Just not my day!

Orford

Orford

Orford

Associate
Joined
11 Jun 2010
Posts
425
First day of a two week work break. I come out to my car to go into town and look at dash cams. Only to find I'm too late.



I park on a wide kerb and have done so for the last 17 or so years. I have been reading the dash cam thread and decided to go out and have a look at some, hands on, today. Next to the car to the right is a bus stop.



So instead of going out and treating myself for my upcoming 40th, hence the two weeks off work, I'm now calming down and writing this "quick to the internet" thread as therapy.

I've spoken to the bus company (only one with red buses in this area) who say they will make every effort to check the buses on that route this morning, talk to the drivers and check CCTV of each vehicle on that route this morning. I'm fully expecting to receive a "it wasn't us" reply.

My insurance will pursue a claim for me if the bus company say it was them. Or as I'm fully comp will arrange repair. Either way I get a courtesy car.

I have said to my insurance, just to take details for now and I'll give the bus company 24hrs to investigate. My thinking being, if they admit it I'll just let them handle it and not effect my insurance in any way. If they deny it then I'm stuck with 1 strike on my NCD as its protected. So 24hrs isn't to much? My insurance is happy to wait 24hrs as I've reported it and they understand a potential 3rd party is involved.

Now in your opinion should I just get on with it. Or wait?

Now the bus stop being there is another story, for now I want to keep this about whether I should start the claim now or wait for the bus company to reply. Also therapy as I'm furious.
 
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Hound that bus company like dogs. Take a day off and watch the buses, looking for any evidence of a scrape on your car. I'd go to the end of the earth to get my money out of them, but then I live in London and deal with the worst of the worst bus companies the world has to offer, so I'm biased.

Who knows, they may send you a cheque for the repair amount and a box of chocolates for the inconvenience, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
 
paradigm said:
I have to say, you shouldn't have parked there, and im amazed nothing happened earlier.
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As I say that's another story. I parked there before it was a bus stop. The bus stop is to the left on the other side of the round about. A long time ago it was on the other side of the roundabout to the left. One day we had a bus wheel hub and a scaffold pole temp bus stop sign put up due to road works. It never went back. Some years later after discussion with the local Police, Council and bus company. They agreed parking there wasn't illegal or causing any issue.

Also technically it isn't a bus stop it is just street furniture. The road markings even when new or at least maintained. Did not have the corresponding signage according to the highways act. To mark parking restriction or even the black and white bus stop sigh denoting which routes stop there. It isn't a bus stop or is any location covered by parking restrictions.

I accept on first look you would think I shouldn't park there. I could if I wanted to take advice on forcing the local council to move it. Or pay for me to have a drive installed when they impose the correct signage. I say impose as they wouldn't get approval due to how close the bus stop is to the round about, without there being a lay by.

But I didn't want to go into the parking restrictions side of things.
 
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I suggest it was the tail swing of the bus behind the back axles. Expecting the bus driver to monitor that corner keenly as well as trying to get out into traffic is probably right, but you are parked much closer to the kerb than the bus stop itself.

I think that you are parking discourteously if not dangerously. Your car is not too high to obscure people waiting but if it was an MPV, van or 4x4 would you still park it there?
 
nkata said:
I suggest it was the tail swing of the bus behind the back axles. Expecting the bus driver to monitor that corner keenly as well as trying to get out into traffic is probably right, but you are parked much closer to the kerb than the bus stop itself.

I think that you are parking discourteously if not dangerously. Your car is not too high to obscure people waiting but if it was an MPV, van or 4x4 would you still park it there?
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Close to the kerb? I'm on the pavement. I am a little closer than normal but looking at the damage, it wasn't a glancing blow. More of a shoulder barge.

Also it doesn't look like it on the picture but the raised kerb stones on the bus stop do come out a bit at the bottom and slop up to the top. It stops the bus hanging up the front end as the kerb raises. So the bus couldn't get close enough to hit my car if it wanted to. Unless deliberate.

