A40 Strikes Again
Discussion
Hmph - got rammed by a BMW on the A40 coming into London today. Inappropriate speed for the circumstances I think - ie he was going faster than my 1-2 MPH by about 3-4 MPH!!!
Can't see any damage to my car other than possibly a slightly bent parking sensor at the moment but its being checked this evening.
Bloody A40
Actually the real point here is that we both stopped on the outer lane of the A40 (in very slow traffic) quickly swapped details and then drove off. Should we have tried to get to the side of the road to swap details (N.B. The side of the road was jammed solid with parked cars at that point)
Can't see any damage to my car other than possibly a slightly bent parking sensor at the moment but its being checked this evening.
Bloody A40
Actually the real point here is that we both stopped on the outer lane of the A40 (in very slow traffic) quickly swapped details and then drove off. Should we have tried to get to the side of the road to swap details (N.B. The side of the road was jammed solid with parked cars at that point)
We had a car early yesterday failing to stop for us on the A40.
He was travelling Eastbound from the Gyratory System and if anyone knows the area, after colliding with a number of other motorists, he went down a slip road with a tight right hand turn just after the BP garage at 90mph.
The result was that the car collided with railings at the bottom and literally exploded in two.The Engine, wheels seats etc etc all became detached as the main frame of the car rolled end to end several times.The 2 front seats skidded down the road still attached to about 1m of floorpan.
I have never seen a car this badly damaged but thankfully the occs both survived with minor cuts etc.
Yet another one down to the A40 except that this one was detected by the Police.
He was travelling Eastbound from the Gyratory System and if anyone knows the area, after colliding with a number of other motorists, he went down a slip road with a tight right hand turn just after the BP garage at 90mph.
The result was that the car collided with railings at the bottom and literally exploded in two.The Engine, wheels seats etc etc all became detached as the main frame of the car rolled end to end several times.The 2 front seats skidded down the road still attached to about 1m of floorpan.
I have never seen a car this badly damaged but thankfully the occs both survived with minor cuts etc.
Yet another one down to the A40 except that this one was detected by the Police.
Jezus - that must have been a sight (albeit shocking). You know it puzzles me why anyone might think that it is vaguely resonable to consider driving at those speeds on the A40 in the first place..... never mind if you are being pursued by the Police.
Why oh why do these people think they are imortal? Metal and metal impacting at 90MPH is going to make a lot of mess - especially if it has skin and bone behind it.
Quick couple of questions if I may Tonyrec:
1) You said that other drivers were hit - assuming the person that crashed had insurance, their insurance pays out doesnt it? Is there anything in place to help those hit to recover the costs?
2) If they didnt have insurance - does their sentence go up? I know that there is obviously a crime involved and the 90MPH and running from the cops are the greater ones, but does potentially driving without insurance make the other crimes more serious?
3) Seeing as they made a major mess of the barriers etc - do they have to pay to have them fixed? If so is it part of their fine / sentence?
Just asking as always wondered about them....
Edited to add another question...
>> Edited by pbrettle on Monday 1st December 13:42
Why oh why do these people think they are imortal? Metal and metal impacting at 90MPH is going to make a lot of mess - especially if it has skin and bone behind it.
Quick couple of questions if I may Tonyrec:
1) You said that other drivers were hit - assuming the person that crashed had insurance, their insurance pays out doesnt it? Is there anything in place to help those hit to recover the costs?
2) If they didnt have insurance - does their sentence go up? I know that there is obviously a crime involved and the 90MPH and running from the cops are the greater ones, but does potentially driving without insurance make the other crimes more serious?
3) Seeing as they made a major mess of the barriers etc - do they have to pay to have them fixed? If so is it part of their fine / sentence?
Just asking as always wondered about them....
Edited to add another question...
>> Edited by pbrettle on Monday 1st December 13:42
I will try and answer your 3 questions with one answer.
When the person doesnt have any insurance, the claim is handled by the Motor Insurers Bureau who are based at Milton Keynes.
