Allotments 4 All

I was on my way to my plot this afternoon when I had an accident in my car. I honestly don't know what happened- we were both turning right and my front was clipped by his back. Either I wasn't concentrating or he didn't signal and I thought he was going straight on but whatever... what really upset me was that his girlfriend (whose car it was) jumped out and started f-ing and blinding at me as if I'd done it on purpose. Fortunately the driver made her get back in the car and apologised and we exchanged details but I went home in tears. Anyway, after my hubby had made me a cup of tea and I'd rung my insurance company I made it to the allotment (the damage is minor to both cars but will no doubt put my premium up) and spent a couple of hours planting stuff and chatting to my new allotment neighbours who had kindly strimmed the path and edges while I was away on holiday- at last we have neighbours who are committed! I felt a lot better after that.

I hope you're OK now Caroline. How nice to have committed neighbours. OH mowed the 112' path last year the day before he went into hospital. He was very poorly so we didn't get up there for a few weeks & when we did the lady next to us had cut the full length of the path on her side only . It takes all sorts .

Thanks. Thinking about it I think the shock of being spoken to like that was worse than the accident itself, but I guess I'm lucky that my life is such that it's a rare event to have any "aggro", while for some it's a daily event. Just watched some Chelsea on i-player and now I'm off for a bath- that should do the trick!

Unfortunately there are a few too many individuals whose mouths should not be attached to their lungs!

Shout and scream first with no thought about how the noise and abuse will solve the problem. (Have you met my sister?) 

Pleased to hear you and the other driver were OK. Bits of metal aren't that important...the occupants (in most cases) are.

Take care - enjoy that plot. 

Sorry to sound unsympathetic but you did drive into the back of someone.   If someone drove into the back of me they would get an earful too.  It will probably affect their insurance rating too.

If you had deliberately driven into the other car it would have been
different, but you didn't. Some people are very short-tempered and lose
control easily.  It's a good thing you have your allotment where you can
go and take your mind off things for a while. (and how nice to have such
thoughtful neighbours)

It could have been so much worse, nobody was hurt, thank goodness.

Quotemy front was clipped by his back

Unless you were going backwards this is wrong.
Still unsympathetic.  You are not taking responsibility for your actions.  His back was clipped by your front not the other way round.  You were deliberately driving too close. 

Sorry but if you drive into someone you must expect an earful.  Nice that you could recover at your allotment.

On the other hand you might consider whether they deliberately stopped suddenly so you ran into the back of them.  Watch out for excessive damage claims.

Hummm, it sounds more like a T- Junction collision where Caroline was turning right from behind a Give Way sign and hit a car coming from the left and turning into the road that the OP was coming out from - she didnt realise they were turning and assumed they had passed when she moved out.  Your fault C and you know that dont you?  Bummer for all concerned.

Some **** reversed in to the side of my car when it was less then 1 year old, my pride and joy, and then tried to claim that, because  his vehicle damage was at the back, it was me at fault.  Which dragged out the whole insurance process but didn't affect the outcome.  Best to stick to the bare facts and get it over with.

Quote from: Digeroo on May 27, 2013, 05:06:17

Quotemy front was clipped by his back

Unless you were going backwards this is wrong.
Still unsympathetic.  You are not taking responsibility for your actions.  His back was clipped by your front not the other way round.  You were deliberately driving too close. 

Sorry but if you drive into someone you must expect an earful.  Nice that you could recover at your allotment.

On the other hand you might consider whether they deliberately stopped suddenly so you ran into the back of them.  Watch out for excessive damage claims.

I don't want to get upset again, Digeroo, and maybe I explained wrongly, but I didn't drive into the back of him (I've had someone do that to me and I did not abuse them, BTW). I was turning right out of a junction and he was turning right into the road I was coming out of. I am taking responsibility for my actions and I wasn't doing anything deliberately. Ellen, you have it just right.

Thanks for the sympathy, everyone else.

Being a cyclist I am always more interested in whether or not anyone is hurt. They weren't - although costly and upsetting it's not the end of someones world nor is it life changing.

I still think being polite doesn't hurt - yelling and being rude really doesn't improve the situaton for anyone no matter what happened. There are other ways to show you are cross.

The plot is most probably where I would have gone too Caroline.

Here's hoping the collision doesn't cause anyone too much distress.