As you stated its the rear end of the bus swinging out. I can only assume some one parked to the right and the bus driver had a hard time getting out. As a bus stops there every 10mins all day upto 6pm then every 20mins upto 11pm. Over the last 10 years or so that Ive parked there, that would put the onus on the bus driver not paying attention then whether I should park there or not.
 
Orford said:
I have said to my insurance, just to take details for now and I'll give the bus company 24hrs to investigate. My thinking being, if they admit it I'll just let them handle it and not effect my insurance in any way
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Once you make the call this could technically go down as a claim.
 
iaind said:
Since when was it OK to park on a pavement :confused:
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Drop kerb to the left and no offence for parking on pavement only for obstruction afaik. We do not cause an obstruction to pedestrians but would to road users of parked on the road. We could as technically its not a bus stop but as mentioned, we have talked to council police etc and they are all fine with the arrangement.

should have gone to GD ;)

Would I be best waiting for the bus company or just get on with the claim.
 
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Orford said:
Close to the kerb? I'm on the pavement. I am a little closer than normal but looking at the damage, it wasn't a glancing blow. More of a shoulder barge.

Also it doesn't look like it on the picture but the raised kerb stones on the bus stop do come out a bit at the bottom and slop up to the top. It stops the bus hanging up the front end as the kerb raises. So the bus couldn't get close enough to hit my car if it wanted to. Unless deliberate.

As you stated its the rear end of the bus swinging out. I can only assume some one parked to the right and the bus driver had a hard time getting out. As a bus stops there every 10mins all day upto 6pm then every 20mins upto 11pm. Over the last 10 years or so that Ive parked there, that would put the onus on the bus driver not paying attention then whether I should park there or not.
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Notice how far back the bus stop is from the curb. You parked to close. If I was a bobby I would look to book you and the BMW if I'm honest.
 
Can I spot yellow lines on the bus stop itself? I was under the impression they also meant no parking on the pavement either.

I could be completely wrong. Just something I read somewhere.

I imagine unless you have a witness then the bus company will simply say "prove it"
 
Nodiggidy123 said:
Can I spot yellow lines on the bus stop itself? I was under the impression they also meant no parking on the pavement either.

I could be completely wrong. Just something I read somewhere.

I imagine unless you have a witness then the bus company will simply say "prove it"
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There are broken yellow lines to mark the bus stop box, that means nothing, just markers. but no solid yellow line against the kerb, that would mean no parking. Or stripe painted on the kerb or sign at the road side with parking restriction notice or even a bus stop sign. They cannot put them there as its not the original bus stop that they would have been applied for. That stop is now disused on the other side of the round about to the left.

No obstruction.


Why did it rotate it ffs.


Thanks for the positve advice on my parking options, though I was getting trolled for a sec there.

I'll let you know what I decide to do and if the Bus company get back to me, which I doubt they will. tbf Ive been parking there for many many years and its not happened until today. Yes I think its there fault but yes, some would say I have been lucky until today.

Just first time Ive had to make a fault claim and was looking for advice on the best way to go about it and not effect my insurance to much.
 
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If you know the bus company can you go to the depot and see if any buses have damage with your colour paint on them. I Would imagine they would try and cover anything up as they know about it ? ...
 
MOOGLEYS said:
If you know the bus company can you go to the depot and see if any buses have damage with your colour paint on them. I Would imagine they would try and cover anything up as they know about it ? ...
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Speaking to my cousin who worked for the bus company in the garages, doesn't leave me with much hope. It is indeed a "Prove it" stance that they normally take. Also the new buses are 1ft longer from the rear axle to the back of the bus and the new drivers tend to forget when pulling out of stops if a car is parked to the front of them. He was full of useful advice. I feel my letterbox opening.

I'll get my CSI suit on and a scraper and get some samples. Chasing this is going to be a massive waste of time. Just take the excess bullet and start parking a bit further back.


Will ring the insurance tomorrow and get the ball rolling I can always change the claim later.

1 quick to the internet thread later and It's lesson learned, If you risk it, over enough time, it will happen.
 
Dumb place to park.
You've been hit by the tail swing of the bus.
I always see people who park in idiotic places with broken wing mirrors, dents scrapes etc.
 
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