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Original poster

I was in a car crash today... where do I stand?

31 replies

gateacre1 · 19/05/2012 16:16

I had just left a round about and was indicating and slowly moving into the right hand lane of the road I had turned into.

I was not fully in the lane when suddenly a car driving really fast exited the roundabout into the lane I was moving into, he started honking his horn and aggressively cut me up, revving his engine etc. I was driving at a snails pace as the traffic lights were on red .

So basically at this point, there are two cars in front of me in the lane including the aggressive driver who cut me up.

The lights turned to green and I started to drive and this guy who had just cut me up, breaked sharply for no reason. And I went into the back of him, minimal damage to my car and his bumper, just a cracked reg plate on mine and white marks on his bumper.

anyway I was quite shaken up, I took a photo of the damage on his car and he was shouting at me and saying dont bother taking pictures you are going to pay etc etc
anyway as you can imagine he continued to be arsy (sp?) and I stated that he had slammed on his breaks for no reason, and that I would obtain cctv footage, he told me he was a police officer and I would have no chance of obtaining it. Then he said the car wasnt his, he drove off and when I looked at his details he has given me the address of a car sales room.

I am going to the police station when I get home and will contact tfl to see if I can get footage.
I feel like he did it on purpose ( caused the crash that is)

Does anyone have any experience of this? Will it definitely be my fault even though he cut me up and slammed on?

OP posts:
Sirzy · 19/05/2012 16:18

Sorry you had such a bad experience but it the eyes of the law you should have left enough breaking distance so it will be deemed as your fault I would imagine.

fuckarama · 19/05/2012 16:18

You need to contact your insurance company.

TheMonster · 19/05/2012 16:19

What an awful thing to happen, and what an arse he is. Sadly, it is usual for the car at the back to be blamed. Have you contacted the car sales place?

BackforGood · 19/05/2012 16:21

I would report it as he's not left you his details, etc., and was threatening(?) aggressive (?), however, re the driving itself, in the eyes of the law, and therefore insurance companies you have little comeback ever if you drive into the back of someone, as, you should leave enough room in case they need to stop for a genuine reason.

clam · 19/05/2012 16:22

Absolutely you must inform your insurance company. That is essential even if there is no visible damage.
If so, the police should be able to track him down - or the registered owner of the vehicle, and they should be able to name the driver.
Wouldn't be surprised if he puts in a hefty claim for whiplash or something.

clam · 19/05/2012 16:38

Oh. Seem to have missed a bit of text there: did you manage to get his number plate? If so, the police....

TheMonster · 19/05/2012 16:40

I guess, technically, he hasn't left his details, so you might be able to weedle out on a technicality.

Hulababy · 19/05/2012 16:46

Do you have his reg plate?
If so, it is traceable.

CervixWithASmile · 19/05/2012 16:50

I think people are right that you should have left enough room but if he pulled around you then slammed on his brakes I'm not sure how you would have been able to do that. I would tell the police he told you he was a police officer too.

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 19/05/2012 16:53

A police office friend of mine says if you go into the back of someone it is ALWAYS your fault

LynetteScavo · 19/05/2012 16:58

It is always your fault if you go into the back of someone.

He may have caused the crash, but it will be paid for by your insurance.

I take it you have his details, including his no plate?

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 19/05/2012 16:58

It's your fault as you ran into the back of him. It doesn't matter that he braked sharply for no good reason; there could have been a reason, child or whatever.

I would report it though because he was a) aggressive and an arse b) possibly not insured as he says it's not his car.

Original poster
gateacre1 · 19/05/2012 17:54

Thank you everyone for your replies
I will report it to the police, just been to my local station to find its closed down.

I think it probably will end up being my fault technically even though in my opinion he caused the accident .

I spoke to the police on the telephone and they said he probably wasn't a police officer he was just saying it to intimidate me

Well you live and learn

OP posts:
Liskey · 19/05/2012 18:15

Sounds like he was trying to cause an accident - and will then claim for whiplash from your insurance company. This is quite common unfortuntely and bumps up premiums.

Liskey · 19/05/2012 18:17

Forgot to say its really good you got a photo of the damage as insurance company will need it. However a lot of the time the insurance companies pay out for whiplash claims as the cost of defending them is more than the claim itself - which is just horrible Angry

trixymalixy · 19/05/2012 18:20

I think the same as liskey, there is a well known scam where they deliberately cause accidents, and claim for massive repairs and whiplash etc.

klaxon · 19/05/2012 18:21

You can report it online on the local non emergency website - or number. You need to dial 112 I think. You need to present to a police station with licence, insurance certificate and V5 documents as soon as reasonably possible. Personally I would write an account NOW while it's fresh in your mind, draw the scene and then go to the station.

FWIW the police will not be cross with you and if he was aggressive and driving unreasonably you could claim he reversed into you. It would be very difficult to prove either way and at least he'd lose his NCB too.

giraffesCantGoPotholing · 19/05/2012 18:23

No idea on the legal side, but I had a car accident thing on Thursday and just wanted to add some support. Hope you are ok. Sounds horrible

NervousAt20 · 19/05/2012 18:23

Sorry it's so horrible when something like this happens and hope you are okay Sad

You should have called the police at the scene otherwise your insurance won't be able to access any CCTV as only the police can and as you went into the back of him it would automatically be your fault and you'll have a hard time proving otherwise. Sorry

rainbowinthesky · 19/05/2012 18:23

How can you avoid this type of scenario I wonder. Someone cuts in front of you then brakes. Seems very unfair.

WowOoo · 19/05/2012 18:26

I've heard of a few stories like Liskey where drivers cause accidents on on purpose. It was on a programme like Watchdog or something.

Hope you're not too shaken up. Time for a nice glass of wine to calm your nerves after something like that.

Lilymaid · 19/05/2012 18:30

This sounds very like the scenario mentioned by WowOoo. I would phone the police today on the non emergency number:101 if you haven't already done so - failing to report an accident is an offence (I think).

skrumle · 19/05/2012 18:34

there was a case locally a few years ago where the person who braked was found guilty of careless driving - slammed on the brakes for no reason and cars behind crashed into her, so although i always thought the person behind was at fault i'm not sure that's automatically true anymore.

clam · 19/05/2012 18:35

Yes, it's commonly held that the person behind is responsible for a shunt, although my friend had someone do that to her, in snow. The aggressive driver (who also did not want to give insurance details but settle between themselves) then tried to claim that she had skidded, backwards and uphill, into him!

Selks · 19/05/2012 18:45

Sounds like a 'crash for cash'. Contact the police.