Follow up to accident earlier this month.

Paul - xxx

See thread titled 'Thanks .. '

DOLL (Doddery Old Little Lady) came by this morning to see how I was, same
car, but even more dents and scrapes in it. She found where I lived 'cos
most folk round here know I'm the Caretaker at the Infant and Junior schools
in the village. Anyway, she's fine and dandy and "not at all worried about
driving" so she is still driving, "but only on roads I know and where I know
I'm going" and "only when it's light enough to see properly".

The second one really struck home, it seems she's partially sighted and
wears dark sunglasses, which didn't register with me during the accident,
and when we had our accident she had been wearing them, even though I was
wearing sulphur yellow glasses to heighten the brightness / contrast, it
being a particularly dull day. Apparently she'd also hit a car at the next
roundabout after leaving me, but "it was only a small accident", and she was
"in no fit state to drive, really" ... I was gob-smacked ....

After already deciding that I was going to write this one off, I'm now going
through her insurance company for everything. New pedals, seat, bar grips,
shoes, gloves, shirt, jacket and track pants, all of which, 'cept the
jacket, only got scuffed really and are pretty serviceable, plus a couple of
hundred for hassle, pain and suffering (whatever they call it) etc ..

She wanted to give me £100 for the crash instead of going through insurance
because she thinks they'll take her licence away if she's "investigated
AGAIN" .. her words, my emphasis ... I said nothing to her directly, just
got her full insurance details, home address etc etc, which I hadn't
bothered with at the time of the accident. (St00pid, I know, but hey ... )

I think every road user would be better without her on the road, personally,
and while I can't be certain that they'll take her licence away, I do think
that if I follow proper channels it _is_ likely. While I feel a pang of
conscience at depriving an old lady of some freedom, I feel that the safety
of others is of more concern, so I'm playing it 'by the book'.

If she hadn't come round and tried to bribe me, or if she'd have simply
posted the £100 and a note saying sorry, no-one would know any more about
it., nothing more would have been done. As it is I now feel compelled to do
things properly, and if it means her loss of licence, then I think everyone
using the roads would be better off.

Still can't help feeling like a bit of a shit though ...

So, 2 options, what would others do?

1. Report her via the insurance company,
or
2. leave it and chalk it down to experience.


--
Paul ...
http://www.4x4prejudice.org/index.php
(8(!) Homer Rules ...
"A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

Adrian Boliston

"Paul - xxx" <notcheckedever@hotmail.com> wrote:

> If she hadn't come round and tried to bribe me, or if she'd have
> simply posted the £100 and a note saying sorry, no-one would know any
> more about it., nothing more would have been done. As it is I now
> feel compelled to do things properly, and if it means her loss of
> licence, then I think everyone using the roads would be better off.
>
> Still can't help feeling like a bit of a shit though ...
>
> So, 2 options, what would others do?
>
> 1. Report her via the insurance company,
> or
> 2. leave it and chalk it down to experience.

It sounds like she has probably caused accidents before and could kill a
cyclist next time, and anyway £100 is pretty derisory for an injury
accident - I thought more like £1000 was about the going rate for even a
minor injury these days.

MSeries

Paul - xxx wrote:

>
> So, 2 options, what would others do?
>
> 1. Report her via the insurance company,
> or
> 2. leave it and chalk it down to experience.
>
>

Make the claim.

elyob

"Paul - xxx" <notcheckedever@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:33kttoF42bl8aU1@individual.net...
>
> So, 2 options, what would others do?
>
> 1. Report her via the insurance company,
> or
> 2. leave it and chalk it down to experience.

You can always wait and see who she hits next.

Richard Bates

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 12:22:25 +0000, MSeries <skankmartin@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Paul - xxx wrote:
>
>>
>> So, 2 options, what would others do?
>>
>> 1. Report her via the insurance company,
>> or
>> 2. leave it and chalk it down to experience.
>>
>>
>
>Make the claim.

or 3:

Make the claim in order to potentially make the roads safer.
Donate the money (which you say you had already written off) to a
charity of your choice. Maybe donate it to a local organisation which
provides community transport to elderly people who are unable to
drive?

--
Amazon: "If you are interested in 'Asimov's I-Robot',
you may also be interested in 'Garfield - The Movie'.
... erm, how do they figure that one out?

