Accident then drove off
Discussion
Was driving home yesterday from a very exciting (not) trip to the local tip and was 4-5 cars back in a queue to turn right when I saw an X5 roll back into a fiesta then drive off pretty quick...
Fiesta took off after and could see the driver hitting the horn to attract attention. Once I got to turn, I presumed I'd see them both pulled over exchanging details, but it was not until the X5 HAD to stop at a set of lights that the Fiesta driver could speak to them. Saw the heated exhange taking place at the lights so stopped to offer to be a witness. The X5 driver and very aggresive friend were denying all. Once I said I saw what happened the Driver said her shoe had slipped off! Gave my details to the lady in the fiesta as BiB had not turned up yet and went on my way. Saw BiB on next trip to tip (very exciting Sunday) and confirmed I was witness...said they'd call for a statement 'soon'.
Makes my blood boil that soemone causes an accident then tries to just drive off... When I was at the lights I asked both parties to pull their cars off the road to clear the traffic and the X5 driver had great trouble just reversing off the road...clearly should not have a licence in the first place!
Fiesta took off after and could see the driver hitting the horn to attract attention. Once I got to turn, I presumed I'd see them both pulled over exchanging details, but it was not until the X5 HAD to stop at a set of lights that the Fiesta driver could speak to them. Saw the heated exhange taking place at the lights so stopped to offer to be a witness. The X5 driver and very aggresive friend were denying all. Once I said I saw what happened the Driver said her shoe had slipped off! Gave my details to the lady in the fiesta as BiB had not turned up yet and went on my way. Saw BiB on next trip to tip (very exciting Sunday) and confirmed I was witness...said they'd call for a statement 'soon'.
Makes my blood boil that soemone causes an accident then tries to just drive off... When I was at the lights I asked both parties to pull their cars off the road to clear the traffic and the X5 driver had great trouble just reversing off the road...clearly should not have a licence in the first place!
Virgil. Good for you. Independent witnesses are too rare these days and a godsend in legal proceedings. Mags put a *lot* of weight on their evidence.
Can I suggest you write out (now!) an account of what happened, including a little picture*, whether any horn was sounded, lights, point of impact between vehicles, descriptions of drivers / passengers etc etc.
You probably won't need to write out a witness statement in full for months, (unless theres's a criminal charge) and it's a real help if you have nearly contemporaneous notes (which a day after isn't, but it's better than a week...)
* in plan form. It was a great surprise when I heard about a witness pack the other day with a side-on view of an accident drawn by hand...
Can I suggest you write out (now!) an account of what happened, including a little picture*, whether any horn was sounded, lights, point of impact between vehicles, descriptions of drivers / passengers etc etc.
You probably won't need to write out a witness statement in full for months, (unless theres's a criminal charge) and it's a real help if you have nearly contemporaneous notes (which a day after isn't, but it's better than a week...)
* in plan form. It was a great surprise when I heard about a witness pack the other day with a side-on view of an accident drawn by hand...
.......WELL DONE! I always stop when i witness an accident, having been screwed over twice in the past in non-fault accidents. I've also seen countless people drive away when they've clearly seen another driver in distress after an accident. [quote=7db]Virgil. Good for you. Independent witnesses are too rare these days and a godsend in legal proceedings. Mags put a *lot* of weight on their evidence.
Can I suggest you write out (now!) an account of what happened, including a little picture*, whether any horn was sounded, lights, point of impact between vehicles, descriptions of drivers / passengers etc etc.
quote]
Already have...helps to note these things down...if it gets to court last thing I want is for these so and sos to get off on a technicality!
Had someone reverse into my Alfa couple fo years back - got her details etc and took number of car. When I phoned up - there was no one by that name there! Went through the DVLA to get address of owner from the reg no and the owener denied the whole thing. Went to BiB and they just didn't want to know...said that was what insurance was for!!!!!!
So I know how much this kind of thing hurts.
