Angels looking after us and thats for sure..

Oh my goodness and thank goodness all are alright, I'm not going to 'like this blog post but I can 100% relate to how you're feeling as I've had a car accident in the last month too! Fingers crossed it all gets sorted for you!!

Oh my goodness! Thank God and His angels! You will be really shaken. i hope you sleep well and are feeling a little better tomorrow. I nearly came a cropper last week....a dirty great lorry in the village trying to overtake a cyclist on a blind bend with me coming in the opposite direction! Luckily he pulled back in just in time...idiot. Similar to the eejit driving that one that nearly killed you today. :( I pray he (or she of course) has learned from it.

Glad to see that you have come through it. A while ago I and my car became a filling for a tractor-trailer sandwich. I saw it it coming both front and rear nowhere to go and in what could have been my final moments I looked down on myself and thought...what part of me was going to get crushed first. The police couldn't believe when they finally cut me out of that wreck that I didn't have a scratch on me. Yes, I believe in Guardian Angels. I sincerely hope that you find yourself well and remain so.

Gosh what a close one. Could have been much worse. Thank heavens your are OK and just shaken. Angels must be looking out for you.

Thankyou all, my daughter rang the police but they said they wouldn't need to come out as nobody was injured, good job for the driver as he'd already said that he didn't even know he had hit us until the bang and he saw smoke in his mirror, that was caused by his tyres skidding down the road, how the devil can you not know that a huge great trailer like that was skewhiff across the road, he also told us that the ABS in said trailer hadn't worked properly which is what caused it to happen not his driving!!!!!!
We took lots of photographs in case we need them...

That was a close thing, but thank goodness you are safe but probably very shocked.
The Angels were definitely with you.

Many lorries seem to use roads that are much too narrow for them, especially in rural areas.

Heavens Sue, how horrific. Were you able to drive away or did you need a rescue? You must have been dreadfully shaken. Its astonishing that the police would do nothing - the tyre tracks speak for themselves.
You have had more than your share lately. I didn't know there were seat belts for dogs - good for Brynner for belting up!

I cant believe the Police didn't investigate this! Dangerous driving! And suppose...no. I'm not even going to go there...you're OK. X

Thankyou W'rose, he was a stranger to the area and his satnav had directed him off the A1, sending him the village way to Bourne..
Stera we rang for hubby to come out to us, the car was not roadworthy, couldn't even close the drivers door, so it came home courtesy of the AA, Insurance people coming to collect it to take to the Assessment Centre..
All dogs have to have seatbelts now, unless you have a carrier cage for transporting them in, it became law last year, trouble is many people do not even know this and have the dog loose in the car still.
I am worried about Sherryl, she has only just got over breaking her foot and of course there is her arthritis to consider, she has enough aches and pains to contend with and this sort of trauma can set off mega flares, of course I had to get myself checked out because of last years ops, the seatbelts saved us but they do leave bruises in tender places, in fact we both have bruises coming out in the strangest of places, lol......
As regards the police we were shocked at them not coming to have a look, they did say they'd contact the Highways Departmen about the glass on the road though.

I never knew that it was law to have dogs seatbelted in your car...oh dear!

I could not reply to this yesterday Lincs because it brings back memories I thought I had put behind me. I am so glad somebody up there decided it was not your time to go and you have had plenty to deal with. Its a funny thing but a friend whose daughter broke her back in a freak accident at gymnastics said he felt quite ashamed at his reaction to the accident when she has a very positive attitude to living the rest of her life in a wheelchair. I'm sure her Guardian Angel was looking after her and you will find the strength to put this one behind you too. I'm not surprised at the attitude of the police because they threatened to charge my husband with leaving the scene of an accident - he was taken away by ambulance after a massive French HGV crossed a road and trapped him against a high, chain link security fence. The medics and a passer by managed to get him out through the boot. The police had been alerted but not appeared and the ambulance crew were ordered to take him to hospital as the controller said they were needed elsewhere. He was too confused to object. When the police arrived the driver had blamed my husband. He was allowed to go. The car was deemed to be a write off but OH later found it being sold as an accident damaged repairable in a breakers yard. I'll look forward to seeing a more cheerful blog soon. Take care.

