Well, someone's in deep sh*t...

[Doodle]

On her way to work today, the other half comes round a sweeping curve on the fast A road to find some prat trying to overtake another car coming towards her on her side of the road.

She bangs the brakes on and slithers into the verge, and the idiot misses her by about half an inch. The van behind her slides through the now-present gap fully locked up too, as the car disappears off up the road.

No damage to her car, but she's very shaken, and the guy in the van comes to check she's ok, while getting on the phone to the police. As he's finishing the call, he spots that the car has stopped on the horizon, and is coming back, probably guessing his plate has been taken. The driver pulls up and starts trying to make his excuses, at which point the police arrive.

Usual conflab and witness statements ensue, at which point the police breathalyse him, and nick him for being drunk and for dangerous driving...

The stupid prat was in an E-class, so her Polo wouldn't have stood a chance had he hit her. As it is, he'll be without a licence for quite a little while.

 

[Flash]

Glad no one was hurt.

Plenty of idots drive new (ish) Mercs now and other prestige cars. Just because the driver is behind the wheel of the "three pointed star" does not make them good law abiding citizines/perfect role models to society...

 

[stats007]

At least the idiot stopped - even if his plate had been taken it would have been a long and arduous task to go through a claim to prove he was driving / plate hadn't been cloned etc etc

Glad she's ok.

 

[blassberg]

agreed on all points

 

[Rose Chap]

I hope the E Class driver learns from this experience and doesn't do it again. Also, hope your wife isn't too shaken up DT - hopefully nothing a few glasses of merlot can't fix tonight.

 

[SG CL500]

Glad your wife is OK, hope she gets over the shock quickly.

To be fair to the other driver at least he did turn round and come back to face the music - presumably panicked initially and then realised what he should do - fair enough. no excuse for D&D or dangerous driving tho.

 

[Benzowner]

Very surprised the police turned up that quick, must have been lucky to catch them near the incident. Glad all was ok though

 

[Doodle]

Glad no one was hurt.

Plenty of idots drive new (ish) Mercs now and other prestige cars. Just because the driver is behind the wheel of the "three pointed star" does not make them good law abiding citizines/perfect role models to society...

Indeed...I was more referring to the size differential and the resultant physics of any collision. Let's face it, Mondeo man has now become 3-series man, and you can find idiots in any vehicle.

It has, however, impressed upon me the need to find her a stronger car, so we're off shopping this weekend.

 

[ckember]

Sorry to hear about your other halfs very near miss. You could offer to buy the idots E class, if he does get done for D&D he wont be driving it for a while!!!

 

[Mozzer]

if he does get done for D&D he wont be driving it for a while!!!

Or be able to afford the resultant car insurance hike

 

[aka$h]

Just read this, above everything else, glad your other half is ok.
There no excuse for drink driving, hope he gets what he deserves!

 

[BTB 500]

It has, however, impressed upon me the need to find her a stronger car

Of course the current VW ad. campaign for the Polo is based on how strong it is (with the guardian angel hanging round waiting for the woman to get out of hers)!

Anyway, very glad there was no physical damage.

 

[Doodle]

Of course the current VW ad. campaign for the Polo is based on how strong it is (with the guardian angel hanging round waiting for the woman to get out of hers)!

Anyway, very glad there was no physical damage.

Ah...therein lies the problem...the Polo in question is a 1989 vintage, and therefore made of tinfoil.

Current favourites are a 2001-on Clio dci, or a Honda Jazz (friend is MD of the local dealership), but we're going to look at most of the safe superminis on offer.

EDIT - I briefly considered buying her Guy's W140, on the basis that it was the closest thing to a mobile pillbox that I could find, but then realised that the fuel bills would cripple her, and it wouldn't fit down half the roads she has to drive!

 

[SilverSaloon]

pleased your wife is OK. Hopefully the drunk driver will get what he deserves and will not be on the road for a while.

good luck in finding a nice safe car. I think aslong as you keep to the mainstream brands, most new cars are pretty high on the safety front....

 

[BTB 500]

Ah...therein lies the problem...the Polo in question is a 1989 vintage, and therefore made of tinfoil.

Current favourites are a 2001-on Clio dci, or a Honda Jazz

Yup - we had an F reg. Micra, and the body panels on that were so thin you could see them flex with the air pressure when you closed a door or the tailgate!

We have an '03 Jazz now - fantastic car, would highly recommend it.

 

[Rory]

We have an '03 Jazz now - fantastic car, would highly recommend it.

We do too, and I drive it a lot - even after 2.5yrs I'm always impressed by it.

I think the 89 Polo might actually be quite stong, but cars are designed to crumple on impact, so it might not be the best thing to crash into.

I had a very near miss with an E Class the other day. Driver overshot a Give Way line by a good 2 ft leaving a very narrow gap for me as cars were waiting to turn into the same road. I don't whether the driver misjudged it (another possible drunken driver?), or just assumed that because they were in an E Class and I was in a Jazz that I'd stop.
I do wonder if the very high protection afforded by the E Class makes some drivers feel invincible - many of them do seem to be driven in the same manner as you see SUV's being driven.

 

[graeme73s]

Glad the wifes OK its a miracle that he stopped. My missus nearly got squidged in her smart car the other week when a guy driving a fully laden grab lorry jumped the lights at the bottom of the A1. She saw him coming and new he could not stop so thankfully she did. Don't want to even contemplate the consequences of a speeding grab lorry collecting a smart cabriolet.

 

[Iyse]

What's the penalty for being stopped and found driving under the influence?

 

[BTB 500]

What's the penalty for being stopped and found driving under the influence?

If you're over the limit, 12 month minimum ban.

 

[stats007]

Min £500 fine too isn't it? That and insurance not valid and a 5x price hike in premiums!