Write Off

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Was going straight over a roundabout today and a taxi pulled out right in front of me at the last minute without even looking. I haven't been on the phone to the insurance company yet as their lines are closed.

 

Completely his fault. The police arrived at the scene taking people's details but they said they could no longer help in the situation as there were no serious injuries and nobody was drunk.

 

Where do I stand with the car ? If they send someone out to have a look at my car and they write it off (highly likely), am I able to say I want to keep hold of the car there and then ? I don't want to let them take it away as it's my pride and joy. All of my modifications are declared, but i'm assuming they will keep hold of everything on the car if it is taken away ?

 

The taxi driver was trying to blame me, and claiming I was doing around 80/90 mph. This really wasn't possible as I was actually sat still at a red traffic light moments before the accident (the lights are right next to the roundabout). There was a witness at the scene but she didn't say anything to either of us about who's fault it was, I do have her contact details though. Another witness was my friend who was actually driving in his car directly behind me.

 

The taxi driver also suddenly had a bunch of his friends turn up and pretend they saw everything right before the police turned up

He also kept saying stuff like "well I have your address so i'll be sorting something out, don't worry I have friends all around here". That had me worried so I mentioned it to the police, they obviously can't do alot without hearing it though.

 

 

 

 

 

The following pictures are after the AA recovery guy pulled the panels out a bit straighter via the tow eye. It was mainly to prevent the metal bodywork digging into the wheel.

 

 

 

 

[Richie 32]

Gutted for you man, taxi driver sounds like a right twunt. Fingers crossed you get something out of this !

[littlelise 2]

A sad day in the Josh & Lisa household

[kyepan 291]

wankers...

 

they don't have a leg to stand on, he pulled out, end of discussion. I think you can contact the police regarding the incident, especially if they took notes. Also when you get on the phone to your insurance company explain that a bunch of his friends turned up 10 minutes later and started claiming they had seen the whole thing.

 

make sure you don't let the insurance company take it away, that's the most important thing. Park it off road at your parents, lisa's parents bla bla bla.

 

gutted for you, the car looked really quite nice before.

Edited September 18, 2010 by kyepan

[omega 82]

well it looks fixable to me as long as theres no damage to inner wings,roof etc

but

its not going to be cheap so the insurance might not like it.

you will have to fight.

[Masekwm 2]

Make sure you let the insurance company know it was a taxi

 

Hopefully he's insured correctly, either way it won't effect you but it may effect him

[harryskid 193]

Fu**ing taxi drivers, most of them can't even drive properly, stick em in the same box as bus drivers and chuck em off a cliff. Hope you get it sorted mate.

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

Really sorry to see this and also hear the cirumstances.

 

As suggested, the law is on your side, as he didn't give way to the right at the roundabout. And your being held at the lights previously supports your case.

 

Don't give in. Get her back, as she IS yours, regardless as to what the insurances company(ies) might decide to do. Buy her back for £1 sort of thing, and enjoy the courtesy car.

[miamichris 9]

Taxi driver sounds like an arsehole mate, i'm sure you'll get it sorted though. I would say thats fixable from the photos, a good bodyworker with a jig could pull that straight again then a new wing, bonnet, valance, bumper and headlight and you're away!

 

Chin up mate, you know what happened and that he's in the wrong so just fight your corner. Write down an account of what happened, times, places, his details etc and put it all in a sort of statement so that when the police/insurance ask you to recall anything its all there on paper and you can read it all off to them and not get anything mixed up

 

EDIT: At 80 or 90 mph there'd be a hell of a lot more damage than that, so its quite obvious the taxi driver is talking bollocks!

Edited September 18, 2010 by miamichris

[madspikes 41 1 Cars]

s*it, bad luck mate. Its a real shame, as it was a nice tidy sorted pug.... Even if had yellow hoses!

 

90mph into the side of a car.... The 205 would have been smashed to into zillion bits!

 

I would try and hold on it... buy back salvage and rebuild!

 

Just look on the bright side, your ok.... Metal and plastic can be replaced!

 

Any traffic or CCTV cameras in the area that might of seen something?

 

 

 

Mad.