You could invalidate your car insurance if your animals are not restrained. See this article http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/dog-seatbelt-car-insurance-rules-5651379

S'gran we are all ok thank goodness.
Steve we are being very careful withthe photo's and all the info we have on our phones but thankyou, it was our vet who told us last year about the seatbelts, otherwise we wouldn't have known either, however we did already always fasten our dogs, we also have a huge carrier for taking them about, Brynner is a big dog so luckily didn't get thrown about, poor thing was covered in glass and with his long coat I had to be very careful brushing the glass away..

Oh Lincs oh.......

So relieved you are all relatively ok, including poor Brynner xxx
Seatbelts should be law as is chipping from today, haven't got dogs now so didn't know
I don't hink theres been as much info about belts as chips

Big gentle hugs
Pam xxx

What a frightening experience. I bet the lorry driver used Satnav which is why he was on that road. Makes you mad, doesn't it?

So glad you're all well and not hurt. Definitely not your time to depart this earth. You're shaken, of course, and you will be for a few days. Take it easy.

Lucky dog to be wearing his seatbelt. We always put our dog in hers too.

How terrible for you both, Sue and poor Brynner too.. you have a lot to be thankful for,despite the traumatic experience,and all the bruising,and you were certainly lucky to come out of it with nothing worse! We get so many of these on our country roads too,and drivers are unaware of how narrow they are when following their sat navs,especially the foreign ones,who don't know the area......I wasn't aware of seat belts for dogs either..but a sensible ,and logical idea,when you think about it..I hope you and Sherryl feel much better soon...take care .xxx

Thankyou all, the doctor at casualty recommended we keep moving about so as not to stiffen up, Sherryl has walked down the town and I am working mine off in the garden..
Yes driver did say he didn't know the area so was following the satnav but that didn't excuse his driving and the fact that he ignored the sign stating his lorry wasn't allowed, we have both reached the angry stage now, at first we were relieved to get out safely but seeing the little car being put on the trailer this morning has really done my daughters head in so consequently mine as well .....

Dangerous driving at the very least ?

Why no prosecution.......

I agree,Sue..no excuse at all for disregarding signs,and bad driving.I'm not surprised you have got to the angry stage now,especially about your car..I think we would all be feeling the same..It's all the inconvenience and frustration of having to do all the accompanying legal stuff it entails too..Keep you chin up love,at least you are all safe,which you must try and dwell on .take care,xxx

Pam my daughter did ring the police straight away but they said as no injuries they didn't need to come out to us, its very maddening but what can you do, he could have killed us.....

Think you have been extremely lucky thank goodness. Police should be notified and you seem to have done the correct thing, hope the Lorry driver has learned a lesson in how and where to and not to drive and how fast he should be driving on country roads. Looking at the skid marks he was going way too fast, pleased you got photographs as evidence. Good luck with the recovery shock can set in days later so keep up with the exercise and talking will help get it off your chest and help with the recovery. Best wishes to you all :O)

Thankyou Olive, you are so right, it seems to have affected both of us more today, thinking about how big that lorry was compared to Sherryls car and the fact that we are still here, I don't drive myself so have always been a stickler with the family as regards speed, especially when they were younger, one of my favourite sayings "There's not just you on the road and you're not controlling other vehicles"

Did you get your insurance claim in within 24 hours ?
When a lorry bashed into my car I had to pay the recovery vehicle charges £65 which made me angry, as the driver had caused the damage. They said it was mine, so I had to pay. When I got the settlement cheque they included the
£65 but had reduced the value by £600 which also made me angry. The little man comes round with his book of market prices. My car wasnt the market price, it was my price which was what I paid for it.

Oh my goodness Sue ! :( I'm sorry to read about your accident. It must have been very frightening for you all.
I'm glad you're not injured, and that Brunner is all right too. He must have had an awful shock :(
It could have been so much worse. Someone was definitely looking after you.
There are such idiots on the roads these days.

I sent you a PM earlier today but hadn't read this then.
I hope you didn't think I was being ignorant in not mentioning it ...

Hi Sue, sorry to read about this, and hope you're all feeling much better today, I would have insisted that the police came to the scene, whether anyone was injured or not, {in fact you were injured, you were showered with broken glass, and no-one knew at the time how badly you may have been injured}, a motoring offence had been committed, and the police should have at least taken statements, even if no action was taken, it may have helped with your insurance claim in the future, i hope everything gets sorted out as soon s possible for you, Derek.

