suggest you pay the £400 excess and get the insurance company to do it. You never know if she's going to call you up and say you've done XY and Z to her car, costing however much. If you've already got your car fixed out of your own pocket, then you'll be scuppered if you've got to go through the insurance for her, as you may aswell have claimed for the whole lot.

 

[moss]

Quite often towbars can cause more hidden damage, my mates mothers car was hit from behind which made a mess of the car that hit but her car looked fine from the outside, until they looked under it, the damage had almost wrote it off.
I wouldnt be surprised if you get a call regarding whiplash claims, its almost the norm these days unfortunatly.

 

[Jonny ///M]

Hmmm you could have bent her rear axle or something like that with the force being directly straight into the chassis and not flimzy bodywork.

You checked over the engine bay n that to make sure all is good?? Coulda bent something thats rupping on the wheel at full lock.

 

[silversurfer]

You might as well put it through the books, you could settle with this woman privately and then weeks later she decides her neck hurts and your in trouble. Sounds like your well covered, bad luck :/

 

[Mr Jack]

You probably have to notify your insurance company within 24 hours (it may be 48 hours, it depends on the company) if you want to make a claim. I say do so. If, as you say, you hit her tow bar there's a fairly large chance of quite serious damage to her car which wouldn't have been immediately visible (since it transfers all the energy of the impact into structually significant parts of the car).

You're paying for protected NCB, may as well use it.

 

[Liverpool-Lad]

Happened to myself in a car fitted with a towbar, some idiot ran into the back of us and the towbar took out his radiator, oil cooler etc (it was a Rover - GREAT SUCCESS!) But the Astra we were in initially looked fine but the chassis wasnt th best afterwards, so expect her to call if she takes it to a garage.

 

[Glaucus]

as said the tow bar is connected to structural parts hidden behind panels, it could quite easily bent the chassis. However I would give here a phone call and see if she has taken it in for a check up yet. Only after she's done a check up can you decide, however there usually is something saying report within 48hrs to *** insurance company.

Even with protected no claims your premium will still go up. You'll just keep your NCD.

It's a tough one, I would phone her up, if she hasn't done a check up by the time you have to report it, I would report it.

 

[Tesla]

You should call her anyway, at the end of the day you crashed into her. (Blaming the wet road is no excuse really). Make sure she is OK.

The vibration could simply be that you have warped your discs, if you anchored on and then locked up from 70mph I think it's possible.

As has been said, due to the way a tow bar is fitted I imagine her car is quite bad underneath the nice, straight panels.

I hope you are OK!

 

[The_Dark_Side]

Anyone know what could be causing the vibrating noise when turning right, or even the constant squeal. Everything seemed ok when I drove away from the hard shoulder.

sorry to hear about your incident mate.
you need to get the car up on the ramps asap if you don't feel qualified to check yourself.
might be something minor, it might not...best to check.

RE insurance you can bet your bottom dollar that when she got home, some "friend" advised her to make a whiplash claim too.
go through the books as you've got protected NCB and i'd bet legal expenses cover too.

Sounds like bad luck and a genuine accident.

if you rear end someone, it's a combination of many things.
however an accident it is not.

Quite often towbars can cause more hidden damage, my mates mothers car was hit from behind which made a mess of the car that hit but her car looked fine from the outside, until they looked under it, the damage had almost wrote it off.

can't agree more.
take drivers of 4x4's who think that by fitting bull bars they'll incur no damage if they have a minor knock.
what exactly do they think the bull bar is attached to?
bent chassis rails, that's what.

 

[BennyC]

have a look at your engine bay, a friend of a friend had a knock and theer wasnt much damage, so didnt bother taking her number etc etc, got home and turns out the bottom half of his radiator was screwwwed. Could be wheel bearings? or axle related, best to have it checked out.

 

[SteveB_NI]

I read this in the insurance policy notes...

"We will indemnify you in accordance with our standard professional fees and where requested by you or any other insured person up to the limit of indemnity subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of this policy, against professional fees arising from an insured incident within the territorial limits where you notify us during the period of insurance and within 30 days of the time of the time of occurance of the insured incident."

I think thats a roundabout way of saying I have 30 days to report this incident - isn't it?

 

[Tesla]

What to do if you are involved in a road traffic accident

Being involved in a road traffic collision can be traumatic and this guide is intended to help with some of the practical things you will need to do. If you are involved in an accident on the road you need to take the following steps to help yourself so that you do not unintentionally break the law.

If you are the driver and one or more of the following has happened:

* A person, other than yourself, is injured

* Damage is caused to another vehicle or to someone else's property

* An animal has been killed or injured, except in your own vehicle or trailer (an 'animal' is defined as 'any horse, cattle, sheep, pig, goat or dog')



You must:

* Stop and stay at the scene for a reasonable time;

* Give your vehicle registration number, your name and address, and that of the vehicle owner (if different), to anyone with reasonable grounds for asking for those details;

* If you do not exchange those details at the scene, you must report the accident at a police station or to a police officer as soon as you can and in any case within 24 hours.

Where another person involved is injured, then in addition to the above you must:

* Produce your certificate of insurance, if anyone at the scene has reasonable grounds to see it. If you do not, you must report the accident at a police station or to a police officer as soon as you can. This must be within 24 hours.
* If you don't have your certificate of insurance at the scene of the accident, you may take it to a police station you nominate when you report the incident. You must do this within seven days of the accident. Reporting the accident to the police by telephone is not sufficient and you cannot ask someone else to report it for you.
* You must do these things not only when you are directly involved in an injury accident, but also if your vehicle's 'presence' was a factor.
* If you have any doubts, we advise you to complete the above steps as soon as the accident happens, regardless of who was at fault.

So, was anybody injured?

What are you hoping to achieve by not reporting the accident?

 

[SteveB_NI]

No one was injured.

I just gave a courtesy call to the other driver - everything is fine today and she is happy to leave it at that.

Now to get my own car sorted out!