17 and mobile

I'm sure you'll understand that having experienced the single most traumatic event of my life so far resulting from a road accident which was attributed 100% in court to the third party, it tends to colour my appetite for and attitude to risk on the roads.

I recall a story my brother-in-law told me. He grew up in London and learnt to drive there. When he went up to unversity in Birmingham, in his first week has was driving around the city, only to be pulled over by the local finest. He winds down the window, and before he gets to say anything the copper says in that laconic Brummie accent: "Lundun droiver are we, Sir?"

And you've all gone and bloody jinxed me. Mrs A has been and gone and had an accident in the Leaf. She, and our daughter who was in the car at the time, are fine (school run home leg). So is the other party. No injuries, just bent metal and plastic.

She was approaching a roundabout with 2 exits, one at 9 o'clock and one at 12. There are three lanes on approach, left lane marked left turn, middle marked left and straight on, right marked straight on only. As she enters the roundabout correctly using the middle lane of the three, a white Range Rover Evoque overtakes her on the right, and cuts across in front to attempt to take the 9 o'clock exit. She can't stop quickly enough and there's a coming together. The front bumper and front wing are extensively damaged, the alloy is badly scraped and the headlamp is slightly out of place. His car has damage to both doors on near side, and the sill (Cill? never sure). All the hallmarks of a glancing blow as the other vehicle cut across ours. This was only a mile from home, so the car was driveable back to base. The other party claimed on the scene that it was her fault, well I expect you can imagine what I think of that. Happily though at least he stopped and exchanged details, and was insured, coincidentally with the same company as us. Not sure if this is a good thing when it comes to blame apportioning, they might want to go 50/50 but we will resist that if so. Two other drivers (one man one lady) who were behind Mrs A saw what happened and stopped to give witness details. Both told her it was clearly the other guy's fault in their opinion and couldn't quite believe what he'd done. He was extraordinarily rude and aggressive to the male witness, as well as to Mrs A. Police were called by both drivers, who declined to attend as there were no injuries and no debris on the road. Other party claims he has a dash cam, well we've told this to the insurers because we are keen they receive the footage. Which I expect will be "lost" once he realises it was his fault.

We're on the phone right now holding for the courtesy car and recovery company to arrange collection of the Leaf and delivery of a courtsey car, the latter of which I couldn't care less about, whatever it may be.

Sigh.

Glad Mrs and Ms A are fine. I see "that" collision and another version often on the bypass near here. More often lorries staying in the left lane even though they are turning right at a roundabout. It's too tight for them in the right lane but of course people assume they are leaving the roundabout when they are not. Dual carriageway, so people overtake them on the exit from the roundabout and get sideswiped by the trucks.

Anyway, what can be expected from the driver of a white Evoque other than being pretty much guaranteed to be an appalling person...

Ah, there! Hard to imagine thinking first exit from right lane might be viable but it takes all sorts. Witnesses putting him in the wrong lane should sort out the truth soon enough.

Bad luck all the same.

Well at least the Civic got a run out this morning. Might be in use for a week or two depending on what courtesy car turns up. Good opportunity to give it some use, I suppose.

All de-moulded. Car was fully washed and cleaned inside a few weeks ago, and been under its cover (under the trees) since then.