Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hit by lorry

37 replies

madasa · 16/12/2013 22:49

Hit by lorry on the motorway tonight, Driver thought he would share my lane Hmm

He stopped but no conversation possible as he was Spanish and didn't speak English.

He helped me on with my coat on the hard shoulder while we waited for the police. When they had finished their business he gestured to his heart as if to say sorry and then gave me a kiss on each cheek.

AIBU to feel just a bit sorry for him as he looked as shaken as I felt even though he was in the wrong?

OP posts:
verytellytubby · 16/12/2013 22:51

Bloody hell you are lucky.

Mintyy · 16/12/2013 22:51

Yabu.

Spanish lorry drivers should know how to drive on British roads.

ChrisMooseMickey · 16/12/2013 22:51

Of course not- you feel sorry for him all you like. I recently was involved in a crash and I felt just as bad for the guy, even though it was his fault.

WaitingForPeterWimsey · 16/12/2013 22:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ChrisMooseMickey · 16/12/2013 22:52

Hope you are OK OP. You are very lucky!

thecatneuterer · 16/12/2013 22:52

YANBU. He sounds nice, and he didn't hit you on purpose after all.

GentlyGentlyOhDear · 16/12/2013 22:53

Crikey - hope you've had a hot sweet tea and are somewhere warm now.
YANBU to feel sorry for him - I bet he was shaken too. It might make him a bit more vigilant from now on.

stickygotstuck · 16/12/2013 22:54

YANBU, at all.

He was in the wrong but he was clearly sorry and tried to let you know. A different person may not have bothered apologising (especially as insurance companies these days tell you not to!)

You are also VV lucky! I was also hit by a lorry once in the motorway.

LaurieFairyCake · 16/12/2013 22:54

Yanbu to feel sorry for him

Anyone can have an accident. If we apologise courteously it makes the whole experience nicer.

Mmmbacon · 16/12/2013 22:55

Yanbu, dh.drives.and his worst.fear is causing an accident,

he has been in 1 serious and 1 near fatal, both not his fault but he suffered very badly from pts with both,

Mmmbacon · 16/12/2013 22:56

Posted too soon, hope you are all ok,

Kasterborous · 16/12/2013 22:56

YANBU it must have been scary for both of you. It was nice that he apologised and you accepted it. You sound a lovely person.

Original poster
madasa · 16/12/2013 22:57

Thanks for your replies.
I am ok...bit shaken but ok.
Feel a bit strange as keep thinking what might have happened. Drive hundreds of miles a week....first ever accident.
Hope he is ok too.....he didn't do it on purpose and must have frightened him.
I hope it makes him more vigilant too...

OP posts:
Nerfmother · 16/12/2013 22:59

Also hit by a lorry on motorway, same lane sharing, shunted down for several yards. Also Spanish driver. V apologetic too.

Not sure how I feel: not sure I felt sorry for him, more terrified!

timidviper · 16/12/2013 23:01

Glad you are ok OP.

Don't want to worry you but please be vigilant with any insurance issues as my DS's car (first car, pride and joy!) was written off by a foreign driver in a large red lorry bearing a French name with initials ND. All seemed fine at the time but ND first held up insurance claim by querying everything, then claimed lorry was subleased so not their responsibility, then stalled on giving info about the company leasing it then nobody answered anything. The case is in the hands of solicitors and still not settled over 2 years later.

justgirl · 16/12/2013 23:02

I'm like you....sometimes, accidents just happen...i often feel sorry for "guilty" parties. main thing is that everyone was okay :-)

Original poster
madasa · 16/12/2013 23:02

That must have been terrifying Nerfmother.

I was hit and then he retreated back to his own lane.

I may not have felt so sorry for him had I bee shunted several yards. Let's hope it wasn't the same driver!

OP posts:
gordyslovesheep · 16/12/2013 23:03

Glad you are okay OP and YANBU - I wish there where more drivers on the roads who just accepted that mistakes happen and where gracious about it - far better than ranty road rage

Original poster
madasa · 16/12/2013 23:05

timidviper I think I am prepared that it might not be quite straightforward but will keep my fingers crossed.

Hope your ds was ok and not hurt.

OP posts:
nitrox · 16/12/2013 23:11

I'd rather go through life with a forgiving attitude than be bitter and resentful, so I would feel the same as you.

I had a nasty accident years ago, was hit on the motorway whilst on my motorbike in traffic, car behind doing 70mph.. To this day I don't feel any anger towards to girl that hit me, despite various wrist operations later, it was an accident and shit happens I guess.

Hope you feel okay again soon, tea and biscuits at the ready x

Damnautocorrect · 16/12/2013 23:19

Glad your ok, your very lucky
Unfortunately being left hookers (presuming from what you've said) they can't see shit when changing lanes the blind spot is truly massive. There is a device to help but they haven't made it a legal requirement to have.

NigellaLaw5on · 16/12/2013 23:24

It's natural to feel sorry for him, some stupid old goat crashed into the back of me last week and I ended up feeling sorry for her. Didn't stop me putting in a personal injury claim against her insurers though, it should hopefully pay for the summer holiday this year.

FortyDoorsToNowhere · 16/12/2013 23:26

Well done on keeping your cool in a scary situation.

Yanbu it's only human to feel empathy for another human.

Is there much damage to your car, you are one lucky lady.

nennypops · 16/12/2013 23:27

Mintyy: Yabu. Spanish lorry drivers should know how to drive on British roads.

What's it got to do with him being Spanish? Surely you don't believe that English lorry drivers never have accidents on British roads?

Original poster
madasa · 16/12/2013 23:36

I can't really see the damage Fortydoors as it was raining heavy and pitch black. The lorry driver got a torch but it was still difficult to see. Doesn't look too bad which surprised me. Am off on holiday first thing tomorrow so just glad not written off.

Feel very lucky (in a strange way) Policeman's parting shot to me was that I should buy a lottery ticket

OP posts: