What would you do?

thebrasso · 13 Jul 2006 at 22:34

The situation, last thursday I entered a 50 limit dual carriageway and a chav'd Corsa and a Saxo go past me like I'm standing still. Seconds later, the Saxo goes for an overtake, the Corsa pulls out, the Saxo brakes and swerves. He hits a raised kerb and comes to a stop ten meteres from a petrol pump.

BP service station on the A50 eastbound before the exit for Blythe Bridge/Meir park.

Anyway, I saw this happen and stopped to check the lad in the Saxo was ok. He was in shock mainly, his car was knackered. My take was he was racing, but the guy in the Corsa (who he'd got a reg plate for) pulled out forcing him to brake and lose control. Still the Saxo driver's fault IMO.

Anyway, he said if he needed a police statement would I provide one, I said I would.

Had a call earlier, asking for details for his insurance company. Should I back away at this point?

Personally I think the guy was a **** but he learnt a valuable lesson that night.

Edit: I'm not sure why I agreed to help, not sure what the implications are?

Firestar_3x · 13 Jul 2006 at 22:37

You said you would help the saxo driver, the saxo drivers insurance phoned you up asking what happened?

penski · 13 Jul 2006 at 22:38

Shop him in.

*n

TripleT · 13 Jul 2006 at 22:39

Say you'll only speak to his insurance company direct. When they ring - tell them he was racing

thebrasso · 13 Jul 2006 at 22:39

He asked if he was ok to name me as a witness to his insurance.

I said ok. I'll tell it like I saw it.

At the time I wasn't trying to lecture him but I said "it looked like you were racing the guy, I was doing just under 50 coming on the A50 and you went past me like I was standing still".

DanTheMan · 13 Jul 2006 at 22:41

I'd do nothing and hope he learns a valuable lesson. Does my nut in the fact I'll end up having to pay 2k+ on insurance on any half decent car because of these people.

Firestar_3x · 13 Jul 2006 at 22:41

Just tell it like it happened the guy was racing going far to fast, hopefully his insurance we be void and they won't pay out.

[TW]Fox · 13 Jul 2006 at 22:42

Shop him - its people like him that give people who do 55 in a 50 a bad name.

thebrasso · 13 Jul 2006 at 22:46

Aye, I'll tell it like it was.

I couldn't name exact speeds but I'd estimate based on my speed and how much quicker the two cars went past me he was doing 80+. There was a 25 metre skid mark where he'd locked his brakes up.

The speed isn't the problem, if but he was definitely racing the other guy.

Maybe I shouldn't have stopped. But a few vehicles didn't even hit the hazards and I just thought if I crashed I'd like to think somebody would stop to check I was ok. That and I have a habit of getting involved in things if I think somebody needs help.

penski · 13 Jul 2006 at 22:47

Police/insurance accident investigation should show how fast he was going, no?

Anyway - as soon as you get to speak to the insurance, tell them that they both went past you flat out, they appeared to be racing and he lost control.

*n

MrSix · 13 Jul 2006 at 23:12

Don't tell the insurance company he was racing. Say somebody pulled out on him and he had to brake hard.

He wont learn by not getting an insurance payout, I know that for near certain because i've got 'mates' who have done the same thing and still carried on driving like morons.

Give him his chance, but no more than that - you would hope that perhaps if you got caught up in some red mist and panned it then somebody would give you the benefit of the doubt.

At the end of the day, who are you to say he should learn his lesson or not.

[TW]Fox · 13 Jul 2006 at 23:14

MrSix said:
At the end of the day, who are you to say he should learn his lesson or not.

The innocent motorist who very nearly was involved in an accident caused by two morons racing their trolleys?

thebrasso · 13 Jul 2006 at 23:21

I'm just going to say what I saw, that I entered the carriageway and the two cars were going for it. Seconds later one pulled out (the lad in question) and the other blocked him causing him to brake hard and lose control.

Its his problem if they decide not to pay out then.

I forgot to mention I'm pretty sure they were racing because the Corsa came off at the next exit, went round the roundabout and came the other way (westbound) and gave us all the V for victory. That isn't relevant though I don't think.

Hades · 13 Jul 2006 at 23:22

MrSix said:
Don't tell the insurance company he was racing. Say somebody pulled out on him and he had to brake hard.

He wont learn by not getting an insurance payout, I know that for near certain because i've got 'mates' who have done the same thing and still carried on driving like morons.

Give him his chance, but no more than that - you would hope that perhaps if you got caught up in some red mist and panned it then somebody would give you the benefit of the doubt.

At the end of the day, who are you to say he should learn his lesson or not.

The problem with this is that the Saxo driver has the Corsa's plate. So if the OP says a car pulled out and caused it then the Corsa driver will end up with a claim on his insurance. If the OP thinks the Corsa driver is to blame then fine. But he's already said he feels the Saxo driver was at fault.

So if the OP is less than truthful then the Corsa driver will get hit on his insurance. Yes they were both racing and were probably equally to blame. But should the Corsa driver be penalised for the Saxo drivers error?

jpmonkey69 · 13 Jul 2006 at 23:26

Hades said:
The problem with this is that the Saxo driver has the Corsa's plate. So if the OP says a car pulled out and caused it then the Corsa driver will end up with a claim on his insurance. If the OP thinks the Corsa driver is to blame then fine. But he's already said he feels the Saxo driver was at fault.

Unless the corsa contacted the saxo, he'd have no claim on the insurance IIRC

thebrasso · 13 Jul 2006 at 23:29

I don't think the Corsa which blocked the overtake (and technically caused the accident) are to blame, because the lad who lost control chose to race, and he made the decision to put himself and his car in a situation where he had no options.

See what happens anyway I guess

Hades · 14 Jul 2006 at 00:02

jpmonkey69 said:
Unless the corsa contacted the saxo, he'd have no claim on the insurance IIRC

Not true. You don't have to make contact to be the cause of an accident and therefore havea claim against you.

Violent-J · 14 Jul 2006 at 00:19

[TW]Fox said:
The innocent motorist who very nearly was involved in an accident caused by two morons racing their trolleys?

Yup, they need to get themselves a Micra tbh, a Micra would never have crashed, it's handling is too sharp.

If I were you just tell the guy on the phone, you will be a witness if he want's but tell him exactly what your gonna do, that you intend to tell his insurance company he was going too fast and racing, but the Corsa was at fault for pulling out on him. Then it's up to him whether he uses you or not, as he'll probably weigh up the pros and cons of having someone saying he was racing however not his fault and then he either will or he won't.

Hixxy · 14 Jul 2006 at 01:25

he asked if you'd be a witness, you agreed now your going to make things worse for him????? tell him it would be best for him that you didnt.

Violent-J · 14 Jul 2006 at 01:29

Yep if you are going to say he was racing tell him that you are, and that maybe it's better you didn't act as a witness and then he can make the decision. Don't just say yeah ok and then make him look bad without him knowing what you're going to say.

IMO though you don't know they were racing and in the interest of the bloke you're going to witness for maybe you could overlook that. Okay, so he was speeding, you can say that he was going a bit fast but then the Corsa driver dangerously pulled out on him without checking his mirrors and then the Saxo had to take evasive action resulting in the crash.

That is honest and doesn't make the lad sound that bad.