How horrible for you. I am sure you feel very angry as the relief wears off. I do hope you recover soon from a very nasty experience.

Yes Diane, that was the first job as soon as we got home, even before we went to casualty, in fact thats part reason for going to hospital as we wanted it all down on record in case we need it for future reference..Do know what you mean though about market prices...

Hywel I haven't checked my pm's yet so no worries there.. It was a very weird feeling and no we didn't really feel frightened until studying the photographs today and then the what ifs started up, shock I s'pose.
Brynner was brilliant, I don't think he even noticed the bang, just that a new person was brushing his coat and giving him cuddles and he does love attention, he was unsettled all last night and wouldn't leave me alone but has been fine today, thank goodness..
...............................................................................
Derek we were surprised the police didn't come but what can you do, at least my girl reported it so they cannot come back on her later.
I hope it does get sorted quickly for Sherryl's sake, she has arthritis and there are times when she needs her car, we can but hope, one good thing is she does work as a legal secretary and doesn't stand for any nonsense, if push came to shove there is always her boss to ask for advice if neccessary...

Hiya Melchi, YEP!!! you hit the nail on the head, relief and shock yesterday and anger today, good job the lorry driver does not come from around here as I'm sure if I saw him I'd have clonked him one..

Apart from the emotionalism what I learned from the lorry that drove into the nearside of my car on a roundabout
was that every car that is paid for and driven out of a forecourt, is immediately devalued by one third. If you
have paid £3,000 it is only worth £2,000 to the little man with his book of market prices, after an accident.
Therefore, I bought another car for the insurance £2000
and kept it. I did this by finding the best engineer in town and have kept him for 6 years. Any repairs I pay for.
Recently I asked him if I should look for a younger car.
He said "You dont need to. There is nothing the matter
with this one."
Recommend.

Also when your daughter gets another car with the insurance money, tell her to have it put over the inspection pit at the garage. Have her jeans on and go down, and check there is not a speck of rust on the chassis.
Then every MOT have it washed underneath to get the salt off, then take a 2 cans of Hammerite Rust Prevention Black Paint, and tell them to to spray the chassis again. That will save her car for years.
Get her money back for the car she lost.
I do. Have done for years.

This has brought it all back Lincs. The Insurance Co. assessor never comes when you are there, and the garage
where your car is never tells you. I had paid £3000 for
my car and he valued it at £2000 - 4 months later.
They think they are dealing with a foolish woman and its easy pickings ! Thats when you have had the worst of the
accident which was not your fault. I said the lorry owner who was insured should have paid me the actual cost of my car. Or the driver should have made up the difference.
It did not happen.
Then the garage where it is strips off everything of value which they use on other cars, a nice little profit !
I got my own back on them as on the previous blog.

Thank goodness you were all OK in an accident (I use that phrase when it should be lack of attention,bad driving,or inexperience) that wasn't your fault. Sadly this has become the norm with the Police, give you a number for a break-in, make a note for an accident - if it's not drug, child, terror or immigrant related, it seems we all have to fend for ourselves!
I understand the need for cutting back, but surely taking on more workers (whether Police or other) takes someone off the dole queue, gives them some respect, they pay into the tax system and local economy. Don't get me started on whether lazy non-workers should be given the choice of taking a job offered or not getting a hand-out!!!
Then of course, with the 'accident' you end up with more expenses, paying the excess on your insurance, let alone the price going up next time and all the incidentals - all because you wanted to walk the dog! Seems really unfair.

oh my gosh, I am so glad you are all ok. what a nasty shock. hopefully you are feeling less wobbly today.
take care of your self.

My point is to make everyone realise that this could be them. Just because you are a woman theres no sympathy.
I was cheated for £1,000. Thats what annoyed me.
But I have got it back since. Havent bought another car.

My neighbour dented her car door panels on a telegraph pole. The damage almost not visible.
She had comprehensive insurance. Claimed the cost of the damage. They ran round with the Courtesy Car all smiley smiley. Then found they werent going to sell her a new car, all smiley smiley. Then she found out the Insurance Co would not pay the £1000 cost of repairs.
I said "Leave it as it is, there are no other problems." so she did.
Lincs Lass needs to think carefully over this insurance claim. We have to pay insurance to comply with the law,
but are being robbed, every day of the week in the value of what we have paid for, by the people who cause accidents and get away with it.

