End of our holiday

[Lazy-Ferret]

If you were indicating left to pull in do you think she miss read what you were doing and thought you were turning left into that junction? This in no way excuses her bad judgement/driving and impacting your outfit. Also the fact that she wouldn't speak to anyone makes you think she knows she was in the wrong if not doing something that she shouldn't of been doing.

The thing is, I slowed down, and deliberately did not turn on the indicator till I was at the junction, so I would not confuse anyone, but then again, as I say she was not actually directly behind me, she must have been speeding, as I believe I was told that under 30, and you do not leave skid marks, so she must have been going some to not only leave 30 foot of rubber, but then still hit us that hard.

I must admit, when we first got out, I did think she was putting it on, so she would not have to explain what she had done, I felt a bit guilty for thinking that as the firemen were cutting the roof off the car.

Loving the old route master bus.:thumb2

That road is plenty wide enough, it almost looks like she was going for an over take, then changed her mind or had her mind elsewhere.

Sounds like the towbar took most of the force, hopefully the chassis will be OK.

The Irony of the route master was, there are some traffic lights over the brow of the hill behind us, and when we had got to them, he was coming the other way and was waiting to turn right. When the lights changed, he just turned straight across the traffic lights, directly in front of us, and even the conductor could no believe what he had done. Should have had a clue of how bad the day was going to be then...:lol

It's raining buckets here, so I can't get under and have a look at the chassis, but as you say, hopefully the towbar took it all.

I guess they will write the car off though, so it looks like I might have to see about getting it repaired myself.

 

[jims-terrano]

Main thing is you are not seriously injured, hope your wife has recovered. Just be mindful of neck stiffness or any pins n needles/numbness in your arms.
Such a shame if the insurance do write your car off, very unfair when it seemed in good condition for it's age. Negotiate with them and see what you can do. Keep any receipts for booking camp site and make insurance company aware of the booked holiday. At the very least your costs can be claimed back but you may actually get a hire vehicle and hire van.

One thing is clear it was not your fault!!! keep that thought and don't worry about anything the other driver will have to face. If the police want to talk to her they will wait until the doctors say she is fit to answer questions.

 

[solarman216]

That is such bad luck Clive, glad you are OK, if you are looking at repairing it yourself do not forget I have two chassis here one long one short, Rick

 

[RobN]

Impressed

They don't make caravans like that anymore, seriously good chassis.

Never seen such damage to a tow bracket. I was hit many years ago at Bodmin (pre dual carriageway) - Ford fiesta went into the back of my Montego - only damage was a scuffed towball cover and scratches on the plastic bumper which had deformed and then sprung back into shape. The fiesta had the front pushed in, radiator pushed in and the engine knocked back. Everyone was OK, my only worry was I was going home to pick up the caravan and wife to go away for the weekend.

Metal can be replaced people can't, glad you are OK. Enjoy caravan hunting or are you going to repair that one.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

They don't make caravans like that anymore, seriously good chassis.

snip

Metal can be replaced people can't, glad you are OK. Enjoy caravan hunting or are you going to repair that one.

The chassis of the caravan is twisted, the right hand side is about 3 inches further forward, and also the right hand rail is slightly corkscrewed.

When you get inside the van, the wood is literally shattered, there are shards of wood all over the place. There was no signs of any damp either, which makes it even more gutting.

I had completely modified the back inside of the van, as it was fitted out with the Ferret cages, and several of the wooden supports have split right along their length.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

That is such bad luck Clive, glad you are OK, if you are looking at repairing it yourself do not forget I have two chassis here one long one short, Rick

Thanks Rick, although, I must admit, if the chassis is bent, then I will probably let her go, I don't have the tools or space to start doing repairs of that level.

 

[solarman216]

well I am not far away mate, Rick

 

[briggie]

and you have a car trailer too rick :naughty:naughty:thumb2

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Just discovered the towbar I bought off Ebay for the WD21, back in April, is not the right one, and will not fit. We were thinking of borrowing a friends Caravan, and still going, if I could get it all fitted and wired up.

I have been looking for a tow bar on line, but can't find one at all, let alone one I could collect ASAP and fit.

It's a conspiracy...

 

[AD Ent]

Fire lads cut her out... Should have dragged her out :spanking:

If I were closer you could have whipped my Tow bar. No problem

 

[firebobby]

Fire lads cut her out... Should have dragged her out :spanking:

If I were closer you could have whipped my Tow bar. No problem

The problem nowadays is as soon as someone mentions neck or back pain, the ambulance guys will have them trussed up like a turkey and the roof or side of the car needs to come off.