Can I suggest you write out (now!) an account of what happened, including a little picture*, whether any horn was sounded, lights, point of impact between vehicles, descriptions of drivers / passengers etc etc.
quote]
Already have...helps to note these things down...if it gets to court last thing I want is for these so and sos to get off on a technicality!
Had someone reverse into my Alfa couple fo years back - got her details etc and took number of car. When I phoned up - there was no one by that name there! Went through the DVLA to get address of owner from the reg no and the owener denied the whole thing. Went to BiB and they just didn't want to know...said that was what insurance was for!!!!!!
So I know how much this kind of thing hurts.
jasandjules said:
Well done you.
People should not be allowed to get away with that. I don't think plod will be too interested though as no-one was injured, and she can claim that she was intending to report it later..
I personally hope there will be a 'refusing to stop at scene' or equiv jobbie. It's one thing to do it at night - no one around - and sneek off (still pretty sh!tty), but to do it in broad daylight, drive off then passenger try and intimidate victim into forgetting about it is totally another. Poor people had come down to Southend to have a nice day at the sea side and get lumbered with sorting this out for a good couple of hours...
To me a person who does this has almost got the sufficient mental element to be charged with criminal damage...
As I say, well done you. I suspect half of it was because she knew she was in the wrong so got shirty. I mean, you can always agree to settle the damage without involving the insurance and all that. She also more than likely has bought a 4*4 precisely because she is a poor driver and can't judge anything, so she is looking to protect herself at the expense of the rest of us. I HATE people in 4*4s who drive this way.
As I say, well done you. I suspect half of it was because she knew she was in the wrong so got shirty. I mean, you can always agree to settle the damage without involving the insurance and all that. She also more than likely has bought a 4*4 precisely because she is a poor driver and can't judge anything, so she is looking to protect herself at the expense of the rest of us. I HATE people in 4*4s who drive this way.
Dwight Vandriver said:
Virgil
Include in that account uour opinion whether or not the driver of the big car would be aware of the accident at the time. (Not from the subsequent chase)
If they weren't they could get off....
Virtual pint at the Cyber bar for you for coming forward as a witness.
dvd
Include in that account uour opinion whether or not the driver of the big car would be aware of the accident at the time. (Not from the subsequent chase)
If they weren't they could get off....
Virtual pint at the Cyber bar for you for coming forward as a witness.
dvd
Oh she was deffinately aware...hesitated like a blind deaf centarian when there were plenty of gaps, then shot off like a scalded cat once she'd hit the car behind! I could see her car 'feel' the bump too!
Virtual pint...Mmmmm. Ta!
Well done mate. With luck there will be one fewer person screwed over as the result of what you did.
[pious]How can people like that X5 driver have lived long enough to get a drivers license, yet still be such emotional retards that they can bear to behave like that? As an adult if you don't treat other people with respect, you cannot have self-respect, and life must feel pretty hollow if you don't have self-respect ... all predicated on being an adult of course. Perhaps they are destined to be perpetual teenagers? Tragic, really.[/pious]
[pious]How can people like that X5 driver have lived long enough to get a drivers license, yet still be such emotional retards that they can bear to behave like that? As an adult if you don't treat other people with respect, you cannot have self-respect, and life must feel pretty hollow if you don't have self-respect ... all predicated on being an adult of course. Perhaps they are destined to be perpetual teenagers? Tragic, really.[/pious]
I agree you should write everything down as soon as you can. I've been to court four times as a witness to two different car accidents - the first was a minor bump resulting in assault [19yr old on a 60+ gent FFS!] and the second one was a failure to stop incident [turned out offender had no licence or insurance, had several identities and was wanted for a string of other offences].
The pride it gave me to see justice done when the offending parties in both cases were pleading total innocence was fantastic - the second case went to an appeal as the offender hoped that I wouldn't make the 180 mile journey to court - his face was a picture when I happened to see him outside the court room and his barrister threw the towel in almost immediately!