Just out on the garden and I remembered. Somebody said to me "Dont have it put on a public place/scrap heap, when you go down in the morning all the spares will be gone, even the wheels !"
I would add have it taken to a lock up garage. Then you are
there when the Insurance Co Valuer comes to unlock the door and you can make a stand over the value if you want to. Dont give in to them if you can help it.

Its your property. It cost you a lot of money. You paid the
insurance as required by law.

I was involved in an accident 37 years ago, which wasn't my fault, { somebody ran into the side of my car}fortunately he wasn't very bright, and I got him to sign a note admitting responsibility, which his insurance company were not very happy about, and the repairs would have cost more than the car was worth, I had paid £1200 for it, and I had kept it for about 4 years, and when they wrote it off they valued it at £950, to which I agreed, I then bought it off the insurance company for £25, and sold it to a chap who was a panel beater for £250, so in effect I had a car for 4 years for £25, so I was quite pleased about the outcome, and put some more money to it and got my new car, so not always doom and gloom, good luck with your daughters claim Sue, Derek.

Thankyou Seaburn and Honey, we both seem to be ok, a few aches and bruises but nothing major, running through a whole gamut of emotions though, one minute thankful, then anger and I s'pose also disappointment at the police reaction...We just have to be patient now and wait for the insurance to contact Sherryl, having never had experience before we don't know how long that could be...
Diane the car was collected for the insurance to assess, it is in a lockup....

Hi Derek and thankyou, if she doesn't get a good outcome, the mood I've been in today instead of getting annoyed at those phone calls that ask if you've ever been in an accident , I will be polite and tell them all about our experiences, you know those no win no cost ones that ring at all hours of the day and night, thats how I feel about it all today, mind you I'll probably calm back down in a while......

Might be worth googling no win no fee just to see ...?..

It seems awful to me that the driver wasn't even questioned......
I didn't think things had got That bad.....
How about emailing your MP ......they are trying to keep everyone onside at the moment whatever colour their rosette is

I got all mad today Pam as I was just thinking of all the nasty things that have occurred in the last few years, especially the last one, Sherryl broke her foot just before xmas so in actual fact wasn't able to drive for 3mths, just gets back on her feet and this happened, then I was thinking about last summer when I had my collapse at the beginning of my radiotherapy, I had a policeman escort me to hospital in the ambulance, they obviously thought I was more dangerous than a dirty great high sided vehicle in the hands of a careless driver,( thats me being polite)

Most cars and trucks today have on-board computers that monitor everything in the car as well as the driving right up to and including an accident. Make sure the insurance agents as well as the police retrieve that information from each vehicle. It is well that you took photos, the skid marks can tell the relative speed of each vehicle at the time the breaks were applied as well as the drivers position on the road at the beginning of the misshap and efforts to avoid collision. Very important too is when ANYONE comes up to you to ask you if you are alright or injured answer by saying," I don't know ". Many injuries sustained in accidents do not become apparent until days or weeks have passed even though you have been medically examined soon thereafter. Even though you might have been given what could be a good exam, things can always be overlooked or missed.

I tried the No Win No Fee route when I was injured when pulled over when exercising a Rescue Dog for a Kennels as they were insured. The Solicitor took the details. Then asked me to send £75 which I did. He then sent a letter saying he wasnt doing any more. So I knew I had been
tricked again. Dont give anyone any money Sue.
I think Derek's method of dealing with Insurance Companies was the right one.

Oh and something else. At the scene of my car damage
I asked the lorry driver to write down the address of his company. That was when the Traffic Police had arrived.
He gave me this grubby piece of paper, all scribble. I said
"I am not accepting that, write it out in block capitals."
which he did. The Police looked surprised when I said that.
Obviously this lorry driver was hoping to clear off without his firm knowing. When I got home I phoned them.

Hope you're OK Lin x

The driver was an agency driver and his attitude was that we ought to claim all we could as the firm who owned the lorry was worth millions and their insurance would be the ones paying anyway, he did say "I guess I'll never work for this firm again"
He did contact the Transport Manager and got all the Insurance Details and everything we would need whilst we were standing next to him and that particular gentleman got in touch with us early yesterday morning...
Diane I won't be giving anyone any money and thats a fact, they're not catching us out that way...
.....

