Car written off - it could have been so much worse.

[Posey]

A week or 2 ago, dh was putting ds in the car seat, door leaning against his back as he stood on the road (a quiet road with speed bumps) when this idiot in a small lorry drove so close that he ripped the car door backwards. Dh and ds got a terrible shock, obviously, but both okay. (Ds didn't like the big noisy).
Anyway, found out yesterday the car is being written off as there's severe damage to some main structure of the car. We're off to the Isle of Wight on holiday on Saturday so had to sort out a new car (found one today, collect it tomorrow, insurance will pay up), but not the sort of hassle you need before a holiday.
But made me think how close it came to hitting dh.
Puts it all in perspective really.

Don't know why I'm posting really. Just felt it made me appreciate whats important, like dh and kids.

[Janna]

Glad your all ok. Must have been one hell of a shock. Did you manage to get the lorries details?
What an arse

[Frizbe]

Crikey, Posey, you were very lucky...phew...

[Satine]

Your poor ds. Didn't the lorry stop?! There are some truly dreadful and irresponsible drivers around. Thank goodness everyone was unhurt.

[misdee]

oh god thats awful!! thats one of my worries as i strap the kids into the car.

glad you are all ok.

[kid]

Sounds scary, its hard not to think 'what if'
glad no-body was hurt. Hope the insurance pay up quickly and you have a lovely holiday.

[Hulababy]

How scary. Just glad to hear that your DH and DS were both safe.

[emmamama]

You poor thing, you must have been so scared, thinking 'what if?' all the time. Bloody lorry driver!!!

A few years ago before children, a lorry hurtled past my car as I was getting in. As it was going far too fast and far too close, it took my door off. I had just got into the car. I often think that if it had been a second sooner it would have got me with it. Shudder.

But the worst thing was for weeks after, the contents of my door were all over the road, even though I did try and pick everything up! Teach me to be so messy.

[swiperfox]

i bet you were all terrified!

Reminds me of my hate for lorry drivers after one that got us....we were driving home from my mums thae day after boxing day and were going round a big roundabout to get onto the motorway and an articulated loory overtook us on the drivers side - I dont drive and I know that theres no room for an artic to do that on a roundabout!! He scraped all along the side of the car, ripped the wing mirror off and pushed us across the road. He could have easily killed us all. DP got him to pull over, pulled him out of the cab and hit him.
The lorry driver called the police - was allowed to drive off and I had to sit in the car with dd (only just 2) for a whole day while they took dp off and charged him for assault!!!

[Gobbledigook]

Scarey - I often worry about that when faffing with car seats parked by the road.

Glad your dh and ds are OK though.

[emmamama]

The injustice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[moondog]

OMG!!! Terrifying stuff on this thread! I saw an accident here in Turkey yesterday which has got me feeling very upset and fragile too. The driving here is appalling and people do such dangerous things (eg babies on mothers' laps in the front seat.) Everyone runs red lights flagrantly and I watched a bloke do it yesterday and drive straight into a stationary car about 50m further on (they have weird traffic lights arranged around roundabouts). No seatbelt of course,so his head had smashed the windscreen to smithereens. What a mess.

As I said to dh ,what worries me now is thinking of all the people behind me who won't be stopping at lights and are therfore liable to smash into me!!

[Posey]

Thanks for all your kind messages. Dd and I had just popped into our neighbours to see his new kitchen so dh said he'd get ds strapped in. The first we knew was when we came out and dh was having a screaming match with the lorry driver.He's normally pretty calm but had been so shaken and scared for ds. Gave the neighbours something to watch (and had a couple of witnesses - we have fab neighbours). He said that dh had opened the car door in front of him. As dh said, a) he hadn't finished getting ds strapped in so why would he have opened the door and b) we've been getting kids in the car for long enough to know to look before opening the door. From now on, we'll always use the pavement side even if it means clambering over.
Anyway our insurance company are currently "in discussion" with the lorry driver's and our new car came today (jolly nice too, even better when we get the money for it!)
Anyway thanks again everyone. Puts all little worries into perspective.