Not Responding

Paul - xxx wrote:
> See thread titled 'Thanks .. '
>
> DOLL (Doddery Old Little Lady) came by this morning to see how I was, same
> car, but even more dents and scrapes in it. She found where I lived 'cos
> most folk round here know I'm the Caretaker at the Infant and Junior schools
> in the village. Anyway, she's fine and dandy and "not at all worried about
> driving" so she is still driving, "but only on roads I know and where I know
> I'm going" and "only when it's light enough to see properly".
>
> The second one really struck home, it seems she's partially sighted and
> wears dark sunglasses, which didn't register with me during the accident,
> and when we had our accident she had been wearing them, even though I was
> wearing sulphur yellow glasses to heighten the brightness / contrast, it
> being a particularly dull day. Apparently she'd also hit a car at the next
> roundabout after leaving me, but "it was only a small accident", and she was
> "in no fit state to drive, really" ... I was gob-smacked ....
>
> After already deciding that I was going to write this one off, I'm now going
> through her insurance company for everything. New pedals, seat, bar grips,
> shoes, gloves, shirt, jacket and track pants, all of which, 'cept the
> jacket, only got scuffed really and are pretty serviceable, plus a couple of
> hundred for hassle, pain and suffering (whatever they call it) etc ..
>
> She wanted to give me £100 for the crash instead of going through insurance
> because she thinks they'll take her licence away if she's "investigated
> AGAIN" .. her words, my emphasis ... I said nothing to her directly, just
> got her full insurance details, home address etc etc, which I hadn't
> bothered with at the time of the accident. (St00pid, I know, but hey ... )
>
> I think every road user would be better without her on the road, personally,
> and while I can't be certain that they'll take her licence away, I do think
> that if I follow proper channels it _is_ likely. While I feel a pang of
> conscience at depriving an old lady of some freedom, I feel that the safety
> of others is of more concern, so I'm playing it 'by the book'.

How would that pang of concience compare with the pang you would feel
when she goes on to kill or maim someone?

Also, do not fall in to the trap of equating driving with freedom.

> If she hadn't come round and tried to bribe me, or if she'd have simply
> posted the £100 and a note saying sorry, no-one would know any more about
> it., nothing more would have been done. As it is I now feel compelled to do
> things properly, and if it means her loss of licence, then I think everyone
> using the roads would be better off.
>
> Still can't help feeling like a bit of a shit though ...
>
> So, 2 options, what would others do?
>
> 1. Report her via the insurance company,
> or
> 2. leave it and chalk it down to experience.

For everyone's sake, report her. No question.

Paul - xxx

Richard Bates composed the following ...
> On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 12:22:25 +0000, MSeries <skankmartin@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Paul - xxx wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> So, 2 options, what would others do?
>>>
>>> 1. Report her via the insurance company,
>>> or
>>> 2. leave it and chalk it down to experience.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Make the claim.
>
> or 3:
>
> Make the claim in order to potentially make the roads safer.

That was my main aim ...

> Donate the money (which you say you had already written off) to a
> charity of your choice. Maybe donate it to a local organisation which
> provides community transport to elderly people who are unable to
> drive?

Actually .. I was semi-planning, just thinking about it really, of setting
up a local model car club for the schools I am caretaker at. We have little
available cash and the kids have very few local facilities so it would do
some good locally. However, I'll check up and see what's available locally
for elderly peoples transport. There is an old peoples home directly across
from one of my schools, so they might know.

Good suggestion, thanks.

I was not planning to keep the money raised (can't think of a more apt
description) for myself in any case, 'cept for maybe a replacement jacket,
but was trying to think of something appropriate.

--
Paul ...
http://www.4x4prejudice.org/index.php
(8(!) Homer Rules ...
"A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

pk

Paul - xxx wrote:
>>
> 1. Report her via the insurance company,


and a letter to DVLA giving her details and account of what she said to you.

Don't feel bad, you are reporting a crime.

pk

Peter B

"Paul - xxx" <notcheckedever@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:33kttoF42bl8aU1@individual.net...
> 1. Report her via the insurance company,
> or
> 2. leave it and chalk it down to experience.

