In shock: Dumper Truck swerved out and rammed me on the school run

[milkchocolateStarryStarryNight]

I am in total shock, this huge big dumper truck swerved out and rammed me when I was driving my kids to school/nursery this morning.

We were driving there, he in one lane, me in the other, and then he just sped up, swerved out clipped my mirror forwards (I braked then) and he continued out taking the front of my car with him! Then he jumps out, and comes over, big burly man with shaved head, and rants at my driving, saying "how you driving, and with kids in the back, you not looking?" I say, "Me not looking? You were UNDERTAKING me and swerve out and rammed ME?"

Police wont come out, as nobody injured. Car not driveable. Have to have my husband come on his bike to help me with the man with the attitude problem.

And would you know it? My next door neihgbour comes walking down the road on the way to work, so she stops, and says: "hm... How you gonna get your kids to school and nursery now?" Beats me I say. So she says "Let me call my friend Tony, he will drop you and the kids where ever you want, while hubby sorts this mess out." She stayed and helped with the kids to her mate came.

Of all good coincidences to happen in a bad situation, this was probably the best. Got to get her a massive bunch of flowers.

Now, we have no car, but insurance company is sending a recovery vehicle, as it was leaking stuff from the engine. And we get courtesy car too. But, It is the second claim in one year (only had two claims in my entire 10 years as a driver in London, and they happen in one year) so have to be careful not to get any more accidents, or will get problems with getting insurance cover in the future. I SO DO NOT NEED THIS!!! I Know the other driver will say it was my fault not his, and it will be my word against his, and they may possibly even find in HIS favour, who knows. SHIT SHIT SHIT.

Thanks for letting me rant, and well done if you are still with me.

how could it be your fault? it sounds like he's clearly in the wrong...
you poor thing, what a fright. glad everyone is safe, if a bit shaken and pissed off.

How very horrible and scary, you must be really shaken. He sounds like a nutter

btw, a friend once got his car clipped by a council truck and threatened to sue. council sorted it all out without doing the insurance thing.

oh the insurance company will go after him don't you worry

Thank goodness you braked (broke?) when he clipped your mirror, or it sounds as if you could have been hurt too. How incredibly horrible for you. He sounds mad.

This can't have been your fault. (Were there any witnesses?)

Whatever happened, I think it sounds as if you have had a lucky escape from a very dangerous driver. You and your los are OK - try to hang onto that fact, and the kindness of your neighbour too.

It was pretty scary, and with the kids in the back too. I am still feeling sick to my stomach over this. I am in work now, but cant concentrate one bit. And after that fright, it was heartbraking dropping my youngest off to the nursery. He was screaming his head off. So now I blame myself for that too. Might just go home early and go get him. Funny how you just want to cuddle your kids when something bad happens.

Forgot to give my oldest his lunchbox too, so I have that here with me, but I rang the school and they would put him down for school dinner. They know what happened, so are ok with letting him have it today.

I know what he will say to the insurance company, because when my husband came he tried telling him that I rammed HIM from behind. Total lie. Not a scratch on the back of his car... He had no driving license on him, and no insurance papers, so would not tell us his insurance company. Think I need to go home...

The assessors will look at the damage on both vehicles and they will be able to tell who hit who and where. They are remarkably good like that.

You give your side and don't forget to tell them about his attitude. Chances are that he's been in a collison before and his insurers will have a record of previous collisons, hopefully they'll take this into account.

Did anyone else stop? Did you get names of witnesses? You could always put a sign up on that stretch of road asking for people who saw what happened to come forward, just to give you extra back up.

Sorry you had to go through this. Have a stiff drink if you can.

Rhubarb, will it help if I send them pictures, and a drawing/diagram of how it happened, you reckon?

Could the police not come for a clear c\ase of dangerous driving?

Poor you

have you spoken to your insurance company yet?

Usually the claim forms they send have a section for drawing positions of the cars etc.

If the damage is on the left hand side of your car (and they will be able to look at his as well to see what damage he has) it will be pretty clear what has happened to anyone - and these assessors have plenty of training and experience in investigating these things.