In both cases the "injured parties" were extremely thankful for my efforts and despite the hassle of attending court I'd do it all again tomorrow, and hope someone else would do the same for me if required.
Fair play to you.
The pride it gave me to see justice done when the offending parties in both cases were pleading total innocence was fantastic - the second case went to an appeal as the offender hoped that I wouldn't make the 180 mile journey to court - his face was a picture when I happened to see him outside the court room and his barrister threw the towel in almost immediately!
In both cases the "injured parties" were extremely thankful for my efforts and despite the hassle of attending court I'd do it all again tomorrow, and hope someone else would do the same for me if required.
Fair play to you.
se9boy said:
I agree you should write everything down as soon as you can. I've been to court four times as a witness to two different car accidents - the first was a minor bump resulting in assault [19yr old on a 60+ gent FFS!] and the second one was a failure to stop incident [turned out offender had no licence or insurance, had several identities and was wanted for a string of other offences].
The pride it gave me to see justice done when the offending parties in both cases were pleading total innocence was fantastic - the second case went to an appeal as the offender hoped that I wouldn't make the 180 mile journey to court - his face was a picture when I happened to see him outside the court room and his barrister threw the towel in almost immediately!
In both cases the "injured parties" were extremely thankful for my efforts and despite the hassle of attending court I'd do it all again tomorrow, and hope someone else would do the same for me if required.
Fair play to you.
The pride it gave me to see justice done when the offending parties in both cases were pleading total innocence was fantastic - the second case went to an appeal as the offender hoped that I wouldn't make the 180 mile journey to court - his face was a picture when I happened to see him outside the court room and his barrister threw the towel in almost immediately!
In both cases the "injured parties" were extremely thankful for my efforts and despite the hassle of attending court I'd do it all again tomorrow, and hope someone else would do the same for me if required.
Fair play to you.
Good to see someone else prepared to spend a little time helping out the otherwise potentially shafted!
When you got to court, was there much cross examination - ie to try and discredit your evidence, or was it pretty much taken at face value? Interested to know what one might expect if it came to that...not that BiB have called for a statement yet or anything!
se9boy said:
I agree you should write everything down as soon as you can. I've been to court four times as a witness to two different car accidents - the first was a minor bump resulting in assault [19yr old on a 60+ gent FFS!] and the second one was a failure to stop incident [turned out offender had no licence or insurance, had several identities and was wanted for a string of other offences].
The pride it gave me to see justice done when the offending parties in both cases were pleading total innocence was fantastic - the second case went to an appeal as the offender hoped that I wouldn't make the 180 mile journey to court - his face was a picture when I happened to see him outside the court room and his barrister threw the towel in almost immediately!
In both cases the "injured parties" were extremely thankful for my efforts and despite the hassle of attending court I'd do it all again tomorrow, and hope someone else would do the same for me if required.
Fair play to you.
The pride it gave me to see justice done when the offending parties in both cases were pleading total innocence was fantastic - the second case went to an appeal as the offender hoped that I wouldn't make the 180 mile journey to court - his face was a picture when I happened to see him outside the court room and his barrister threw the towel in almost immediately!
In both cases the "injured parties" were extremely thankful for my efforts and despite the hassle of attending court I'd do it all again tomorrow, and hope someone else would do the same for me if required.
Fair play to you.
Good to see someone else prepared to spend a little time helping out the otherwise potentially shafted!
When you got to court, was there much cross examination - ie to try and discredit your evidence, or was it pretty much taken at face value? Interested to know what one might expect if it came to that...not that BiB have called for a statement yet or anything!
Virgil,
On both incidents I was cross examined by barristers. My best advice is as follows;
1. Be honest in your statement and do not summise anything - don't make up what you "thought" you saw - just say what you actually saw - let the magistrate / jury decide the rest.
