Bye Bye No-Claims

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Thanks to "Anti-Skid" surface, ABS and the fact its been raining all day I've just lost my no claims.

I was heading towards a junction with intent to got straight across. There was nothing coming from my right and on the left there were cars waiting behind the parked cars for the guy in the BMW to come past. I wanted to pull out behind the cars to my left so I could see and wait for any traffic. Sadly the ABS kicked in and slid me in front of him instead. I was only moving between 10-15mph and this is the first time I've had ABS kick in on me.

Frankly, what a load of rubbish it is. Now it's going to cost me £570 excess. £220 normal excess PLUS £350 for being a young driver under 21. 3 months off my 21st too.

It looks like the hubs snapped, the airbox has broken, the wing and bonnet and passenger door are all damaged and whatever else inside.

No matter how you look at it. He had right of way and I pulled out on him. My only claim is that he hit me at a fair pace for a 30mph zone in which he should have been driving a little more cautiously, but it's my word against his and the hassle is just too much.

I can't even afford the excess and can't say how much it'll cost to get the damages repaired independantly if it isn't already seen as a write off.

Oh well

 

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The thing is I hardly touched the brake. I really cannot explain it to be honest. It's like as soon as my foot started to push the pedal it started juddering. I was going for the gentle approach and the car wouldn't let me stop. It had its MOT in Jan too.

 

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Why is it always somebody elses fault when someone on here has a fault accident? I mean come on, is it so hard to say 'I cocked up, damn, I'm going to learn from that'?

Didn't I just say in my first post it was my fault? I'm just out of the loop as to why it happened when I have made the same approach every day for months without a problem. Never felt ABS before.

 

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Could that be down to cheapo tyres that cant handle a bit of rain?

Goodyear GT2 tyres all round fitted in November.

Just of those things to go with one of those days I suppose. Not something I needed though. At least nobody was injured. Its a week since I saw an old lady get hit on her pushbike by a 206 :s

Must be a bug going round!

 

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Im hoping when i have my first crash im not guna come off sounding like you tbh, sorry mate but it seems to me that unless there was a fault with the car, theres no one else to blaim but yourself. We live and learn, there but for the grace of god go i and all that.

I didn't say it wasn't my fault for the 2nd time.

I've already been in an accident on my old motorbike where someone pulled out on me and I was very very lucky not to be seriously injured. I'm not saying it wasn't my fault and the guy is gonna get his company car fixed and I'm getting mine sorted out.

No matter how you could look at it, its my vehicle that casued the accident and I was caught out on the brakes. Its just one of those experiences that shouldn't have happened, as I do the same thing every night without trouble and tonight it turned messy.

 

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OMFG I was looking at those pics and thinking, that looks familiar, it's Eshton Terrace > Henthorn!!! Awful Awful corner there - to be fair to the poster, that road people absolutely boot it up the main road to where the junction is, often >40mph. However in this case the BWM wasn't speeding according to the OP.

The only thing I can't understand and I lived there all my life, is that there isn't any anti skid surface at the junction you approached from, you approached coming up Eshton Terrace yes? over the railway crossing? Or do they have it all across the road nowadays?

Thing is that road is not very bumpy, it's not perfect but it is nice and flat, bit of loose gravel though.

Yep, that's the junction. The antiskid is from the white markings on my side of the junction. I was trying to pull out behind the cars (front end of car over the first lane) waiting on what would be the left turn as it's single fine traffic up there due to parked cars on the left. I had already almost stopped (1st gear rolling off clutch) at the junction itself and then as traffic was safe from the right I wanted to go half way so I could see to me left. It just went that little bit too far.

As you say, its pretty much full of gravel. I'm just happy nobdy was injured really.

I have checked the AA website for recalls on the 206. The first one rings alarm bells:

POSSIBILITY OF LOSS OF BRAKE SERVO ASSISTANCE
VIN: TO BE ADVISED
Build Date: To be advised
Numbers: 18405
There is a possibility that the brake servo valve may not function properly, resulting in loss of servo assistance to the braking system.

You living in ClitHero e at the moment VaderDSL? I've lived in Whalley all my life.

 

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I'm thinking of witing to Top Gear to see if they'll test them to see if they actually do you any favours. That would be quite interesting.

I'll certainly be finding my limits with my cars in future. I was in a nieve position in that I didn't know how ABS worked. I'll also be avoiding that junction in future if possible. Its the only anti-skid breaking surface in the whole town I think.

When I learnt to drive in a 2001 Focus. When doing an "excellent" emergency stop the ABS never kicked in and the pedal was given a firm but smooth gradual press. A lot of the time I use my gears to slow me down when approaching a junction and rely on anticipation so I have the breaks as a backup plan and also to steady the car.

 

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maybe now he can get a proper bmw ;]

Haha, true. It was a company car according to him. Another odd thing is that his wife was coming the opposite way in a silver 206. She was hot. I hope they write my car off. all it can be associated with is good looking blonde females and I'm just nowhere near that. I don't wear a nurses uniform that often either.