Bit of a crash

[Eager]

On way in to work tonight met a tractor and trailer on my side of the road. Had no other choice but to put the car into a hedge, which car is now scrap. Was that or go under the tractor which was coming right at me

Country road. No white lines. Didn't make contact with the tractor. Tractor didn't lift off or stop at all. Just kept going.

Found out who the driver was in end after police were on scene as he drive by again which I pointed out to police who then pulled him in. He admitted it was him

Is there any point going anywhere with this. It's a road I travel every day to work. For 7 years. No witnesses and no damage to that side of my car. Simply as I picked the hedge rather than 15 ton of metal

Cheers.

 

[chris_b]

I hate tractors, I know not everyone that drives them is a C**T but a lot are it seems. No damage to the car at all ? he should be paying for the hedge if anyone has too surely ?

 

[Woodcutter]

We had a similar incident with one of our company vans, which was a total write off.

Pursued the farmer, but ended up having to just put it through our own insurance, never got a penny from the farmers insurer.

 

[Boabybooster]

I know it's not a help to you, but it's a good advert for a dashcam, at least it's just metal that's broken and not bones.

 

[chris_b]

I know it's not a help to you, but it's a good advert for a dashcam, at least it's just metal that's broken and not bones.

thats a good point, really must get one

 

[Eager]

I mean my car is a write off Chris. Hedge should be grand.
Passenger wheel is tore off and pushed up into arch. Wing etc

 

[brendy]

Passenger wheel is tore off and pushed up into arch. Wing etc

How very sc3n3.

 

[Eager]

It's not worth a pile. But it's one them things why should he get away with it

Would he rather I didn't move and maybe end up responsible for a fatality. If it was perhaps a older woman with no road savvy they may not have got out of the way.

 

[Eager]

I meant there is no damage to the drivers side of the car. Were the tractor passed by having me decided the hedge looked softer

They were actually drawing grass out of my place of work. As we have a thousand acre site but no use for the farm land. Met him on his way to his grass pit/farm as I was on my way to work

 

[chris_b]

I mean my car is a write off Chris. Hedge should be grand.
Passenger wheel is tore off and pushed up into arch. Wing etc

well the fact he never even stopped says it all ! you where clearly ran off the road What did the police say ?

 

[collyirwin11]

Not to tar all tractor drivers with the same brush, but on a regular occurrence I see them firing about flat out with trailers usually with the phone glued to their ear. It is usually young one's too, just out of school age. I met one on a tight lane, i stopped fully and leaned across the car waiting for an impact and shards of glass but thankfully no contact was made, and he also didn't lift or move over. Hopefully you get sorted somehow

 

[Eager]

well the fact he never even stopped says it all ! you where clearly ran off the road What did the police say ?

Police were ok. Backing me. But did say when it comes down to it that it's his word v mine that he forced me off the road. No damage to that drivers side etc. He did offer to do whatever I wish etc and was very much on my side. 50/50 prob. And could damage my clean ncb since I was 17.

 

[stevieturbo]

The problem with incidents like these....if the other vehicle didnt actually make contact with you, even though they may have caused the accident....it's hard to get anything off their insurance.

As by avoiding the accident, you effectively just drove yourself off the road deliberately.

Whether dashcam evidence would help insurance in this respect I dont know, although it would help pursue a prosecution about their driving.

 

[chris_b]

Good points Stevie, I guess in reality in some sick twist of fate its almost better to hit the tractor which seems crazy !

I dont see why you should be out of pocket eager but yes you are likely quite correct in that your no claims may be affected

 

[Eager]

Only option which may work is have the police man chat to the farmer and say that I am willing to accept a few pound for the car. Were talking in the hundreds here. To make it go away

Or see if the managing director of my work would call them and see if he wants to offer any money. Injuring his staff on way to work might not look so well

 

[big cyril]

Was the tractor actually on the wrong side of the road?
Or was the tractor so large on a relatively narrow road that there just wasn't enough space for anything coming the other way to pass?
It seems that the drivers of these very large vehicles have an expectation that everyone else will get out of their way without them ever lifting off.
If I were you I'd be making sure the PSNI check that the driver actually holds a license for the size of the vehicle he was driving, also check his phone records to see if he was on the phone at the time as this seems to be almost ubiquitous.

 

[Eager]

When the incident occurred the tractor was way over my side. The grass verge at the other side was not flattened by tires

Odly enough when the police flagged him down he tucked his unit in properly were you could pass a car by easily.

 

[m00k]

Of police are pursuing your complaint for careless driving against the tractor then I don't see why you can't go for it

If he admitted it then even better

 

[SMcP114]

And it is just your word against his. While you have your opinion on the accident I would imagine he has his and it's different to yours.

Honestly not sure why he'd feel obliged to offer a few pound for the car at the advice of the Police, or especially the managing director of your work as it's literally nothing to do with either of them. And quite a bizarre suggestion actually.

Not sure what your options would be other than pay for it or put it through the insurance and lose your NCB.

 

[Eager]

Well just that he was drawing grass from the land in my company. Only a idea. In case the farmer is already on thin ice with the company

 

[Eager]

As for opinions. That has nout to do with it. If I didn't take the action I took I would not be sitting here replying.

 

[G N K]

The cheek of him to not only drive on but to return and drive past is a joke, morally you think it would have wanted to see if you were ok you could of had a kid in the car etc.

You've been wanting rid of that Mondeo for ages , perhaps giving you half the money would at least be something. If it's a cheap car I wouldn't be bothered with insurance company's etc.

 

[andy.]

Talk to your manager and see what he advises you to do, if they were drawing silage from your work you should have some sort of leeway to negotiate I'd imagine. Youll probably get nothing still seeing as farmers are the most stubborn people on the planet and he won't think it was his fault, still worth trying though.

Tractor drivers do this all the time as mentioned above just don't think they have to give way or even move over, there are very few good drivers about.

 

[Eager]

Well yes the mondeo was always on the list of things to replace. But more at a time that suits me. It was a reliable old waggon. Having just bought a house I could do without the hassle at the minute though.

 

[Coog]

That sucks Eager. We learned that unless you've solid evidence then it seems to boil down to the decency of the other party to admit fault, and unfortunately in this day & age decency appears to be thin on the ground. Next step is probably a call out to the farmer for a chat, explaining it was a cheap motor and you're not going to pursue anything if he can help towards a replacement.