Paul, forget about feeling mean go for 1.
She sounds as least as arrogant as incompetent. Anyway, most of us hand over
plenty to insurance companies, it's your right to claim.

A story I've already related:
A bright summers day, me wearing a bright red top.
I was at the head of a queue at a red light, when it turned green off I
sprinted. A car driven by a DOLL slowly drew alongside and as we passed a
side street it made a left turn, this was not a classic case of a car
overtaking then once ahead cutting me up, she was actually alongside!
I had no choice but to turn left also, as I did I rapped on the front
passenger window in anger, such was the proximtiy <1>.
I followed the car to a car park and vented my spleen <2>, normally that
would have been the end of the story but as I rode off the bleedin' obvious
occurred to me that if she couldn't see me, or register me, what could she
see?
So I went to the police satation and made a formal complaint, last I ever
heard of it but at least I felt I'd done my bit.

<1> At the risk of being immodest I think a combination of bike handling
skills, good peripheral vision and a bit of luck saved my bacon.
<2> The DOLL didn't even know what the fuss was about and never apologised
nor asked if I was ok, pig ignorant!

Pete

PeteC

Paul - xxx wrote:

> So, 2 options, what would others do?
>
> 1. Report her via the insurance company,
> or
> 2. leave it and chalk it down to experience.

Make the claim. She might kill the next person she hits - it sounds like
she's driving by braille!

FWIW, if someone damages my car or my property with their car, I always go
through the insurance. I don't want to talk to that person, or negotiate
with their husband/wife/mother/children. Let the professionals deal with it.

Regards,

Pete.

Pete Biggs

Paul - xxx wrote:

> Still can't help feeling like a bit of a shit though ...

No, you're doing the right & proper thing.

> So, 2 options, what would others do?
>
> 1. Report her via the insurance company,

Yes, and the police (again?).

~PB

JLB

Paul - xxx wrote:
> See thread titled 'Thanks .. '
[snip]
> So, 2 options, what would others do?
>
> 1. Report her via the insurance company,
> or
> 2. leave it and chalk it down to experience.

For the reasons you eloquently set out, it has to be 1.

She is a public menace; there is good reason to think you might save
lives, perhaps including hers. As Sandy did with Miss Jean Brodie
(another dangerous old bat with no clue about the implications of her
actions), somebody has to put a stop to her.

--
Joe * If I cannot be free I'll be cheap

Paul - xxx

Paul - xxx composed the following ...

> 1. Report her via the insurance company,

Agreement ..

In my Head and Heart I figured / knew it would be this, but I still feel
like a bit of a 'tell-tale'. However, as has been pointed out and what I
know of her and her demeanour, she _will_ cause an accident again if she's
allowed to drive freely, it's only a matter of time before she really hurts
someone I guess.

So the insurance forms and stuff are filled in and sent, via email and snail
mail.

I also had a chat with the local (well, have to phone Sheffield 'cos
stations are not manned) police who have filled out a report and say they
will, in due course, send someone to have a chat with her. Hopefully even
just the sight of a bobby at her front door (if one does go) will put enough
fear into her to stop her driving.

Thanks all for the re-assurance.

Addendum to the above ..

Speaking between the lines the policeman intimated and hinted that there is
too much of this type of thing happening, it seems, and the police in South
Yorkshire are having a move to more pro-active traffic policing in our area,
especially when it's either very young or very old drivers, and especially
those involved in minor accidents, so I think something positive might just
happen. He has asked if a policeman might visit me 'for a chat' related to
the above, so there is potential for further follow ups to this.

--
Paul ...
http://www.4x4prejudice.org/index.php
(8(!) Homer Rules ...
"A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

iarocu@hotmail.com

Paul - xxx wrote:
> Paul - xxx composed the following ...
>
.. Hopefully even
> just the sight of a bobby at her front door (if one does go) will put
enough
> fear into her to stop her driving.

If you push for it she should be charged with careless driving at
least. If she didn't show you her insurance certificate at the time of
the accident or report the accident within 24 hours thats another
offence. Not to menton her dodgy eyesight.
Perhaps the police could suggest that as an alternative to
prosecution she surrenders her licence. The main thing is to get her
off the roads for public safety and if she would surender her licence
voluntarily then there would seem little point her being taken to
court.
Iain