to be really pissed off

[NettleTea]

went outside to take my daughter into town just now and found that my windscreen had been smashed. Looks like a big whack on the passenger bottom corner that has radiated out across about 1/5 of the total windscreen.
One neighbour tells me that she thinks it was her opposite neighbour, as they were having a big fuck off fight last night and she had needed to call the police, so supects it got smashed in the rukkus.
Ive phoned my insurance company - not only do I need to pay the £50 excess, but they cant send someone out til 31st
I have AA cover but I was on hold for 45 mins, as looks like the whole world has broken down on their way to the inlaws over Christmas, so I gave up and put the phone down.
I just feel sick and angry and want to cry.
Im supposed to go to my inlaws tomorrow, and my parents on Boxing day and although the insurance windscreen person told me that the screen was laminated and wont fall in on us, its not ideal and I worry its illegal to drive like that too.

Check this ...

www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/car-maintenance/how-to-deal-with-damaged-windscreens/

Particularly:

Is it illegal to have a cracked windscreen?
Driving with a cracked windscreen can be considered a motoring offence. It could constitute use of a motor vehicle in a dangerous condition.

The Highway Code states that drivers should have a full view of the road ahead and glass should be maintained in a good condition. A cracked windscreen can obscure driver view - if a motorist is stopped, it could result in a fixed penalty of three points on their licence and a fine.

If you're driving with a cracked windscreen and you have an accident, you could be charged with a more serious driving offence. The accident could be your responsibility because you were driving with a damaged windscreen.

my zone 1 bit is clear. I think I may have overestimated the size of it in horror by the time I got back to the house
my worry is that it will spread.
maybe I need to pour a load of glue into it

I’d be asking the neighbour opposite for the £50 excess, for sure!

It’s not a breakdown so the AA wouldn’t be able to assist.
It’s worth calling your insurers again and asking if you could arrange your own windscreen repairer as they can’t repair it in time. A lot of insurers will offer a certain level of indemnity for using your own repairers.

yes. I will speak to them.
I wont be speaking to the neighbours though because they are unlikely to admit to it (the first neighbour only suspected it was them) and the repurcussions might not be worth it.
Its more of a vent about it.
And a practical thought re the windscreen.
And the right to be pissed off!!

I am glad that when I went back outside to photograph it that it was not as bad as I had thought initially

You can drive that

I would ask neighbour responsible for the money to repair

I would call police to log as part of the ruckus they responded to

yes I think I will report it to the police. the insurance said that they have a legal team if it was the result of someone elses activity

Yes you can drive, it’s not obstructing your view. I thought the whole thing was shattered 🙄

Oh what a nightmare, ya def nbu to be pissed off!

Mine was like this and I was scared driving it til the guy could come and replace it. I told him I'd been nervous, and he said "Oh these laminated screens are really tough, look....." Then he full on punched it a couple of times right on the crack, no effect. Then he got a big hammer out of his van and swung and whacked it a few times in the same spot with full force, the crack travelled a couple of millimetres. It didn't actually spread any significant amount until he put the suckers on and lifted it out of its housing.

I hope that makes you feel a bit better about it, and that you can put it aside enough to have a lovely Christmas.

Phew.

Yes I panicked and in my mind, by the time I had got back to the house, the cracks had been half way across the window and hanging on by a thread

When I went back to photograph it (AFTER I posted this thread) I realised I had over estimated exactly how bad the damage was.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I feel much happier to go the few short distances I need to go in it, and it will be repaired fairly swiftly considering what time of year it is.

(still not going to go and accuse the scary neighbours of breaking it, because I may end up with it broken again and because I am a coward who likes to keep herself to herself with the neighbours, especially ones who frequently have police round)