I keep on about it I know, but if the Traffic Police didnt attend the accident, then Lincs & daughter have a right to go to the Police Station and demand the driver be taken to Court. Supermarkets are quick enough to take people there for stealing a pack of bacon. Its not an issue whether the firm has plenty of money, or plenty of insurance, it was gross negligence whilst responsible for a vehicle that could have killed people.

Six months driving ban should be the result.

If the chassis isnt bent, and its just the door panels that are damaged, Tim at Paint FX at the top of Station Road in
Kettering is very good. When he has finished with a car
its as good as new. He will probably charge you £1000.
See how the money works out.

He is up the jitty between Carpet Right and the Disabled Shop. Has his own car park now over the road.

Gosh so pleased all ended well , incidents like that can easily put you off going out to certain places , but not you ! chin up and i hope you have managed to get things sorted , and looking forward to 'The Spring' now it's here , although that wind we had certainly knocked things about a bit ! lovely sunny morning here in Kent ...and warming up too , all the best .

Diane that car is a right off without a doubt, its a shame because apart from tyres, window wipers and new battery a couple of years ago my daughter has never had any problems with it.. Its nice of you to offer advice so going on about it is ok, lol....

Thankyou Heron, a lovely spring day here as well, we escaped the worst of that storm, it did blow a gale but not like other places...I might shrink and hold my breath when next approached by a huge lorry but won't let it beat us, Sherryl seems ok and is busy checking out all the cars for sale...

Glad you both seem much better. After my experience I approach every roundabout with greatest caution,
slowing down and looking up to make sure the driver has seen me. They wonder whats the matter with me, but I dont care, its my car and my life.

Hopefully with the start of the new week things will begin to get sorted
I prefer big islands with traffic lights!

I thought I would update you on daughters claim for insurance..
Not really any surprise for you all or actually to us either, Sherryl received email on Tuesday to say the driver had told a completely different story of the events as regards our accident to his insurers, he was saying we were speeding,not him, that meant they were deeming the accident as 50-50 as also no witnesses,I am classed as biased, he hadn't told them he was on our side of the road or of the fact that he had seen us over the hedgerow and jammed his brakes on causing the trailer to swing sideways as he was coming towards us, or that he claimed his ABS on the trailer had according to him failed, Sherryl wasn't having any of that, she rang them immediately and asked them did they want to see the photo's and what about the fact that he was over the weight limit, the advisor said yes all our photo's and did the road have clear signs, which of course they have, upon hearing that he said that puts a whole new light on the whole situation, send all your photo's and we will get the assessor to have another look, so hubby and I went to both ends of that road Tuesday afternoon and took even more photo's, we were able to show the name of the actual road as well as the legal limit signs in the village to which he was heading, the other end at the junction where he had turned into the road,
we got the legal limit signs as well as the signpost stating where the road lead to....
Matey was busted...
Sherryl heard last night from the insurance people, the evidence in the photo's prove it was completely his fault and Sherryl is exonerated which will be put in writing and will receive recompense ....
It was a miracle we weren't hurt of which we are thankful but I wish the police had come because he would have had the book thrown at him.....

Hurray. Good for you!

Well done Sherryl and you and your OH. I wish it had not happened but if you send the photos to the Chief Constable complaining that their treatment of you was unacceptable he will have to respond. I am sure we will all be wanting to hear his response. Given the drivers behaviour I hope you don't feel any sympathy for him at all. I would also ask that the drivers statement to you about the state of his vehicle brakes should be investigated. Getting people like him and his company (if they were actually negligent) should be a priority for the police.

I DK what has happened to your photos Linclass but when I got a message saying you had posted three photos I clicked to see them. No new photos since August last year. Strange goings on.

S'gran its certainly not the company, its the driver lying through his teeth, the Transport Manager rang my daughter early Saturday morning to ask if we were ok and did we need anything, he offered her a courtesy car and would have got it straight away but Sherryl declined, he said he'd seen the skidmarks on the road and also the signs and could see it wasn't our fault and if we had any problems get back to him immediately.....
As regards the photo's, well what can I say, you have to laugh or you'd cry, somewhere out there is a little gremlin messing with goy, I hadn't noticed myself, first they are there and then they have gone, thanks for letting me know I will try again.....

Have a look at the recent comments on Hywel's blog "Something's wrong", Lincslass. It may shed some light...