Also undertaking is illegal. From the damage you have described on your car, it sounds as if it is pretty clear he hit you from the side and was therefore undertaking and so whatever happened he was in the wrong and therefore responsible for the accident.

I hope you are ok. These things really shake you up.

Is there anything left that the police will come out for?

Oh yes of course 6 cars will come out if someone sees a black man in the street. Sorry forgot.

Poor you that is so scary.

Were there any witnesses? Have you told your insurance company exactly how it happened? If there is doubt about liability and you can give any of his details (eg name, registration number etc) they should sort it all out and attempt a claim against his insurance. Leave it in their hands and just keep them up to speed with diagrams and information.

Hope you get it sorted and your children are OK.

I told the insurance company exactly what happened, and have been given the address to the liability department if I want to send photograps and a diagram detailing how it happened. Hopefully that would suffice.

did the police NOT come out?

am confused, was he uninsured? do you have a license plate? you need to get onto the police imo.

i have been in 2 crashes, both more minor, nboth o9ther driver, both times called police. they do sketches, get witnesses, etc.

if he is uninsured-do you have fully comp?

Not divulging insurance details is an offence, so the police should have come out for that.

Did you get his number? A court won't like the fact that he refused to give his details

He's probably not insured. The police won't come out but they can do a trace on him. If they can't find him though then there is nothing you can do I'm afraid, just one more uninsured driver out there.

Did the Dumper have a company name on it did you see? Or any kind of logo? The fact that it was a dumper narrows it down a bit.

Your insurers will ask for a drawing yes, and if you can supply pictures too that would be good. Agreed that if he does a runner, you will automatically be cleared of any blame anyway.

He gave me the card of his company, so we have the company name and address, we have the car registration number, and he did give us his name address and telephone number. (if not made up - an address on the other side of town)
When we asked for his insurance details, he said he did not have them (but surely the company must have insurance?) and we asked for his driving license (which would have confirmed his name) he did not have it on it. Surely a professional driver should carry his license??

Maybe you've already done this, but write down all your recollections and do your diagram NOW before you forgetb the detail, including number plate, road positions, your speed, weather conditions etc.

Really horrible; you must be so shaken. Be thankful you and the children are unharmed.
The only time someone rammed into my car was when I'd just dropped my children off, thankfully sparing them the scary noise and the hassle of being picked up from an undriveable car.

Be prepared for this a* to lie through his teeth; though it sounds like he won't be believed. Luckily in my case a witness stepped forward at the time and supported me in my insurance claim.

Hi there.
So sorry - what a terrible thing to have happened.

However - I don't think that not knowing the insurer is him being evasive, given that he gave you the company details. Only saying that because I used to drive the pool car at work occasionally and wouldn't have had the foggiest who it was insured with, just knew that I was insured IYSWIM. Also I sometimes drive without my purse, and therefore no driving license on me.

Of course he is an idiot - undertaking should be fairly clear from your description and the damage to your car.

Shocked that the police wouldn't come out though.

MCSSN - just thought. If your wing mirror was pushed forward, that must be proof that he hit you. If you had swerved into him, then you would have had to be reversing, to push the wing mirror forward!

If he threatened / scared you the plice should have come, make a complaint.

Hope you're OK

Oh and a few tips

If he was driving a company car they WILL fight you! I used to work for a hauliers and I know how nasty they would get even when they knew full well it was their responsibility.

get pictures of everything. be aware they may ahve (depending on the company- we did) a person whose sole job is to fight these things. you need to have all the evidence ready. pictures of the road where the incident ahppened (fine to take after the event), diagrams of what exactly happened, pictues of your car, wing mirror etc etcetc.

From a slightly mroe psotive eprspective, my company (and the one dh amnages fro now) would sack a driver if they admitted causinga n accidnet, regardless of what actually happened. So that would explain the denial.

Well everyone has to deny liability anyway, otherwise your insurance becomes null and void.

So much for ethical practices, eh?