Should i have reported it?

themadchef · 05-12-2008 8:17pm #1

Ok, so i'm driving along a country road and i see a lorry coming my way. Knowing the road very well i knew we'd never pass each other so i did the sensible thing and pulled into the side of the road and stoped.

As he's coming towards me, I'm thinking "this guys not even slowing down...he's gonna hit me sure as hell" so just as his wing mirror passes mine i wait for the bang (nothing else i could do at this stage)...and surely enough pop goes the mirror and it sounded like the back bumper got a good old knock too. i get out, presueming with the noise he was after making he would stop to see if i was OK. Silly me, he kept going.

I looked for damage, bumper and wheel arch scratched and fuel cover is broken. So I'm thinking no major damage done, but I'm so angry he didn't stop.

I think i will follow him to get his reg, i would go to guards. Luckily he stopped about 3 miles up the road collecting recycling bottles. I stopped and asked him what he was doing passing me at such a speed, and told him i was upset he hadint stopped. His reply was he hadint even noticed hitting me. Now i guess its possible, the road is really narrow and the guy just bombed past me.

I didn't get any details, I'm not looking to claim, it's a '99 and it's not why i followed I'm.

Now I'm wondering if i should have rang the company to complain about what happened? Would you have reacted differently?

L1011 · 05-12-2008 8:21pm

Assuming your side is accurate, and you were stopped, he's entirely at fault - you should have reported it to the Guards, and make a claim for the damage. The fact that your car is old doesn't mean it wasn't damaged!

peasant · 05-12-2008 8:22pm

You heard the bang ...so did he, believe me.

He fled the scene of an accident (albeit minor) ...that's a criminal offence.

Yes, you should report him

themadchef · 05-12-2008 8:27pm

Yeah i was completly stopped. I always pull in for anything bigger than a car..... even if its a car youre in first gear in this particular stretch of road. I was just so mad he didint stop! When i did speak to him he looked genuinely shocked.

I really wasint thinking straight tbh.

L1011 · 05-12-2008 8:29pm

Its not too late now assuming you still have his details - phone the guards.

kazul · 05-12-2008 8:52pm

The guy shouldn't be on the road. In a way it's worse that he reckoned that he didn't even notice you. What if it had been a pedestrian or a child on a bike. The guy is a professional "driver" FFS.
There's no way he didn't notice an impact, if he didn't then he shouldn't be allowed near a pedal car, never mind a HGV.

themadchef · 05-12-2008 8:53pm

MYOB wrote: »

Its not too late now assuming you still have his details - phone the guards.

Once i spoke to him.. i dunno, I just wasint thinking straight. Never even took the Reg.

i know, idiot.

kazul · 05-12-2008 8:58pm

Don't beat yourself up. It was his fault, you had a shock. Maybe you can track him/his company by the pick-up that he made. Personally I'd be reluctant to let it go. For all you know he might not even have a licence, plus he now thinks that he got away with it.

seanybiker · 05-12-2008 9:10pm

it is possible that he didnt notice. An old lady living up the street from me got killed by a lorry last week. Poor driver didnt notice at first. Poor man was in a right state .
I think the fact ya went after him and spoke to him might scare him into taking more care from now on. I hope he said sorry to you at least.

return guide · 05-12-2008 9:20pm

peasant wrote: »

You heard the bang ...so did he, believe me.

eh dont think so, this is not like driving a comfortable saloon.

I was hit a few years ago by a truck ( side swiped at a junction) when I caught up with the guy he admitted blame but could not even remember the junction.

peasant · 05-12-2008 9:24pm

return guide wrote: »

eh dont think so, this is not like driving a comfortable saloon.

I know so .
You can and do hear it when you take someone's wing mirror off ...even in a truck. Been there, done that, bought the mirror

kazul · 05-12-2008 9:26pm

return guide wrote: »

peasant wrote: »

You heard the bang ...so did he, believe me.

eh dont think so, this is not like driving a comfortable saloon.

I was hit a few years ago by a truck ( side swiped at a junction) when I caught up with the guy he admitted blame but could nort even remember the junction.

He couldn't even remember the junction :eek:??? NEWSFLASH, sometimes people lie after doing something which was completely their fault. In both cases, if they kept going then they were hardly likely to say "I noticed an impact alright, but just decided to keep going". Of course both guys played the innocent.
Wishbone Ash might be able to give his opinion on what you can feel/hear from inside the cab.

themadchef · 05-12-2008 9:28pm

He remembered me pulling in. He believed me only when i showed him the damage. I was furious. He was very apologetic, "was i ok etc. so sorry, didint hear a thing". It was a huge yolk for carrying the bottles out of bottle banks so i believed him. At the time i hoped my talking to him would be enough. I kept saying what if it was a kid on a bike. Now i regret at least, not ringing his company.

Im more annoyed now at the way i handled it. I was so shocked though.

return guide · 05-12-2008 9:31pm

peasant wrote: »

I know so .
You can and do hear it when you take someone's wing mirror off ...even in a truck. Been there, done that, bought the mirror

If you can hear the smashing of a 4 inch mirror while turning a forty foot trailer in a city street, then you are a better man than me, Gunga Din

Berty · 05-12-2008 9:38pm

peasant wrote: »

I know so .
You can and do hear it when you take someone's wing mirror off ...even in a truck. Been there, done that, bought the mirror

I disagree. I have hit things and car/vans over my time driving a rigid truck. The box on the back is generally not connected "enough" to the body of the truck so that you would hear a bang. In so much that its only really bolted and welded to the body as opposed to a car which is one complete unit(mostly).

I only ever noticed taking off mirrors because I use my mirrors passing through tight spaces and vehicles especially around the narrow streets of Galway where many a wing mirrors met its end.

peasant · 05-12-2008 9:39pm

return guide wrote: »

If you can hear the smashing of a 4 inch mirror while turning a forty foot trailer in a city street, then you are a better man than me, Gunga Din

Did I mention trailer? Did I say anything about turning/reversing/maneuvering?

I once took someones wing mirror off while driving past them at speed in a rigid truck (same situation as OP)

I knew all about it.

As the OP's car also has damage to the bumper and fuel flap, I would safely say that that particular truck driver knew about it too.

Zube · 05-12-2008 9:45pm

themadchef wrote: »

He remembered me pulling in.

So he saw you pull in, and he didn't even bother lifting, he just booted past?

Hunt him down and sue him.

Berty · 05-12-2008 9:49pm

OP

How is your neck?

kidding, im kidding

themadchef · 05-12-2008 9:55pm

quirke_folder wrote: »

OP

How is your neck?

kidding, im kidding

Lol, fine, thanks. I was fine, the car, well apart from the fuel flap, its just scuffed and scratced. Wing mirror popped back out. With the noise, i thought the back was mangled! That's why i found it so unbelieveable that he didint hear me. The neighbour stood out to wave and see if i was ok. He was taking in his bin and he heard it.

Caliden · 05-12-2008 9:59pm

Go to the bottle bins and find out if theres a number on it. USe that to track down who collects them.
Else try your local council

Should i have reported it?

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