Driving issue

Author
Discussion

Franco5

Original Poster:

396 posts

72 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Travelling down a winding rural B road with broken line centre markings in a 30mph limit doing 30 and come around a bend to find an artic stationary with hazards on pulled in on the opposing lane facing me.

I’m concentrating on the lorry right in front of me but there’s nothing obstructing my side of the road so I carry on down the side of the lorry at maybe 20mph.

At this point a van driving in the opposite direction to me finds their lane blocked by back of the artic and starts to move onto my side of the road to pass the lorry but finds me coming in the opposite direction as I’m maybe halfway down the artic so they come to a stop behind the lorry.

Problem is they stop straddling the central white line 50% in my lane and 50% in their lane. I’m now in front of them but can’t get past. It happens quickly but they’ve not tried to manoeuvre out of my lane so I move further to my near side to crawl around them remaining on my side of the road which means I have to get my near side wheels roughly 40cm onto the grassy verge. It seemed like the best option rather than potentially create some sort of stand off.

Seemingly a complete non event that I pretty much forgot about until couple of days later my partner commented on the scuffed near side wheels - there must have been something I didn’t see in the verge which has gouged a 10p sized chunk out of front and back alloys. I didnt check them at the time as it all seemed so innocuous.

Question is can I/do I do anything about this? I’ve got everything on camera including registration and it clearly shows the other driver half in my lane and half in their own lane but stationary as I have to manoeuvre around them.

Not sure what to make of it or what (if anything) to do next.

In some ways you might say I was stupid to put two wheels on the verge but lots of people driving on narrow roads will have done something similar. The mud and grass was flattened by tyre marks where others had done the same and it looked completely risk free. Obviously if I’d known something was going to damage the wheels I’d have waited and hoped the other driver moved.

On the other hand I’m thinking this guy was in the wrong as he was partly on the wrong side of the road obstructing my lane and of course I wouldn’t have driven on the verge had he not placed his vehicle in that position.

As I say not sure what to do I guess we’re talking two refurbs and I think the wheels are part painted and part diamond cut. It’s a company lease so worst case scenario is live with it for the next couple of years and send the car back but that niggles me as I like to keep my stuff nice. Having said that some other problem will likely befall me soon and I’ll forget all about it.

The wheels were unmarked last week and this is only time they’ve been anywhere near something that could have damaged them so I’m certain it must have been this incident that caused the damage.

I’m not looking to get the other guy in trouble and police not likely to be interested even if I was.

Edited by Franco5 on Monday 3rd February 20:08

TownIdiot

3,154 posts

12 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
If I've read that correctly you've chosen to drive on the verge of your own free will.

If that's the case then it's down to you alone.


Mandat

4,162 posts

251 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Franco5 said:
Travelling down a winding rural B road with broken line centre markings in a 30mph limit doing 30 and come around a bend to find an artic stationary with hazards on pulled in on the opposing lane facing me.

I’m concentrating on the lorry right in front of me but there’s nothing obstructing my side of the road so I carry on down the side of the lorry at maybe 20mph.

At this point a van driving in the opposite direction to me finds their lane blocked by back of the artic and starts to move onto my side of the road to pass the lorry but finds me coming in the opposite direction as I’m maybe halfway down the artic so they come to a stop behind the lorry.

Problem is they stop straddling the central white line 50% in my lane and 50% in their lane. I’m now in front of them but can’t get past. It happens quickly but they’ve not tried to manoeuvre out of my lane so I move further to my near side to crawl around them remaining on my side of the road which means I have to get my near side wheels roughly 40cm onto the grassy verge. It seemed like the best option rather than potentially create some sort of stand off.

Seemingly a complete non event that I pretty much forgot about until couple of days later my partner commented on the scuffed near side wheels - there must have been something I didn’t see in the verge which has gouged a 10p sized chunk out of front and back alloys. I didnt check them at the time as it all seemed so innocuous.

Question is can I/do I do anything about this? I’ve got everything on camera including registration and it clearly shows the other driver half in my lane and half in their own lane but stationary as I have to manoeuvre around them.

Not sure what to make of it or what (if anything) to do next.

In some ways you might say I was stupid to put two wheels on the verge but lots of people driving on narrow roads will have done something similar. The mud and grass was flattened by tyre marks where others had done the same and it looked completely risk free. Obviously if I’d known something was going to damage the wheels I’d have waited and hoped the other driver moved.

On the other hand I’m thinking this guy was in the wrong as he was partly on the wrong side of the road obstructing my lane and of course I wouldn’t have driven on the verge had he not placed his vehicle in that position.

As I say not sure what to do I guess we’re talking two refurbs and I think the wheels are part painted and part diamond cut. It’s a company lease so worst case scenario is live with it for the next couple of years and send the car back but that niggles me as I like to keep my stuff nice. Having said that some other problem will likely befall me soon and I’ll forget all about it.

The wheels were unmarked last week and this is only time they’ve been anywhere near something that could have damaged them so I’m certain it must have been this incident that caused the damage.

I’m not looking to get the other guy in trouble and police not likely to be interested even if I was.
Unfortunately, you don't have any proof that your wheels were damaged by the van driver's negligence, therefore you won't have a claim against them.

Kawasicki

13,739 posts

248 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Surely there was an impact of some kind?

Franco5

Original Poster:

396 posts

72 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Kawasicki said:
Surely there was an impact of some kind?
No impact I heard or felt but I was at walking pace as I went around the van.

Franco5

Original Poster:

396 posts

72 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
TownIdiot said:
If I've read that correctly you've chosen to drive on the verge of your own free will.

If that's the case then it's down to you alone.
Correct and to a large extent I agree I should have sat there and made the other driver move.

Franco5

Original Poster:

396 posts

72 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Mandat said:
Unfortunately, you don't have any proof that your wheels were damaged by the van driver's negligence, therefore you won't have a claim against them.
The only evidence I have is a video showing the other driver obstructing my lane.

TownIdiot

3,154 posts

12 months

Monday 3rd February
quotequote all
Franco5 said:
Correct and to a large extent I agree I should have sat there and made the other driver move.
Exactly this yes.
Or if it was safe, reverse yourself.