I was once hit from behind on the M1 whilst driving a Police vehicle (which was written off by impact),by someone who said that he didnt see me (FFS) and he wasnt insured. My claim was handled swiftly by the MIB without problems.
As regards sentances, sadly that is out of our hands and in the hands of the Courts.As far as im concerned, getting a person to the Court is my job done...if they are aquitted etc then thats down to the Courts.
The damage done to the barrier will have to be claimed from the uninsured driver.
I felt sorry for the people in the other vehicles as they are as innocent as they come but were sadly in the right place at the wrong time due to this f***wit.
Certainly never seen a car crash so dramatically in 20 years of constantly being astounded.
We do have it on video and no doubt it will make an appearance on Police Camera Action at some stage.
When the person doesnt have any insurance, the claim is handled by the Motor Insurers Bureau who are based at Milton Keynes.
I was once hit from behind on the M1 whilst driving a Police vehicle (which was written off by impact),by someone who said that he didnt see me (FFS) and he wasnt insured. My claim was handled swiftly by the MIB without problems.
As regards sentances, sadly that is out of our hands and in the hands of the Courts.As far as im concerned, getting a person to the Court is my job done...if they are aquitted etc then thats down to the Courts.
The damage done to the barrier will have to be claimed from the uninsured driver.
I felt sorry for the people in the other vehicles as they are as innocent as they come but were sadly in the right place at the wrong time due to this f***wit.
Certainly never seen a car crash so dramatically in 20 years of constantly being astounded.
We do have it on video and no doubt it will make an appearance on Police Camera Action at some stage.
tonyrec said:
We do have it on video and no doubt it will make an appearance on Police Camera Action at some stage.
Just think - your gasps of shock and awe will be mixed in with the bleeps to cover the fruity language.... This could be your 5 minutes of fame
Oh, and thanks for the response - just curious...
tonyrec said:
The result was that the car collided with railings at the bottom and literally exploded in two.The Engine, wheels seats etc etc all became detached as the main frame of the car rolled end to end several times.The 2 front seats skidded down the road still attached to about 1m of floorpan.
Tony, was this a cut and shut? I wouldn't like to think this was a design flaw in the particular type of vehicle!
NugentS said:
Actually the real point here is that we both stopped on the outer lane of the A40 (in very slow traffic) quickly swapped details and then drove off. Should we have tried to get to the side of the road to swap details (N.B. The side of the road was jammed solid with parked cars at that point)
Sorry, didnt mean to hijack your thread!
You should always get your vehicle over to the side of the road in order to swap details but i know the scenario that you are describing all too well.
jazzybee said:
Tony,
was that by the Mercedes garage? Is that why the traffic lights were out, and slip road closed?
All that traffic nearly made me late for a film at the cinema yesterday!
Yes, that was it...he took out all the electrics for the ATS thats why we had to keep the slip road closed.
Can you imagine entering that slip at 90mph in the wet and not braking for the bottom?
He did'nt hit the central reservation then, because that looked fine. He must have hit the railings just before the block of flats. Are'nt there usually a load of cars parked there? and that big Luton Van? at that speed he must have flattend the railing and the car (parts of..) gone into the row of parked cars. Nasty!
tonyrec said:
Sorry, didnt mean to hijack your thread!
You should always get your vehicle over to the side of the road in order to swap details but i know the scenario that you are describing all too well.
Help yourself - I started with a grumble about the A40 and it stayed on topic.
:-)
Actually on the same topic. Just approaching the Hanger Lane exit going east I spotted what looked like an interior decorators white van parked on the westbound. Nice colour scheme - wavey lines etc.
And then I spotted the bloody minigatso
just in front of it.
To me that van looked nothing like a police van - or even what a scamera van should look like.
Hmph !
And then I spotted the bloody minigatso
just in front of it. To me that van looked nothing like a police van - or even what a scamera van should look like.
Hmph !
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