Last night , I had just got my son down to bed when the phone rang .
SWMBO was on the other end , and in-between the tears I managed to determine she had just been in a crash . About all she could tell me was that she was outside the BP petrol station in the nearby village . Fearing the worst , I got my 6 yo son back out of bed in his pyjamas and into the car , wrapped in a blanket , grabbed a camera and my phone , then made haste to the location .
On arrival , her car was on the forecourt , alongside a dark coloured hatchback . To my relief , no one appeared to be hurt , both she and the young man who had been driving the other car were walking around and had exchanged details .
Unfortunately , in the dark corner , away from the forecourt lighting , it was hard to see the extent of the damage to her Golf , the bumper looked badly scuffed , but that was about it ; the other car was much worse with the front end pretty much totalled : bumper and grille gone , headlamps smashed and bonnet buckled .
Both were in a state of shock , Jan shaking and wandering aimlessly - I got her to sit in my car ; the young man was waiting for his dad who was on his way - he was not my main concern so I let him be in as much as he was wandering about an empty area of the forecourt and in no immediate danger .
Inside the car , Jan was able to tell me that she had been slowing to enter the petrol station , signalling left ( independent witness corroborates this ) when the car behind simply ran into the back of her . The young man had admitted to her he was on his phone and just didn't see her slowing ! I don't know what speed he was doing - it was the village bypass with a 50 mph limit .
When the father arrived , we all got out , I asked both of them if there was any dispute over what happened , to his credit , the young man admitted blame . Since neither could remember insurance details , we agreed to phone later . It so happened the father works in a local garage and arrived in a recovery truck to take his son's car away ; Jan's Golf was still drivable , with all lights working .
I was unsure about her ability to drive , but she insisted on driving the mile or so home . Once home and settled , I went out and had a better look at her car , thankfully the tailgate still opens and shuts fine , the boot floor looks OK with the access panel for the spare wheel still opening and shutting fine ; the only other damage seems to be the exhaust which is now leaking somewhere - looks like his car ran under her bumper and hit the tailpipe , causing damage somewhere .
Then , after about an hour , Jan started complaining about a sore neck and back - despite my protestations , she refused to go to A&E , or to have a doctor come ...
I must emphasise I am only concerned about her welfare and have no interest in a 'whiplash claim' but I know how soft tissue damage can manifest . Despite giving her painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicines I had , she was still very sore this morning .
Later last night , the lad's father had phoned , asking after Jan and her car , and offering to repair the car for us . I had also said to Jan that I would rather not go down the insurance route since the car , and X-reg Golf would be written off for a few hundred , but having been in the family since almost new was a known reliable car which we wouldn't want to lose over something like this . I'm guessing the lad is only in his late teens and his insurance will be astronomical , hence he doesn't need the hit this incident would cause him . Since he seems to be genuinely shaken and remorseful , we are at least talking about his offer . I know that otherwise I could go to the breaker and get a back bumper for £25 or so ( getting one for a Mk IV Golf estate and in silver might not be so easy ) and see what is needed for the exhaust , so it wouldn't cost a fortune to put right ; I'd rather do that than let the car be written off .
So , two cars damaged , one much more badly than the other , a lot of tears and stress , some injury ALL BECAUSE AN IDIOT WAS ON THE PHONE WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONCENTRATING * ON THE TASK OF DRIVING .
* Concentration : the full application of mind and body to a particular endeavour to the complete exclusion of everything not relevant to that endeavour
The above was drilled into me during training - pity it isn't for everyone .
SWMBO was on the other end , and in-between the tears I managed to determine she had just been in a crash . About all she could tell me was that she was outside the BP petrol station in the nearby village . Fearing the worst , I got my 6 yo son back out of bed in his pyjamas and into the car , wrapped in a blanket , grabbed a camera and my phone , then made haste to the location .
On arrival , her car was on the forecourt , alongside a dark coloured hatchback . To my relief , no one appeared to be hurt , both she and the young man who had been driving the other car were walking around and had exchanged details .
Unfortunately , in the dark corner , away from the forecourt lighting , it was hard to see the extent of the damage to her Golf , the bumper looked badly scuffed , but that was about it ; the other car was much worse with the front end pretty much totalled : bumper and grille gone , headlamps smashed and bonnet buckled .
Both were in a state of shock , Jan shaking and wandering aimlessly - I got her to sit in my car ; the young man was waiting for his dad who was on his way - he was not my main concern so I let him be in as much as he was wandering about an empty area of the forecourt and in no immediate danger .
Inside the car , Jan was able to tell me that she had been slowing to enter the petrol station , signalling left ( independent witness corroborates this ) when the car behind simply ran into the back of her . The young man had admitted to her he was on his phone and just didn't see her slowing ! I don't know what speed he was doing - it was the village bypass with a 50 mph limit .
When the father arrived , we all got out , I asked both of them if there was any dispute over what happened , to his credit , the young man admitted blame . Since neither could remember insurance details , we agreed to phone later . It so happened the father works in a local garage and arrived in a recovery truck to take his son's car away ; Jan's Golf was still drivable , with all lights working .
I was unsure about her ability to drive , but she insisted on driving the mile or so home . Once home and settled , I went out and had a better look at her car , thankfully the tailgate still opens and shuts fine , the boot floor looks OK with the access panel for the spare wheel still opening and shutting fine ; the only other damage seems to be the exhaust which is now leaking somewhere - looks like his car ran under her bumper and hit the tailpipe , causing damage somewhere .
Then , after about an hour , Jan started complaining about a sore neck and back - despite my protestations , she refused to go to A&E , or to have a doctor come ...
I must emphasise I am only concerned about her welfare and have no interest in a 'whiplash claim' but I know how soft tissue damage can manifest . Despite giving her painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicines I had , she was still very sore this morning .
Later last night , the lad's father had phoned , asking after Jan and her car , and offering to repair the car for us . I had also said to Jan that I would rather not go down the insurance route since the car , and X-reg Golf would be written off for a few hundred , but having been in the family since almost new was a known reliable car which we wouldn't want to lose over something like this . I'm guessing the lad is only in his late teens and his insurance will be astronomical , hence he doesn't need the hit this incident would cause him . Since he seems to be genuinely shaken and remorseful , we are at least talking about his offer . I know that otherwise I could go to the breaker and get a back bumper for £25 or so ( getting one for a Mk IV Golf estate and in silver might not be so easy ) and see what is needed for the exhaust , so it wouldn't cost a fortune to put right ; I'd rather do that than let the car be written off .
So , two cars damaged , one much more badly than the other , a lot of tears and stress , some injury ALL BECAUSE AN IDIOT WAS ON THE PHONE WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONCENTRATING * ON THE TASK OF DRIVING .
* Concentration : the full application of mind and body to a particular endeavour to the complete exclusion of everything not relevant to that endeavour
The above was drilled into me during training - pity it isn't for everyone .
I might be unpopular in saying this, but I have found that even having Viseeo and total handsfree, my attention wanders if talking on the phone whilst driving. Concentration is not 100% and to me that is dangerous.