2. Know your statement before you are questioned - it's not a test but they will make a big issue about something you appear vague about and will try to 'discredit' your story. The defence are looking to pick holes and imply you are not a reliable source of information, so don't embellish anything.
3. Try not to get nervous and just say the truth - bear in mind that you do not personally stand to win or lose anything from the outcome. You can actually use it as a learning experience.
In my own experience the barristers dealing with cases like this are hardly 'Rumpole of the Bailey', although they don't always think that way. I was fortunate to have enough brains / common sense to realise when they were trying to lead my answers into a certain direction and I responded accordingly.
Even if you don't know everything, convincing the 'panel' that you are honest is probably 80% of the task.
Good luck if anything comes of it.
On both incidents I was cross examined by barristers. My best advice is as follows;
1. Be honest in your statement and do not summise anything - don't make up what you "thought" you saw - just say what you actually saw - let the magistrate / jury decide the rest.
2. Know your statement before you are questioned - it's not a test but they will make a big issue about something you appear vague about and will try to 'discredit' your story. The defence are looking to pick holes and imply you are not a reliable source of information, so don't embellish anything.
3. Try not to get nervous and just say the truth - bear in mind that you do not personally stand to win or lose anything from the outcome. You can actually use it as a learning experience.
In my own experience the barristers dealing with cases like this are hardly 'Rumpole of the Bailey', although they don't always think that way. I was fortunate to have enough brains / common sense to realise when they were trying to lead my answers into a certain direction and I responded accordingly.
Even if you don't know everything, convincing the 'panel' that you are honest is probably 80% of the task.
Good luck if anything comes of it.
se9boy said:
Virgil,
On both incidents I was cross examined by barristers. My best advice is as follows;
1. Be honest in your statement and do not summise anything - don't make up what you "thought" you saw - just say what you actually saw - let the magistrate / jury decide the rest.
2. Know your statement before you are questioned - it's not a test but they will make a big issue about something you appear vague about and will try to 'discredit' your story. The defence are looking to pick holes and imply you are not a reliable source of information, so don't embellish anything.
3. Try not to get nervous and just say the truth - bear in mind that you do not personally stand to win or lose anything from the outcome. You can actually use it as a learning experience.
In my own experience the barristers dealing with cases like this are hardly 'Rumpole of the Bailey', although they don't always think that way. I was fortunate to have enough brains / common sense to realise when they were trying to lead my answers into a certain direction and I responded accordingly.
Even if you don't know everything, convincing the 'panel' that you are honest is probably 80% of the task.
Good luck if anything comes of it.
On both incidents I was cross examined by barristers. My best advice is as follows;
1. Be honest in your statement and do not summise anything - don't make up what you "thought" you saw - just say what you actually saw - let the magistrate / jury decide the rest.
2. Know your statement before you are questioned - it's not a test but they will make a big issue about something you appear vague about and will try to 'discredit' your story. The defence are looking to pick holes and imply you are not a reliable source of information, so don't embellish anything.
3. Try not to get nervous and just say the truth - bear in mind that you do not personally stand to win or lose anything from the outcome. You can actually use it as a learning experience.
In my own experience the barristers dealing with cases like this are hardly 'Rumpole of the Bailey', although they don't always think that way. I was fortunate to have enough brains / common sense to realise when they were trying to lead my answers into a certain direction and I responded accordingly.
Even if you don't know everything, convincing the 'panel' that you are honest is probably 80% of the task.
Good luck if anything comes of it.
Cheers mate. Keep you all informed...
As above, read your statement before going into court. This will refresh your memory and will make your account far more reliable. However IF you need to read it, you can ask to do so. The barrister ought to, under cross-ex, attempt to be nice for a few questions, getting you to agree with them, and then say something which sounds nice and plausible but isn't what happened.....They will attempt to make sure you don't look like you know what you are talking about or that you are telling the truth, but as above, just say what you say to the best of your recollection. Especially the bit where you saw her feel the bump (I assume she physically moved/winced etc) and then drove away....
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