[u47sb2 27 2 Cars]

He pulled out into you. Doesn't really matter what speed you were doing, he is at fault. Be calm, don't let your emotions show when phoning the insurance and don't swear - sounds daft but will make dealing with them much easier.

 

I know that hellish feeling when a 205 is crashed and have had to face one being written off. Even then it's not all bad - a friend ended up breaking it and Ive since got a few parts as spares so it didn't end up crushed. Cars like the GTIs tend not to get crushed but get sold on through the auction circuit for breaking as they do have a value.

[Anthony 1,000]

S**t news Josh

 

As said, whatever happens, keep hold of the car - DO NOT let them take it away whatever the reason until they have agreed to fix it. Let the assessor come to you to inspect the car. They will try to write it off initially, I've no doubt of that, but so long as the chassis leg, A-pillar, and roof are straight, it's certainly fixable, whether they fix it for you (have a look at "allyes" recent topic about having his car fixed when it really should have been a write off) or whether you buy it back and do it yourself.

 

The taxi driver pulled out onto a roundabout when it wasn't clear to do so, and that is his fault regardless of whether you were doing 20mph or 80mph. The fact that you've got an independant witness () that was travelling directly behind you and saw the whole incident clearly strengthens your case.

 

Atleast you're unhurt (I assume) and from what I can see, all the parts that you've recently spent alot of time/money on (beam, struts, rack, hoses etc) all look like they should be undamaged and could be transfered to another shell should the worse happen.

[TurboSam 5]

Gutted for you Josh. Really hope it works out and the 205 lives on.

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Main thing, you're not hurt.

Next thing, you appear to be in the right.

I know how you feel having gone through all of this.

Buy it back - your insurance company should let you.

For reference I bought mine back for £400.

[allye 530 3 Cars]

What an utter tool. As you know I recently got rear eneded at a round about. I didn't even tell my insurance as even informing them of it regaurdless of blame, would have put my premium up. The way I got mine repaired at a cost of nearly twice the cars value was to just complain, rant, mone and bug them high lighting the amount of work had gone into it, the near mint condition its in etc etc.

 

Reference the car you can keep it for a less of a pay out. Its better for the insurance for you to keep it as its only scrap value to them.

 

Hope it all works out, Ali

[allye 530 3 Cars]

(have a look at "allyes" recent topic about having his car fixed when it really should have been a write off)

 

Ali - 1 Insurance - 0!

[hexhamstu 9]

Keep the car, and fight for it to be repaired. They will say no at first. You have to fight for awhile, check out the other written off thread where a rallye got repaired.

[eafertynyne 1]

Make it very clear to your insurers that you entered the roundabout before the taxi. If it’s evident the taxi was already on the roundabout, prior to you entering it, you may struggle with your claim, as it could be deemed his right of way. Unfair, but true.

 

Use your mate following as a witness… it will make all the difference, but obviously don’t disclose that he’s a friend of yours!

 

Good luck and I hope the car survives.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Bad times

 

I saw your pics in the "best photos" thread the other day, and I thought it looked the business. Exactly how I'd like my white one to look in fact

 

As for the 80-90mph bollocks, aside from the obvious fact that your 205 would have imploded and the taxi driver probably wouldn't be standing to tell the tale, for him to make such a statement means he'd have had to have seen you coming, in which case why did he pull out in front of you? The guy's a tool. Use his head to hammer out the dents

[Leet205 48]

Sorry to hear about the car mate, sucks ass! did you get any pics of the damage on the taxi? just so you can prove where the damage is on his car that he pulled out!

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

Looks (kind of) familiar -

 

 

For reference you can keep the car, I've bought two back for £50 in the past. Also, it'd be a good idea to keep the car elsewhere tonight, if it got torched or stolen tonight, taxi driver would no longer be liable.

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Yeah I have some pics of the damage to the taxi, i'll get on the phone to the insurance company tomorrow.

[JRL 14 1 Cars]

Glad you and Lisa are ok. Its a shame about the car but Its replaceable. Looks like you will have an excellent winter project.

[Atari Boy 11]

What a nightmare for you Josh. Having got a written off 205 back on the road myself I can assure you it will be worth it and with luck you will end up with an improved car too.

Are you still coming to Ace Café tomorrow night?

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Are you still coming to Ace Café tomorrow night?

 

Yep