I have been to many such "collisions" (accidents mean someone's at fault bla bla :doh) where the person is fine, there's hardly a mark on the car, no air bags, but suddenly they mention neck and it's off with the roof, you later hear, they were released from hospital with no injuries hours later. I think some people think, if I look injured, they won't think it's my fault, possibly what happened yesterday :naughty

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Cheers guys... It's nice to read other people saying stuff like that, I must admit I am feeling a lot of bad things towards her today, and then feeling really bad that I am feeling them, if that makes sense.

I am sure there is a lot of mileage in the "If I say nothing and act in pain, they will think it is not my fault". When I looked at the car, it was stoved in at the front, when

You were saying about the "Collision/Accident/incident" thing, and I was saying to Suz, that most times in the past, when ever I have been involved with, or witnessed an accident, you could sort of see how it happened, and could sort of sympathise with the person at fault.

I remember going up the back of a car at a roundabout, it was one of those that come onto at an angle, so end up looking partly behind you to see if it is clear. I was so busy looking over my shoulder to make sure it was still clear enough for me to follow the car in front out, I failed to see the car in front had not gone. Now I know it was my fault, but when the driver of the other car gets out and says that is the third time it has happened to him at this roundabout, you find it hard not to say, well why don't you learn to pull away.

We have all been there, moments distraction or misjudgement, and most times are lucky enough to get away with it, but I really can't make any realistic excuses for what she did. Just lucky it was not a school day, as it was right outside the school, and if she can't see a bright white caravan, what hope would she have of seeing one of the blue school buses that turn there.

We are trying to salvage something, and looking to see is we can hire a caravan and have it delivered to site.

Thanks for the towbar offer, unfortunately it looks live the WD21 has a very different towbar to the T2's.

 

[(RIP) rustygates]

One Question Clive, Why have you got a fiamma or similar awning on the back of your van?,and don't tell me it was for the ferrets!

rustygates

 

[CliveG]

Sorry to read about your bad luck,hope all gets sorted for the good

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

One Question Clive, Why have you got a fiamma or similar awning on the back of your van?,and don't tell me it was for the ferrets!

rustygates

:lol:lol Yes it is, I made a frame that fits on the mountings of the Bunkbed that would have run across the back of the van, and then built a custom cage for the ferrets.

The awning provides shade on the back window, and also makes a great spot to put the generator for their Air conditioning unit. We have a wind break that fits round it as well, to make it partially enclosed. We can also then leave the back window open as well. On top of that, we chuck the camping chairs in there as well, if it looks like rain.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Sorry to read about your bad luck,hope all gets sorted for the good

Thanks.

Some good news, my wife emailed a dedication to the the steam fairs radio station this morning, saying what had happened, and one of the companies that rent the vans there, have managed to find one for us (Bailey Pagent Bordeaux... Posh). They will put it on site on Tuesday, and we have hired a transit sized van, to take the ferrets and all our gear. This way, it only means we have lost 3 days, and will still be there for the main days of the show.

We have spent today clearing out the caravan, it's amazing how much stuff moves into a van as time goes by. Every time we move something, we find more damage, for example, all the shelves in the wardrobe have collapsed, as the wall of the wardrobe is an inch in the wrong place. The whole kitchen unit is ripped apart. All the tins in one of the lockers are dented, where they slammed into each other, and they were packed, so did not have that much room to move. Amazingly, two walls of the toilet have huge mirrors on, and although the whole bathroom is twisted, they did not brake, but the bathroom cabinet is mostly ripped off the wall.

I have to clear the awning locker, which I am dreading, as I made a cubby hole in there for the Sky box to sit in, which was right in front of the awning poles.... I have a feeling I maybe looking for a second hand Sky box soon.

 

[96terrano]

glad youre ok, we seen a lot of crashes on the M6 coming back, a 63 landrover 110 and trailer had rolled,, both seemed brand new...............right off

 

[96terrano]

:lol:lol Yes it is, I made a frame that fits on the mountings of the Bunkbed that would have run across the back of the van, and then built a custom cage for the ferrets.

now i've seen it all :lol:lol:lol

 

[solarman216]

Just discovered the towbar I bought off Ebay for the WD21, back in April, is not the right one, and will not fit. We were thinking of borrowing a friends Caravan, and still going, if I could get it all fitted and wired up.

I have been looking for a tow bar on line, but can't find one at all, let alone one I could collect ASAP and fit.

It's a conspiracy...

you should have rung me, you could have borrowed the one of the wife's motor, Rick

 

[solarman216]

just finished reading the rest and looks like you are sorted but if you need it? Rick