have I just done something stupid ? urgent answer please
have I just done something stupid ? urgent answer please
Author
Discussion

siwil1

Original Poster:

1,022 posts

261 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
Well the answer to that is yes.

I have just managed to put our Freelander in a ditch after hitting some standing water. Its well and truely stuck.

My neighbour saw me and has given me a lift home. In my mind this was not a problem, I will get the car recovered one way or another tomorrow.

But I havnt informed anyone ie the police have I just left the scene of an accident? Should I call them and let them know,go back to the car I havent been drinking or anything stupid in that way its all insured mot etc etc .

But I'm now worrying that I have acted incorrectly.

Any advise will be appreciated

Globs

13,847 posts

261 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
siwil1 said:
Well the answer to that is yes.

I have just managed to put our Freelander in a ditch after hitting some standing water. Its well and truely stuck.

My neighbour saw me and has given me a lift home. In my mind this was not a problem, I will get the car recovered one way or another tomorrow.

But I havnt informed anyone ie the police have I just left the scene of an accident? Should I call them and let them know,go back to the car I havent been drinking or anything stupid in that way its all insured mot etc etc .

But I'm now worrying that I have acted incorrectly.

Any advise will be appreciated
No crime, no one else involved, therefore no police required.

XG332

3,927 posts

218 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
siwil1 said:
Any advise will be appreciated
Slow down wink

siwil1

Original Poster:

1,022 posts

261 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
XG332 said:
Slow down wink
Fair comment and totally correct.

Dosent help though !

B17NNS

18,506 posts

277 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
Don't have a nightcap just in case.

siwil1

Original Poster:

1,022 posts

261 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
B17NNS said:
Don't have a nightcap just in case.
I hardly drink and defo not when driving. I had 1 beer a week ago I think that will be out of the system!

Blue Oval84

5,396 posts

191 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
The police will have their hands full and will not thank you for calling up to report something that they're not really interested i.

It sounds as though you caused no damage to anything other than your car so just return in the morning.

davepoth

29,395 posts

229 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
Blue Oval84 said:
The police will have their hands full and will not thank you for calling up to report something that they're not really interested i.

It sounds as though you caused no damage to anything other than your car so just return in the morning.
I disagree. Report it on the non-emergency line. They'll want to know why it's in a ditch, and more importantly that there aren't any people nearby bleeding to death in a field.

B17NNS

18,506 posts

277 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
davepoth said:
I disagree. Report it on the non-emergency line. They'll want to know why it's in a ditch, and more importantly that there aren't any people nearby bleeding to death in a field.
Same. If they are informed then they won't waste any additional time finding out who the driver is, checking you're okay etc.

Just let them know you've had an off, the road is clear and you'll be recovering the vehicle in the morning.

blearyeyedboy

6,811 posts

209 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
davepoth said:
I disagree. Report it on the non-emergency line. They'll want to know why it's in a ditch, and more importantly that there aren't any people nearby bleeding to death in a field.
+1 to this. You might save some poor PC from trudging up and down the ditch looking for non-existent dead people at 3 o'clock in the morning.

Red 4

10,744 posts

217 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
davepoth said:
Report it on the non-emergency line. They'll want to know why it's in a ditch, and more importantly that there aren't any people nearby bleeding to death in a field.
This.

ps. if there is no damage other than to your car and nobody was injured then it isn't a road traffic accident so you won't be reported, etc.


Healey73

1,181 posts

314 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
Definitely report as stated many times already, you will only get a knock at the door at stupid o'clock to see you ok or have had car stolen. Just call on 101, they'll just pop a quick report on pnc in the meantime or put some tape on it to save any future queries until you recover it.

stormy22

793 posts

167 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
There are different ways to look at this. If your car was in perfect condition prior to the accident, then report it as a courtessey and it may help your insurance claim if you show that you reported it to the police.

You don't want the police to inspect it and find a tyre was below legal limit of something else they could give you a ticket for. Chances are, if you report it exactly as it happened, they won't even bother looking at it as long as it is currently not a hazzard, just slap some tape on it to save anyone else looking at it

Not reporting it could be easier unless someone else reports it, the police hunt for you, then complain to you for not reporting it, wasting police time for they have to utilise resources checking it out etc. They could get pissed (depends who deals with it) and they try to find something wrong,for recompense. They may even want to ask you some quesions about why it happened, had you been drinking, give a test, etc etc.

Or...they won't give a toss.
If you have nothing to hide, I would report it as a courtessey, just to let them know, the sooner the better.

Edited by stormy22 on Tuesday 27th November 01:03

Pet Troll

1,363 posts

208 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
From experience I would say definitely report it, when I left a car in a ditch and got a lift home I awoke to a knock at the door at 3am. There were several cars that turned up and they said that 5 units had been taken off motorway patrol to come and look for a missing/injured person which is apparently what they do if they come across a car in a ditch with no occupants and no reports.

It was all good in the end though, they radio'd to the unit at the car to stick a police aware sign on the car and then they left. They were pretty miffed that I hadn't reported it though. (Although secretly I think they were more miffed that my breath test came back as zero)!

Chris Peacock

820 posts

238 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
Even by leaving a note on the dash for plod to see, even if you have reported it.

Couldn't you have just driven out of the ditch?......It's a freelander is it not!

(sorry.......I feel your pain)

stormy22

793 posts

167 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
Freelanders are not good offroaders! It's a baby disco for the school run. They cry when they see mud don't they?

Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

295 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
stormy22 said:
Freelanders are not good offroaders! It's a baby disco for the school run. They cry when they see mud don't they?
Aparently they aren't even that good with puddles.

siwil1

Original Poster:

1,022 posts

261 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
cheers guys for all the replies, In the end I rang the local number and told them where it was. They were fine gave me a ref number and thanked me for letting them know.

Dragged it out this morning and Ive busted the Passenger mirror and dented the door so not bad in the scale of things. Whats more dented is my pride but cest la vie Im still at work today.

Cheers for the quick replies I knew I could rely on PH for the answers !